Chapter 3.
We now come to that which succeeded Jezebel or Popery (or rather the period of Thyatira)—the address to the angel of the church of Sardis. This surely brings us to the period of the Reformation, or its result, commonly called Protestantism. The Lord continues to address the angel, those that represent the church, whether true or false. Is it not a sad fact in Protestantism as well as in Popery, that many take that place, yea, call themselves the church, who are not in the New Testament sense Christians or saints at all; who have not even the mark of the little children, whose sins are forgiven for His name’s sake. (1 John 2:1212I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (1 John 2:12).) But as they take that place, they have its responsibilities. (Matt. 24:48-5148But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 24:48‑51).)
Now, notice how striking the revelation of the Lord Jesus is, in this the fifth epoch of the history of Christendom. He presents Himself as “he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars.” The so-called protestant churches failed to own, or even know, that He had sent the Holy Ghost in all His infinite fullness, and that the ascended Christ had all-sufficiency of gifts to bestow for the church. Colleges and education have taken the place of Christ, and the Spirit, to the unspeakable loss of the church. But let us hear the Lord’s own judgment on Protestantism. “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” What solemn words! And do they not most accurately describe the true condition of a lifeless Protestantism—masses of people professing to be Christians, but without a particle of spiritual life? Awake, O reader, and inquire is this your case? Have you passed from death unto life? Are you a child of God, or still a, child of wrath, deceiving yourself with the imitations of Judaism? What are all your works, and sacraments, and prayers worth, if still on the way to endless woe? The Infinite, the first and the last, says, “I know.” We cannot deceive Him. There are still the remains of gospel light in Protestantism, and He says, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” Your works may have the greatest approval before men. How dangerous the flattery of men, deceived likes yourself! But let us get before God, and there try all our ways and works, by His holy word.
Verse 3. “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard; and hold fast, and repent.” What was received at the Reformation, the beginning of the fifth stage of the church’s history? The scriptures, the very word of God in the mother tongue of the people, so that all could now read the inspired word of God. Are we continuing to value the word of God? This is what the Lord bids us hold fast. Another thing of unspeakable value was received—justification by faith. Thousands received, not the mere doctrine, but the blessed enjoyment of the certainty that they were accounted righteous before God on the principle of faith: and thus they had peace with God. This was the gospel they heard and received. Have you received this in the power of the Holy Ghost? Then Jesus says to you, “Hold fast.” Yes, hold fast this blessed certainty received again at the Reformation.
What is the actual state of the Protestant churches as to the enjoyment of this blessed certainty, of justification from all things, made known in the gospel? Take the most favored, the Established Church of England. Her Articles prove how she once received and held this truth, and the all-sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures. The writer happens to be staying in a large village for a short time, where there is no Romanism, and no Dissent; yet, in visiting amongst the poor, he cannot find a single case, where a person enjoys the certainty of justification, of being accounted righteous before God. We will just look at a sample visit. The writer called on two very aged people, who were very anxious to be saved, and had been so for many years. They appeared to be much in the condition of Cornelius, when he sent for Peter. After a little conversation, I said, “Well, you are getting far advanced,” (one was about ninety-three,) “do you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior?” They both replied, “We hope so, we are doing our utmost, we pray much, and Mr. — comes and administers the sacrament to us, but (one said) I really do not know whether I am saved; I do not think the Lord answers my prayers, but I do my very utmost, that I do.” The other said, “Yes, we strive our utmost,” and much of the same kind.
As it is a fruit-growing district, and many were gathering cherries, I said, “Now if a man brought us a sieve of cherries, and gave them to us to eat and enjoy, just as we sit here, would you say, I am striving my utmost to get on that tree, and gather some cherries; I must do my utmost to get those cherries? Would you not be rejecting the gift, and despising the kindness of your friend? The man has been on the tree and gathered the fruit, and now freely gives to us, Do you not know that Jesus is the Man that has “been on the tree, to bring us the gift of salvation? He has been nailed to the tree. He has “borne our sins in His own body on the tree; He has bowed His head there, bearing the load of our guilt and sin. And now the fruit of His death He freely gives to us. even eternal life and salvation. If the cherry gatherer goes to the tree and gives you the fruit, you have it. You have not to strive your utmost to get to the top of that tree there, to cat the fruit. You have not to pray for cherries when they are freely given to you, have you? You have not to strive for, or pray for salvation, when it is freely given you by the Man that has been nailed to the tree.”
The eyes of the old man of ninety-three gladdened with joy as he said, “I never saw it in that way before!”
I said, “If Jesus were to come into this house and tell you your sins were forgiven; that you were justified from all things; and that you had eternal life, would you not believe Him?”
“Surely I should, oh yes, sure.”
‘“Is it not the same when He speaks in His word to you? Now hear what He says: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.’ (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).) You hear the words of Jesus, you believe God that sent Him.”
“Surely I do,” said the old man.
“Then does not Jesus tell you that you have eternal life?”
Much more followed as to justification from all things, to all who believe the message of God. (Acts 13:38, 3038Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (Acts 13:38)
30But God raised him from the dead: (Acts 13:30).) But is it not terrible to tell these anxious souls to strive, and pray, and take the Lord’s supper as a sacrament, in order that they may be saved in the day of judgment? There are villages in England in which the sound of the true gospel is never heard. She has received the scriptures, she has them still; then the word to her, and all Protestant countries, is “Hold fast and repent.” Yes, God calls on them to repent. And if not, the doom threatened in 1 Thess. 5:33For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3) will come upon them. “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” Thus also the Lord speaks to Protestants. “If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” (Ver. 3.)
Shall we stop our ears, and refuse to hear the strong disapproval of Protestantism by the Lord? Looked at as a mass, there is not one word of approval. Is there nothing true or real in all this vast profession? Hear Him speak. He says, “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” Is it not exactly as Jesus thus describes Protestantism—a few names? Do we belong, do you, do I, belong to the few approved, or the many disapproved? The Lord search the heart of every reader of these lines. The Lord knoweth them that are His, and surely it is high time that every one that nameth the name of Christ should depart from iniquity.
Again the overcomer is addressed before him that hath an ear to hear. That is, in these days none are expected to have an ear to hear, except the overcomers. We are surrounded with ever-increasing religious sensuous delusions, infidelity, worldliness, and the powerful fashion of this world. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” You know the particular dangers and temptations that beset your path. Would the Lord say you are an overcomer—the white raiment is yours? When many, who are now written and regarded by men as Christians, shall be forever blotted out, your name is written where it shall never be blotted out! Will your name, as an overcomer, be confessed before His Father and before His angels? Is it not time to awake and be in earnest? If you are an overcomer, and the Lord has opened your ear, then hearken not to what the pretended church says, but hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Thus we have the very judgment of the Lord on the result of the Reformation, as He sees it in this day. It is important to notice that Sardis (or Protestantism), like Thyatira (which had Jezebel, or Popery), runs on to the end, to the coming of the Lord. But there is a distinct action of God, by the Spirit, as well as outward characteristics, which mark each epoch of the seven stages of the history of Christianity. The special action of the Spirit of God was in the Reformation. Not only was Popery left aside, but God was no longer using simply a remnant, that is, the Waldenses, &c, as He had done. Thus the Sardis epoch succeeded that of Thyatira. In like manner we shall find the sixth stage, as described in the address to Philadelphia, will succeed that of Sardis, which, though it runs on to the end, yet is practically, as a professing mass, given up to superstition, infidelity, and worldliness. The overcomers are alone excepted. It is no longer, as Thyatira before it, regarded as God’s witness on earth. This gives very great interest to our next inquiry as to the closing stages of the church’s history.