Narrator:
TSS William Genthree
Duration:
12min
Though the Reformation taught the truth of justification through the death and resurrection of Christ, the character of the Church was never understood. The emphasis of the Reformation was upon the individual, and the collective nature of the Church was not recognized. Churches sprang up in the various countries, often along national lines. Church governments were organized according to the patterns of men without the support of Scripture. That Christ was the glorified Head of the Church and that all Christians are united together through the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ were truths that, if not entirely overlooked, were never acted upon.
Between the laity and Christ, a clergy existed, either in a mediatory office, or if not that, at the very least as leaders in ministry and worship. Concerning the latter, it seems that true worship was almost entirely forsaken, and the teaching concerning the Lord’s supper was directed towards the individual.
In the early part of the 1800’s the truth concerning the true character of the Church was brought out. Though the outward testimony of the church is truly in ruins, is there not a path for the believer? Is there not a way for believers to meet together in accordance with scriptural principles, to partake of the Lord’s supper, to “shew the Lord’s death till He come” (1 Corinthians 11:2626For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:26))?
In answering these questions, we do not seek the formation of a new “church” — for that would gain nothing but further confusion, and furthermore, it would only be the work of men. Rather, we see a simple acting on the principles contained in scripture: “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:3-63Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:3‑6)). This brings us to Philadelphia.
Message to Philadelphia
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and [I will write upon him] My new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (
Revelation 3:7-137And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:7‑13)).
The Lord is presented to each of the seven churches in a way that is peculiarly suited to that church. To Smyrna, where the saints were persecuted, He is “the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive” (Revelation 2:88And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; (Revelation 2:8)); to Thyatira, He is “the Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire and His feet are like fine brass” (Revelation 3:1818I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Revelation 3:18)); and to Philadelphia it is “He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth” (Revelation 3:7-87And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:7‑8)). Christ is the Holy One, and the True. The key of David is a reference to Isaiah 22:2222And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. (Isaiah 22:22). In both places it is a sign of authority, authority in this instance to open or close a door of service and testimony — “I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” We read of this door in a number of places in scripture: “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and [there are] many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:99For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. (1 Corinthians 16:9)), also Acts 14:2727And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. (Acts 14:27) and 2 Corinthians 2:1212Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, (2 Corinthians 2:12).
Though weak, there was one positive action which Philadelphia was commended for doing — they have kept His Word — and one negative action they avoided — they have not denied His name. Whose word, and whose name? The Holy and the True. Keeping His Word is complete submission to the Word of God.
A Summary of Philadelphia
As we have seen, the Seven Churches present to us an outline of the moral history of Christendom — how she has conducted herself during this period of the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamos present successive stages, during which the professing church was essentially one. However, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, though successive, all continue on until the Lord comes for His own. To Thyatira, we find the exhortation: “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come” (Rev 2:2424But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. (Revelation 2:24)) — clearly indicating its existence at the time of the Lord’s coming. In this present day we have four key divisions in the public testimony of the Church: Thyatira (the church of Rome), Sardis (the reformed churches), Philadelphia, and finally Laodicea. Philadelphia and Laodicea represent a moral state, though the former is a state vastly removed from the latter. The following is a summary of Philadelphia:
Christ presents himself as “the Holy, the True.” These are His divine titles — Christ is the Holy One and the True. Pilate could ask, “What is truth?” (John 18:3838Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. (John 18:38)). Truth stood before Him in all its perfection.
God does not separate Holiness and Truth. It does not do to know the truth and not walk in it. “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Peter 1:15).
He has the key of David. Man neither opens nor shuts this door. In John 10, Jesus presents Himself as the door of the sheep. It is a door through which we have come into His presence, and through which we go out in service for Him. An open door had been set before Philadelphia which no man can shut.
Philadelphia’s works are acknowledged but not enumerated. Though they may be feeble, perhaps completely unnoticed by the world, the Lord takes note.
Philadelphia has kept His word. To keep somebody’s word implies unqualified obedience and submission to it.
She has not denied His Name. Elijah was a positive witness for Jehovah, boldly proclaiming His name (1 Kings 18), but there were also 7000 hidden ones that had simply refused to bow the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). God numbered those souls so precious to Him, though unknown to even Elijah. They had not denied His name.
Satan will have his counterfeit church, and it is forming even now — the Synagogue of Satan. When the Lord takes His church — the body composed of all true believers — to glory, an apostate church will continue on in the absence of the true. No doubt there will be much unity and human love initially. Nowadays those that profess to be Christians may mock, but one day they will have to own that Philadelphia was loved.
Philadelphia has kept the Word of His patience. Christ has sat down on the right hand of God waiting till His enemies are made His footstool (Hebrews 10:1212But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (Hebrews 10:12)). Philadelphia patiently waits also, knowing by His word that the day is coming when He will reign.
John was a companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:99I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:9)). There is tribulation associated with waiting, but Philadelphia is to be kept from the hour of trial, which is about to come upon the whole habitable world, to try the earth dwellers. Where is our dwelling? He is preparing an abode for us that is not earthly (John 14). In Ephesians, we find that even now we are viewed as seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:66And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)).
The overcomer becomes a pillar in the temple of My God. The pillars are the strength of a building, holding it up. The church is to be the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:1515But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)). Though in weakness here, Philadelphia has kept His word; she will be a pillar in glory.
They did not deny His name during the time of His patience. They will bear His name in Glory.
The Heavenly Character of the Church
During the early part of the nineteenth century, there were a handful of individuals, exercised by the Spirit of God, who came to see that the Head of the Church was a glorified Christ in Heaven and that His body, the Church, should be a spiritual body in which this headship should be expressed. As a result of their exercises, they left the systems of men, which practically denied these truths, and met together to partake of the Lord’s supper according to the principles found in scripture. They recognized that true unity was the unity of the Spirit. They did not seek to reform that which was in itself a denial of that truth. Neither did they begin anything new. True unity is the unity of the Spirit, and it must be wrought be the operation of the Spirit.11 They recognized the very real presence of the Holy Spirit in the assembly, and liberty was given for His leading in worship and ministry.
Worship in Spirit and in Truth
We are saved for His glory: “To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)). It should only be natural that we be found together giving Him the honor and adoration which He is due. However, we are not left without guidance as to the nature and form of that worship.
In worship we speak to God. In ministry, God through His servants speaks to us. A sermon, though it may produce worship, is not in itself worship. Whereas the servant of the Lord ministers according to the gift or gifts he has received — “having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us” (Romans 12:66Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; (Romans 12:6)) — worship is something that each child of God has the privilege of doing.
The Lord told the woman at the well:
And to Mary in the garden He said: “Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and [to] My God, and your God” (John 20:1717Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17)). We have been brought into a new relationship with God as Father.
The Christian worships the Father in spirit and in truth. The Samaritans had no true revelation of God, no relationship with Him, and could neither worship in spirit nor in truth. The Jew, the Lord said, worshipped in truth, but not in spirit. The Jewish form of worship was characterized by ceremonies; it was not worship in spirit. We read of Israel’s form of worship in the Pentateuch and see an expression of it in the Psalms. They address the creator God, and Jehovah, the One who redeemed them out of Egypt and who gave them the law (Psalms 95, 98 and others). It was a worship according to the truth that they had received. But now the Father has been revealed through the Son. “All things are delivered to Me of My Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and [he] to whom the Son will reveal [him]” (Luke 10:2222All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. (Luke 10:22)).