THE contrast between the addresses to the church at Sardis and Philadelphia is similar to that in 1 Thess. 5 So here, as to the world, the coming of Christ is spoken of as a thief in the night, but not so to saints in the world, “Of the times and seasons ye have no need,” &c. The professing church at Sardis will have the character of Christ's coming in judgment.
In verse 2, “I have not found thy works perfect:” no decay of spiritual life ever lowers God's standard of holiness in the church. The church at Ephesus is reproved for losing first love; here it is “works” He speaks of.
All resources of spiritual government and power are perfect in Christ. “These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars” (ver. 1). Christ has the perfectness of seven Spirits and seven stars. Whatever we have to do in this world, common occupation, business, anything, the great object is to represent Christ, “If thine eye be single,” &c. There may be a hundred wrong ways, but I must take care to get into the right one. If my soul is knit to Him ("my soul followeth hard after Thee") we shall measure all our path as to how far we can do justice to Christ. Whether I have made much or little progress as a Christian, I must have Christ my object, as the end. Christ will be reflected all down the path, then every step onward will be brighter and brighter. It is not going fast on the road that is the great point, but going always in it (the faster the better too): “forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forth to those things that are before, I press towards,” &c. We must have our hearts set upon Christ. Though in one sense not nearer Christ at the end than at the beginning, in another we are a great deal nearer. The fact of our resurrection is not nearer; but we are nearer in the moral effect of the expectation. Of the church it is said, “That he might cleanse it by the washing of water.” In one sense it is perfectly clean, but in another it is getting more so, through the application, by the Spirit, of the word to the individual members of Christ's body and so producing in the whole moral likeness to the image of Christ. So the outward fact of resurrection is and may still be future, but it is the power of the troth of resurrection wrought into his heart that Paul desired.
There are some in Sardis of whom it is said, “They shall walk with me in white,” but the Philadelphian state is one of far more blessing. There is energy in the midst of. Sardis encouraged: but there is approbation given to Philadelphia, “Thou hast kept my word.” The great exercise of faith will be keeping the “word of Christ's patience;” for the days are come in which it is said, “Where is the promise of His coming?” The heart set on Christ Himself gets such a sense of His blessedness that it is kept fresh in the hope of seeing Him. “When we shall see him as he is,” it is said not “shall be.” We shall see Him as He is now, the glorified man; and we should so realize Him now When it is thus with me, I have so tasted what He is that I want Him to come.
In one sense Christ cannot come, but is waiting in patience until His word be fulfilled, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me.” He waits, He has not got it yet, and I must wait; my heart has now such a connection with what Christ is, is so knit up with Him, that it can find no satisfaction in anything else. “My patience!” “He shall see of the travail of his soul,” &c, The Father's will is that we should lose nothing. The character of the promise to him that overcomes corresponds with that in which they were exercised. What is the promise? “He shall be a pillar in the temple of my God.” It is not said 'the temple of God’ merely. Mark the number of times “my” comes before us in this verse. You have been associated with My patience, and now you shall have the same association with God that I have. “Thou hast a little strength.” See what a little strength comes to! a crown then Great strength now is mixed with carnal things, and will be weakness then.
"I will keep thee from the hour of temptation.” Mark that word “from;” it is not merely through. Does the Lord delight in trying His people? No, He would rather keep them from it; but He must try us for our good., Still we may well use that petition, “Lead us not into temptation.” For it is a sad thing if God is obliged, as in Job's case, to try us by exposing us to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. Trial will come upon all the world. As long as there remains wheat in it, He will sift, sift, sift it, till every grain is separated, and He will have us to be separated. “I will keep thee from,” &c. As regards the saint, in the consciousness of little strength keeping the word of Christ's patience, in fellowship with God's long-suffering, he will be kept from that hour.
So in Hebrews we read, in passing through the wilderness God gives us two things as means of blessing down here—His word, and Christ's priesthood. There is the promise of entering into His rest; and with everything that comes in between our apprehension of that rest and us the word of God deals as a two-edged sword. “The word of God is sharper,” &c. What tends to unbelief? Every thought, intent, every little root that strikes into this world—anything not from God—everything that separates from our desire to see Jesus and be with Him. We are in the wilderness, but every heart rests either in Egypt or Canaan. It is either Canaan in hope, or Egypt in heart. Whatever does not bear the thought of God separates from Him, as the word shows us. Sorrow, affliction, is not wrong: but, if the will does not submit, it is rebellion, and this is wrong. All open sin is cut up by the word, the two-edged sword. All our weakness and infirmity are borne by Him who is touched by the feeling of our infirmities, &c.
We must be going on with Christ, and in the consciousness of going on. “Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” “I will write upon him ... my new name.” Christ will stamp those who overcome as associated with Him in the temple of His God. He will give us His own portion as risen and heavenly.