Our final look at the seven letters of Revelation 2-3 takes on a personal note. Once again, we’ll look at the letters symbolically to reveal the admonitions the Lord gave to each of us. Remember, the challenges and promises that ended the letters were to individuals, and this can only mean that the criticism found there is to be taken personally, not just corporately.
Personal Application
We all like to think of ourselves symbolically as the Church in Philadelphia, free of any defect or shortcoming, and in the judicial sense, we are. When we gave our hearts to the Lord, He wiped the slate clean, past present and future. Accepting His death on the cross allows Him to see us now as if we had never sinned at all. He has made us as righteous as He is (2 Cor 5:21). One day soon we will become, in fact, that which we already are in His sight—perfect forever (1 Cor 15:51-52). But until then, having incurably wicked hearts (Jere 17:9) we are subject to all our human failings, so there’s a little of each church in the heart of each believer.
Ephesus
The Church in Ephesus was told they had forsaken their first love.
Working so hard in the service of the King, they no longer had any time for Him. The relationship He had died for was already turning into another religion. Recall the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). When the Lord visited their home, Mary dropped everything to sit at His feet, but Martha was distracted by all her work. When she asked the Lord to discipline Mary for not helping, He gently rebuked Martha. She was working so hard to make His visit a success that she was in danger of missing it altogether. Today its committee meetings, Sunday school lessons, fundraising, you name it. Nothing wrong with these things, but are they interfering with (or substituting for) your time with Him?
Smyrna
The Church in Smyrna was admonished to be faithful even to the point of death.
It’s not likely that you and I will be called upon to die for our faith. Our challenge is to express our faith in the face of an unbelieving world that responds more and more with criticism, ridicule, and persecution. Can (or would) you tell a friend or associate what you believe and why? Are you afraid of the reaction you might get?
Pergamum
Pergamum was warned against holding to false teaching and worshipping false gods.
Our relationship with the Lord should be the most important thing in our lives. Our priority should be to seek Him first. (Matt. 6:33) The most often quoted Bible verse used to be John 3:16. Now it’s the most famous verse that isn’t in the Bible: “God helps those who help themselves.” Most of you reading this won’t find it hard not to worship pagan deities. But in this age, it’s all too common for self-reliance and independence to be our gods.
Thyatira
The believers in Thyatira were encouraged to “hold on to what you have” and that “I will impose no other burden.”
The simplicity of the Gospel: “For what I received, I passed on to you as of first importance.” Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3-4). Or “if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). How we love to impose other burdens upon our brothers and sisters, demanding behavioral standards of them that we ourselves could never attain. I guess the Pharisees aren’t all dead yet.
Sardis
The Church in Sardis had the opposite problem. They had received and heard the simple Gospel, but they refused to obey it.
We often love to add to the Gospel when it concerns the behavior of others. But we usually subtract from it when it’s our behavior we’re evaluating. Next to refusing to believe His promises, I think our most grievous error is our failure to apply all of Matt 18. We are quick to call attention to another’s sin (vs. 15-17), but slow to forgive in others that which has been forgiven in us (vs. 21-34). In this way, we bring much unnecessary trouble into our lives (vs. 35).
Laodicea
Laodiceans were lukewarm—not at all passionate about their faith.
How passionate are you about your relationship with the Lord. If you’ve become lukewarm, just going through the motions, ask God to light the fire in your heart again. Ask God to make Him and His word your heart’s desire. (Psalm 37:4) You can’t be passionate about someone you don’t spend time with, so if you’ve gotten lax in your prayer time, make it your priority. A famous race driver, sponsored by STP oil products, was asked if he really used STP in his race car. “I use enough to get the sponsorship money,” he replied, “but not so much as to hurt the engine.” Do we have enough faith to be saved, but not so much as to cramp our lifestyle? Are there parts of the Gospel we just give lip service to? Are we God’s secret agents, so far undercover even our neighbors wouldn’t guess we’re believers?
We’ve Met the Enemy, and They Are Us
There’s a lot to think about in these letters, and the personal application requires much introspection. If we ask Him for help, He’ll bring to light what is hidden in darkness and expose the motives of our hearts (1 Cor 4:5). Then in a moment of extreme candor we can confess, be forgiven and purified from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), and our heavy burdens will be suddenly lighter (Matt 11:28-30)