Around the year 1529, the Protestant Reformation began. Thyatira, the Roman Church, had hidden the truth of salvation. They said you could only be saved through the Roman Church. Martin Luther and other reformers taught from the Bible that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ. More Bible truth was recovered at this time. Many people escaped from the wicked teachings and power of the Roman Church.
Sardis represents the Protestant Reformation after the excitement of escaping from the Roman Church cooled off. Some governments that were controlled by the Roman Church escaped with the Protestant reformers. These governments protected the reformers from the hatred of the Roman Church. The Roman Church wanted to kill the reformers.
We know the church is made up of only believers, but the Protestants included many unbelievers. Many of these Protestants had the name of Christian, but they were dead in their sins. The true believers in Sardis were told to be watchful and to be strong in the truth of God’s Word that had been recovered by the reformers. Sadly, many did not practice the truth, and the recovery stopped. The false Christians in Sardis were told to repent because Jesus was coming soon. Jesus would come on these false Christians like a thief. That means they would be taken away to hell. Three promises are given to the true believers in Sardis: white clothes for the marriage to Jesus Christ, their names in the book of life, and Jesus publicly claiming them for His own in heaven before God the Father and His angels.
1. Some of the people in the church at Sardis had the name of being alive as Christians with eternal life, but they really were __________. Revelation 3:___
2. What were the Christians in Sardis told to do with the things which remain? __________ Revelation 3:___
3. If the unbelievers did not repent, Jesus would come on them as a __________. Revelation 3:___
4. Why will some believers in Sardis walk with Jesus in white? __________ Revelation 3:___
5. Who will be clothed in white raiment and have his name in the book of life? __________ Revelation 3:___