Laodicea began in John's time. I do not doubt there is a consecutive history in the passage, which I. divide into two parts (chaps. 2. and 3.), for it ends in Thyatira or popery. In chap 3., you have Protestantism (Sardis) alongside. Philadelphia is a church without pretension., which keeps Christ's word, and does not deny His name; which, further, keeps the word of His patience; which still expects Christ, though it may seem He will never come. He is waiting, and in the patience in which He waits (for the longsuffering of God is salvation He is not slack concerning His promise), taking His word to guide, and Still waiting; and such will be kept. But it is not the party which outwardly characterizes the church which is addressed—all in a general sense—but, I believe, those who have ears to hear.
It is not apostacy, nor heresy, nor Babylon which characterizes Laodicea but much more, I think, professed light from human sources, from the human mind, not having God's eye-salve; nor has it the gold tried in the fire, Christ as divine righteousness; the sum of the value of all things (just the reality of that which is divine) known by divine teaching. I do not think the seven churches go down a regular declivity Smyrna is God's stopping decline by persecution. Philadelphia is not decline, nor Sardis; the tendency is there, but it is not absolute or universal. A great deal that is neither here nor there has been said as to Philadelphia and Laodicea; but those of Philadelphia are not the description of the progress 'of evil. Not keeping Christ's word, but denying His name was their danger, and in this they had overcome. The other was dropping the expectation of the Lord—the word of His patience. In this, too, they had overcome; and they had two promises. Kept from (ek not dia) the hour of temptation, they would be off before it; and the ecclesiastical powers, which had despised them, should be humbled to recognize that Christ had loved them. They are singularly identified with Christ. But the faithful in Philadelphia are called to overcome as much as in Laodicea. Faithfulness in the circumstances of each particular assembly is what such are respectively called to.