Address—C.E. Lunden
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We turn to the second chapter of Revelation, under the Angel of the Church of Ephesus. Right these things, said He that holdeth of seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them with your evil, and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not.
And has found them liars. And that is born and has patience. And for my name's sake has labored.
Not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the 1St works, or else I will come under thee quickly, and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.
And unto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna right these things, saith the 1St and the last, which was dead in his life. I know thy works and tribulation, and poverty, that thou art rich. I know the blasphemy of them would say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of these those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold the devil.
Shall cast some of you into prison.
That you may be tried, and you shall have tribulation 10 days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of light. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. And to the Angel of the church in Pergamos right these things, saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan.
And thou hold us fast, my name, and has not denied my faith, even in those days we're in antipasm, was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balik to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, who eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolait.
Which thing I also hate, I hate. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with a sword in my mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a whitestone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. And unto the Angel of the church in Thyatira right these things set.
God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass. I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and the last to be more than the 1St.
Standing, I have a few things against thee, because thou suffest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants, to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. I gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed with them that commit adultery with her.
Into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
And I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins. And the hearts now will give unto everyone of you, according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak, I will put upon you none of the burden.
But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come.
And he that overcometh and keepeth my works, under the end, to him will I give power over the nations. He shall rule them with a rod of iron, and as a vessel of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received in my father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit set under the churches.
Will read on the next chapter and under the Angel of the Church in Sardis right these things, saith he that hath the seven spirits of God.
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And the seven stars I know thy works, that thou hast the name, that thou livest, and art dead.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember, therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. If, therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come on me as a thief, and thou shalt not know what I will come upon me.
I asked a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment.
And I will blind, I will not blot his name out of the Book of life, but I will confess his name.
Before my Father, and before his angels, he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
And unto the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia right these things, saith He that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, He that openeth, that no man shutteth, and shutteth no man openeth. I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.
But thou hast a little strange, and has kept my word, has not denied my name. Behold, I'll make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not.
But do lie, Behold, I'll make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee because thou has kept the word of my patience. I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which will come upon 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, I let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, and unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, right.
These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness.
The beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works There are neither cold nor hot. I would thou were cold or hot. So then, because thou art Luke warm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew the out of my mouth, because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and in need of nothing, and knowest not that they are wretched.
And miserable and poor and blind and naked.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, white raiment that thou mayest be clothed. Are not the shame of thy nakedness? Do not appear and anoint thine eyes with Isab, that thou mayest see as many as I love. I rebuke and chase them. Be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock if any man will hear my voice.
And open the door. I will come into him and will suck with him.
And he with me, to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.
Even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. We may take a few moments more time than the hour because of the subject, but as you see, we won't be able to cover too much detail of each of the churches because being 7. And we find in each church something that.
Should not only encourage us, but exercise our conscience.
We've already been over some of us, the 1St chapter, and we've already spoken a little on the first church at Ephesus, and we find that in the first church.
Everything seemed to be outwardly all right, so that we learned from this that only a spiritual mind can discern evil that enters into the assembly.
Evil is there and we find that it says here thou canst not bear with them which are evil. Well, you say that's that's a wonderful spirit not be able to bear with those that are evil. But how did the evil get in, you see?
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And that's the secret of the first Church. If you and I, beloved, were going on with Christ in our souls, each one in the assembly, evil would never enter. The testimony would be clean. There wouldn't need to be any evil to be judged. One is walking in communion is not going on with evil, or he wouldn't be in communion. Every believer is called to the fellowship of the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. No evil there. That's what we're called to. If our wills go to work, then evil Enders.
And that's what happened in the 1St December.
The very fact that they didn't determine the evil was because they were not in the state of soul to do so. They could judge the false apostles. They couldn't bear with evil. They had outward discernment.
But they missed the vital part, and that was state of soul. Everything in the assembly can be right outwardly.
And still everything can be wrong. There was labor, but the labor of love all mentioned here.
Patients no. Patience of hope? Yes. No Works of faith works for their labor.
And patience. But what was vital was gone. Well, that's what characterizes the church, is the believer being taken up with Christ in the object. And this is what keeps his heart fresh.
And so he is maintained in communion, and evil cannot enter. That's the lesson we learned from the first assembly.
Now the word to the assembly is, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left.
Thy first love.
They left their first love being out of communion.
Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen and repent. There is no use to say we are not fallen, because that's the condition of the Church. Now we must distinguish, however, between the church as a whole and the church. As God sees the church composed of every true believer, we must distinguish.
So we have the overcomers mentioned and they are the ones who are the true believers.
Every true believer is an overcomer.
Now, that doesn't mean that every believer is acting like an overcomer.
But in God's sight, he's an overcomer because Christ is the one who's overcome. But while we know the truth that we belong to Christ and he has overcome.
The reason he's written this for us is so that we might practically be overcomers in our lives down here. Now, to be overcomers doesn't mean that we have to go to work and develop different means by which we might overcome. We are overcomers if we remain in communion, and that's the secret of the first assembly.
Just being maintained in communion in the path, as Abraham's servant said, I being in the way the Lord led me the difficulty there. And when trouble comes into our lives and trouble comes into the assembly, it's because this isn't so and all that we do to correct it.
Is of no avail. Remember from whence thou art fallen.
And rate panel, the way of correction is the way of life. This is a constant thing with the believer.
Exercise of soul before God in connection with our failure. Now I don't mean that we should be all the time occupied with failure, but I believe we should be alert so that failure will not come in, but that I mean to be in the enjoyment continually the things of Christ. Now much can be said about this in detail. We don't have time this afternoon.
But you know very well the first thing to do when you come home from your work or school, whatever it is.
If your table is loaded with magazines, that's the first thing you'll pick up, isn't it? Am I right? Wrong. You won't go and reach for your Bible because you have a nature that is attracted to these things.
But if you and I are going to be in the enjoyment of the things of God, we have to have purpose of heart and we have to employ self-discipline in this life. So remember from whence thou art fallen and repent, Repent and do the 1St works.
What we were set up with, we're in communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Now you know very well that you and I would love to be there all the time. It is this old self that hinders us.
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Yet there has to be that exercise of soul, or else I will come, and they quickly will remove thy Candlestick out of his place.
Except thou repent.
And the Candlestick has been removed and now what's left?
An individual path. I don't mean by that there isn't the opportunity to gather with other Saints, but no one today can claim and say we are the Church of God in any one place. All we can claim is through grace. We desire to gather on that ground. We cannot claim anything today gone into ruin, but the original principles can be maintained individually and in measure with those.
Who maintained them in fellowship? The original principle of what was set up at the beginning, and God recognizes it as the remnant.
There are no two remnants, you know. Just one. Don't ever let anyone tell you that there's a remnant within a remnant. That's only pride. Only pride.
Thank God there's a remnant, but thou this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. So there are things that you and I should hate. Now was this. The deeds of the Nicolaitans had come into the assembly. It develops finally, but it starts with the licensing of evil. In other words, frowning upon evil. That was what began to come in in the early church.
Nicolaitan Part of it is that there were those who lorded over the people and enforced this, as you'll get in Pergamos. They made it a part of the doctrine of the assembly to license evil, eventually forming the vast Catholic system of idolatry and so on. But it begins in the First Church. It doesn't say they held it, but thou hast there then.
It never would have entered if the state had been right. And so he that happened here, let him hear what the Spirit said under the churches.
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Now the Tree of life was in the Garden of Eden, but it was not in the paradise of God. And when God takes something away from man because of his his evil, when it's restored, if man repents, he always gives him something better. So now the Tree of Life is in the paradise of God, not in the Garden of Eden. And that's what the overcomer is looking forward to, the one who?
Christ is looking forward to the paradise of God, but it isn't just that you and I are looking forward to a certain day, it's that we in spirit are in the enjoyment of it now because that's where Christ is. And we can enjoy already anticipating being there with Christ. Otherwise we're occupied with the things of this world which will not profit us in our souls.
So he sets before the 1St church the highest blessing, that is the paradise of God.
And the tree of life in the paradise, which is Christ. Of course, the tree of life is Christ. Now we have Smyrna. Smyrna was that period of the Church's history where they were persecuted. Now why were they persecuted?
But because they had not repented, they had not repented and gone back to the 1St works. And so God and His marvelous grace, he allows the Satan to take over just like he did with Job and with the apostle Paul, the thorn in the flesh. God allows Satan in these things, and it's for the good of the assembly. The same principle is true in the life of the believer.
And when trial comes into our lives, it's because He wants to bless us. What characterizes the testimony of Christ here on the earth is tribulation, not prosperity. If it is prosperity and where the heart goes after it, it's all wrong. Prosperity has never developed Christian character in the Christian.
Only degeneration. This is not the day of prosperity. Satan may use it.
In our lives, but it will not bring us on our way, rejoicing in the things of Christ.
No persecution comes in.
Now this is a wonderful subject because it leads to into so many avenues trial. I know most of the older ones here have have experienced some trial of some kind.
And maybe some of the younger ones have never experienced very much trial, but you will. You're left here because the Lord loves you. And there's different kind of trials. So you can't say, well, I, I know how to do this because so and so has had the same trial. No, yours is different. No, he works differently with each one. But he has a purpose in the trial. And that is first of all, repentance on the part of the believer.
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If he hadn't before.
And also to develop the spirit of develop the graces of Christ and the believer. Now the believer has every grace that's in Christ Jesus undeveloped. We're not missing one of them. The day is coming when we're going to be just like Christ physically and morally. But on the cross of Calvary. He gave himself. That was not only giving his life, it meant that He gave everything that He has and is as man to you and me.
Every grace that's found in Christ Jesus is yours. It's undeveloped, that's true.
But it's yours. And so part of this persecution, you see, has to do with this coming out in our lives. And that's our testimony down here too. But you know, there's also that other side, Although afflicted and tossed with The Tempest, and not comforted. Behold, I will set thy stones and fair colors. All thy foundation shall be sapphires.
In the 12Th chapter. In the 21St chapter of Revelation, we have 12 Stones.
Believer and there's a color formed in each stone in the lower parts of the earth under heat and pressure. It's a picture of the work that's going on in the believers soul under trial. And that color developed in the believer is like the color in a prison where the light of the glory of God will be radiated in the coming day to all creation through the church.
That's the last verse of Revelation. First last verse of Ephesians 3.
Where the believer will be the one through whom that light of the glory of God will be seen throughout the whole creation. God will manifest His glory through the church in that day, in the varied colors of the various prisons developed down here in the lower parts of the earth under pressure and heat.
So remember, when you're going through these trials, there's more than one reason for them. He has nothing to say against this Church of Smyrna. Not a thing. And it's during this period that the church grew under persecution. It's not under prosperity that the church grows. It's under persecution that it grows. Then we have the promise to the Church of Smyrna. First of all, their tribulation will be measured. It's 10 days.
It probably was 100 years, but the point is that it's.
It's measured. It only continues as long as God will allow it to continue. So he promises them that be thou faithful unto death. That's martyrdom. Many of them were martyred. You've read church history and have the whole account. And I will give thee a crown of life worthwhile. The world is not going to have a crown of life. The believer will have one. And so whatever you're called upon.
To down here.
Perhaps suffering, possibly martyrdom. You can't expect it, you know. This is what you're called to. It's not only for us, given to us to believe on the Lord Jesus, but to suffer for his sake. That's the portion of the Church. And so it may be that you'll be called on for martyrdom. Not likely today like in the old days, but it may be. And you and I should be prepared for it.
And the soul that's prepared for it is the one who's walking in communion with the Lord Jesus. There's no other preparation for martyrdom then we have.
The Church at Purge. Amos Constantine.
Marched his heathen armies through the river and baptized them, and the church and the world were joined. Satan couldn't gain his purposes through martyrs, so he decided he'd mix the church and the world up, and it's largely been that ever since. That's where you get your Christmas and your Christmas trees. Probably don't know it, but that's the way it came. All these things that are brought in through from hidden hidden down were mixed in with Christianity during this period, and now they have the favor of the world.
The Church in the favor of the world.
That's not, that's not good, the church to be separate from the world. So we find that.
Thou dwellest even where Satan's seat is.
All that a word for our conscience is, brethren, the world is where Satan's seat is. Now, what part do you and I have with this world? We crucified our Savior. Are we going on with this world in any part of it?
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For passing through it.
But we don't need to have a part in it.
It's opposed to God. Now in each of these churches He says I know thy works, true of all of them, I know thy works. So be sure of it. Whatever you do, the Lord Jesus eyes resting upon you and he knows exactly what you're doing for two reasons. Anything that's contrary to his word comes into judgment. Anything that He approves of will meet his reward in that coming day.
I know thy works and where thou dwellest too. But now there's one thing about Pergamos. They confess the name of Christ.
They didn't deny it in the midst of all the confusion and worldliness.
There was the confession of the name of Jesus, and whatever the Lord sees that he can approve of, he makes it known that he approves of it. It's a wonderful thing, you know, even though we may fail.
He's very patient, and he'll let us know what he approves of in our lives. I have a few things against thee, because thus there are them that hold the doctrine of Balaam.
Now Balaam was the one who brought in idolatry.
And the mixing up of the people of Israel with the nations about them.
Spiritual fornication so that they are now holding this.
But also they're holding the doctrine of the Nicolaitans now that's the doctrine where evil is approved as though it were right in the church.
And enforced by leaders who once were.
Took the place of the succession of the apostles. There's no succession of apostles.
But there were those who took that place when the apostles died, and the enforced evil, as it were, though it were truth.
And the reason for this was they didn't understand the truth.
And so they made-up their own interpretation of the evil of the truth to make it evil, not knowing what they were doing.
Then they went to work and enforced it as a doctor, and that's where these doctrines that are being introduced today are not new.
The very same doctrines that were introduced in the early church. For instance, the doctrine that Jesus Christ could have sinned, that was introduced in the early church.
It's coming in today. So he says again, repent. But there's a word for the overcomer here.
To him that overcometh in the midst of all this confusion of the Church in the world.
Well, I give to eat of the hidden manner will give him a whitestone and the stone a new name written which no man knows, saving he the receiveth it. So there's a promise to the overcomer. The hidden manner in the Old Testament, some of the manner that the children of Israel had provided for them at that time was taken and put in the ark and hidden in the ark. The ark is a type of Christ. Now you and I the one here.
Overcomer in this world has a portion, even though the church around us, the professing church around us, is in utter confusion and mixed with the world. You and I have a portion of the hidden manna, and that's in our New Testament, the four Gospels. It's the pathway of our blessed Savior through this world that you and I have to be occupied with now.
But with us added that he's now on high. You get that in Luke's gospel. You get his ascension there. He's on high.
It's the Christ who was down here, who came into this world as man, passed through this world and all the perfection.
That was expected of man because he always walked in obedience, and he's now on high at God's right hand, and the one who's occupied with a hidden manner realizes that his portion is exactly that that Christ has up there.
And all we're doing is waiting for the shout and we'll be there. The hidden manner will give him a Whitestone. A Whitestone now the Whitestone.
You know, in this assembly you have quite a few, but there are some assemblies where there's only one or two, just a few gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus. And oftentimes there may be one individual alone. And that helps us to see the principle. You'll never be without someone to be in communion with. It's Christ. You'll never be in a position where you can say no one understands me. There's no one I can commune with.
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This is the happy privilege of the overcomer in the midst of worldly Christianity. He has the privilege continually of going into the presence of the Lord, whatever comes into his life, and he knows there's someone that enters in to understand every secret in the life. He can open up to the Savior, and he'll understand.
And the overcomer will have the consciousness that he understands.
So that's a precious thing. This is what will keep us from discouragement to know that there is a person, a man, Christ Jesus on high.
Who wants us to come and open to him every little detail of our lives? The opposition of the enemy, yes.
Whatever it is, children at school have this, have it in the shop.
Where you are, and you may be cast out even among Christians.
But you know there's one, understands one you can go to about everything in your life. You'll never be alone. But he gives you a name, a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.
There are precious secrets between the soul and God.
That no one else understands.
No one else under sorrows that come into your life, and you know that no one understands. You have the comfort that the Lord Jesus understands all about it in a world that's opposed to Him. You have that refuge, that hiding place, that resource.
The Person of Christ, and then the Angel of the Church in Thyatira.
Now we have the Son of God. Why? Because back to the original character the 1St chapter. His eyes like a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brass. Because thy attire it. He gave her space to repent and she repented not.
Though now judgment comes, and the professing church, Now what is the trouble that Thyatira? Well, we have Jezebel the prophetess. She teaches, and she seduces his servants to commit fornication, that spiritual fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Now he gave her space to repent, but she wouldn't repent.
The professing church completely set against God.
And so judgment comes, and there's a new beginning after Thyroid tyrant.
Tyra set aside. But then we have.
An overcomer here too. Under you I say, and unto the rest, and fire, Tyra. This is the depth of Catholicism. The dark ages as many as have not this doctrine that is idolatry.
And the mixing with the world and the enforced mixing with that which is evil.
Which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak. I will put upon you none other burden but that which you have already. Hold fast till I come. Now this is the first time we have the coming of the Lord mentioned. It's not exactly the rapture, because what's in view is the Kingdom.
As we said the other evening, Israel had the Kingdom and they failed.
The Church would have given the Kingdom, the Lord would have given the Kingdom to the Church, but the Church failed.
So the Lord is going to take the Kingdom himself. He's going to set up the Kingdom, but the overcomer and the church will be associated with Him in the Kingdom. The true church will be associated with him in the Kingdom. And so He's coming here is in connection with the Kingdom. You notice in the last verse to him will I give power over the nations.
You get some of that in the Gospels where he speaks of those who had talents committed to them and they were faithful. Be there over 10 cities. Be there over 5 cities.
Did you know you're going to reign over cities? You're going to reign with Christ, but only the true church?
Who are they? He that overcometh and keepeth my works. Now the one who overcometh is the one who has Christ.
As his Savior, no one else. Not one who makes a profession of it merely, but one who really has Christ as his Savior.
Says in Thessalonians, who received the love of the truth, not just the truth. There has to be the affection for Christ that comes through a new nature entirely, not just the knowledge of it in the head works under the end. Him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a Potter shall be broken to shivers, even as I received to my father. What else does he get? The morning star that's.
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Himself, the morning star comes just before the sun rises with healing in his wings for Israel. So we have the hint here at least that hope before us of his coming in that sense for us, not only those who have Christ as their Savior and have this hope.
The church has one hope and that's spoken of in Ephesians 41 body, one hope, one hope is the Lord's coming. And that's our portion now in the midst of all the confusion of that day because we have 7 distinct periods of the church's history in this these two chapters. And so you can understand it was a very evil day, the dark ages. If you want to read the details of it, get some of the Francis Bevins books, Francis Bevan.
She wrote several books in the history of the church during those that period, very instructed besides the regular church histories. And there was terrible persecution for those who were real, that there was a marvelous reward for the faithful. Persecution didn't end with Smyrna, you know. Now we have Sardis, the new beginning, retirement. Sardis is Protestantism. Protestantism claimed now that they were through with all the evil that had gone before.
But they didn't have anything to replace it. They didn't have anything to replace it. And so they're spoken of his death again. He says, I know thy works. You'll notice here it doesn't say holds the the seven candlesticks, He just has them. The other churches, he holds them. But now it says he hath them, not holds them. Thou has to name that. Thou levest a new beginning.
We've gone away with all evil. We're separated from it, but they didn't have anything to replace it. And why didn't they?
It gives us the reason here. That's the name that thou liveest in our death. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die.
For I have not found thy works perfect before God. Now here's the answer. Remember therefore, how thou hast received and heard. This was in the time of Luther and the Reformation, when the truth began to be revived again to the Church.
They had received and they had heard, but they didn't hold it. Didn't hold it. So that's the secret here. Remember how thou hast received and heard. They hadn't received during the Dark Ages.
They were blindly following in a formless forms and the only contact they had with God.
Was individually, not through anything outward that they could attach themselves to in the midst of all the ruin and darkness. And yet there were those who were overcomers. There have always been overcomers, but now they have the truth. The pressure is off in the sense, and the printing presses are started.
The gospel is spread, and now they are exhorted. Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard. Hold fast and repent. Why repent? Because the very truth that they read exposed the heart.
And day by day, you and I have, as we read the Scriptures, things in our lives that have to be judged. That's the benefit of reading the Word continually.
To exercise our hearts because we have a very evil nature when we're saved, as much of it hangs on to us. That is judged as we read the word of God. And so the promise here, if you not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt know what hour I will come upon me. The last four churches, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, go on to the end.
In fact, Sardis goes on after Thyatira is gone, after Laodicea is gone.
Sardis continues until the Lord comes himself as a thief. That's Protestantism. Even after Catholicism is wiped from the face of the earth charters, Protestantism will still be here. If you get it in the 16th chapter, again, the warning, second warning. Now the promise to the overcomer. He that overcometh verse five shall be clothed and no.
Fourth verse. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments.
Walked in separation, they shall walk with me in white. Divine righteousness, overcoming righteousness, for they are worthy. He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment. And I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life. The Book of Life is a record of all profession, and those who are not real will be blotted out. The Lamb's Book of Life no one will ever be blotted out of. That's vital.
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I will confess his name before my father.
Before his angels. You get that in Luke the 9th chapter. We confess his name here, you confess our name up there.
And the overcomer confesses his name down here. You notice that in this.
Church, and the following ones that he that hath an ear comes after.
Where the others had come before, it's all individual now.
Individual exercise of soul. And to the Angel of the church in Philadelphia, he has nothing to say against Philadelphia, just like he had nothing to say against Smyrna. Smyrna, there was persecution in Philadelphia. We don't see any pretension, no pretension, no claim of anything. You and I have no right to claim anything but the grace of God. That preserves us in a little testimony down here.
We can't say we are anything.
Except what grace is.
Wrong. No pretension whatever, but what is true of it? These things saith he that is holy.
He that is true, and that's what characterizes the state.
The period of Philadelphia.
Attaching themselves to the one who is holy and the one who is true. And this is what should characterize each one who is seen as identified with the Lord in that day, he that is holy.
Holies suppose the separation from evil entirely. He that hath the key of David he that openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth.
I know thy works. He knows them. You don't have to tell anyone about them. He knows about them.
It wouldn't do any good to tell anyone about the many. How would it? He knows all about them. He's the one that's going to reward it in the coming day. You don't need to tell anybody what you're doing for Christ. He knows all about it. I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee an open door all at liberty in this day for the gospel. And nobody's going to shut it until he shuts it either. The door is wide open for the gospel.
Distinct period of the church's history. Now what is else is true of this company to he speaks of here?
He doesn't have anything able to say of them. Thou hast a little strength or a little power. Still have some power? Oh, it's very little.
But this is characteristic of faith, because faith has power. It may be very little power, but unbelief has no power. Faith has power has kept my word. In Pergamos they confessed His name, but here it's a question of keeping His word.
The whole of truth has been recovered to us. Now we're to keep them.
A trust in Philadelphia to keep his work. The complete recovery of all truth in this day is put in our hands to keep it, to preserve it in these very last days. And this is a responsibility of each one in the assembly to hold it, to keep it the lot, not let it mix with the world again, just to keep it.
Nor spirit in all its purity, not denied my name. Now the synagogue of Satan or the the ones who pretend to be the continuation of the testimony because of having an organization of some kind, eventually they're going to have to confess that the Lord has recognized the little remnant of overcomers, that he's loved them.
They're going to have to confess it at the end. They're going to have to confess that those who walked in separation.
Those who were despised, those who had no place in this world are the ones that he loved. And now what do they have as reward? He's going to keep them out of the hour of temptation. That's a great That's the tribulation that will come over the Gentile world. You read of it in Revelation 8. Dwellers on the earth are those who are left behind when the church is taken, the false Christian, the one who has professed Christianity.
The dwellers on the earth, Don't be one of them. Don't be one of them.
00:45:03
Settled in this world as though it's your hope you're a dweller of the earth. No, the believer, is not this all that fast which thou hast? No man take thy crown. You're going to have a crown. And so a pillar in the temple of my God rejected down here. But one of the stays in that temple up there. That's the reward for the overcomer. Philadelphia.
Killer in that coming day. Cast out down here should go. No more out. No name down here. He's going to write him. Found him. His new name. Oh, what a blessing for those of Philadelphia who have gone on seeking to be faithful in connection with the truth. Now we have Laodicea. With that, we'll close. The Laodicea is the last.
Part of the history of the church here on earth. And of course it runs along the same time as Philadelphia.
It's that which is left of Sardis really in a sense, or at least we'll say it springs out of Sardis.
Now it has certain claims. First of all, he says, I know you're not cold or hot. I wish you were either one because you're you're not either one. You're so nauseous I'm going to spew the out of my mouth profession without reality. What's needed here? Thou sayest I'm rich, increased with goods in need of nothing but knoweth not that thou art wretched. Now wretched isn't exactly the same as miserable. I can break a leg, you know.
Very miserable, but not wretched. Wretched is a result of walking in a path that's contrary to the word of God and knowing it. That's what makes you wretched. It's a result of doing my own will. That's wretchedness. Wretched and miserable is added to it. And poor. Oh, they say they're rich, but they're poor.
Who was rich? Go back to the.
9th, 1St And you'll find out who's rich. Smyrna's rich. They're under tribulation, they're rich. Their eyes are not any longer on the things down here, because they've taken, been taken away from them. They're all occupied little things of Christ. They're rich. I counsel thee to buy of me gold. Poor the blind and the naked have something now. They're counseled for this. Gold is tried in the fire is Christ who's already been through death for us.
That's what they need. They made a profession of Christianity and they made a profession that everything.
Authorably is going on fine. They have a system that they've made-up the profession of Christianity. You see it all around us. It's religious confusion, whether it be in the in the church or in the school, whichever be sure of it, It's religious confusion. It may seem all right, but it's not right now. What's next? White raiment that thou mayest be clothed. The white raiment is the character that is received by one who has taken.
As their savior divine.
Our practical righteousness in the life is the garment that the shame of thy nakedness. Otherwise one is naked before God do not appear.
Anoint thine eyes with eyes. That's the Spirit of God giving me to see that thou mayest see.
Having confessed Christ, having believed, you're sealed without Holy Spirit, divine intelligence. The anointing of the Spirit is the presence and the energy of the Spirit of God in the intelligence and power. That's the anointing of the Spirit. That's what they lacked. So you see, they're dead, nothing for God. This is the only church where you have the Lord standing outside and knocking so the individual can come if you want.
The last call you might say to the individual to come as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. That's why he chastens you. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. The old I stand at the door and knock. If any man, it's not if the whole assembly hears my voice. No, no, that's no longer that's, that's the first church. But now it's been reduced to one individual.
Any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him.
And Sup with him personally. This is true of the whole Church and the whole period.
There has to be a personal.
Attachment to Jesus.
Every decision that's made in the life of the Christian, this vital, is made alone personally in the presence of God. Every vital decision that you make in your life, it has to do with your life is made alone in the presence of God. Now, the overcomer.
00:50:12
Because he told that he's going to be given the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God, no.
No, he's going to reign though, and that's the lowest part of the blessing.
It's glorious to be able to reign with Christ, but it's not like eating of the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God. The rain with Christ will be a wonderful thing, but oh, what will it be, beloved? To be in the Father's house is part of that family, the heavenly family up there to enjoy everything that God enjoys, which of course is Christ.
Defeat on that full ripe fruit of the tree of life that will be our eternal portion. He sets that before Ephesus, but here, Laodicea, everything complete ruins.
He still sets before them the promise of the Kingdom. Now it's true, the overcomer will enjoy it all.
But what he wants to do is exercise our hearts that we be in the state of Ephesus rather than that of Laodicea.
Not Ephesus in its ruin, but the Church of Ephesus that's been given all the full truth to enjoy originally. That's where He wants us to be. Oh, May God bless His word then to our hearts.