I suggest that anyone who has not read “My People Who Are Called By My Name” and Who Are God’s People? (key words Called and People respectively) do so before continuing in this series. Otherwise this posting could be confusing.

Leading up to His messages to the church eras Jesus made a statement that is eye-opening relative to how He viewed the people in the respective churches. In 1:16 the Apostle John gives us a warning as to what would later be coming from the mouth of the One Whom he describes in verses 13-16 (which is how God’s true saints will appear upon being born again at Christ’s return–read Born Again–key word–Born). In verse 16 he describes the Lord Jesus as having a sharp, two-edged sword coming out of His mouth. In Ephesians 6:17 Paul tells us that this is the sword of the Holy Spirit which is the Word of God. In Hebrews 4:12 he tells us that God’s Word is sharper than any other sword and that it “pierces even unto the dividing of soul and spirit, bone and marrow and is the judge of the thoughts and intents of the heart (mind).” Paul is telling us that God’s Word is ground zero for all things spiritual. As I have said many times: EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD. This is why He had His Words recorded and preserved for thousands of years so as to be used in teaching the church at the end of the age (1 Cor. 10:11).

In the following verse Paul states that all things are manifested in God’s sight and are naked and open to His eyes.” In John 12:44-50 Jesus tells us that to believe Him is to believe God, to see Him is to see God, to not believe Them is to live in darkness and that to reject THEIR WORDS is to reject them. In verse 48 He notes that THEIR WORDS will judge all of mankind. In verse 50 He makes it abundantly clear that only those who believe and obey THEIR WORDS will inherit eternal life. In Luke 10:16 Jesus declared that to doubt THEIR WORDS is to DESPISE BOTH FATHER AND SON. The message is clear for those who choose to accept it: IN ORDER TO BE RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE ONE MUST KNOW, BELIEVE AND OBEY THEIR WORDS–THE HOLY BIBLE. With that Bible Truth established, let us return to the Book of Revelation where Jesus addresses the people in the churches relative to their respective attitudes toward THEIR WORDS (Jn. 12:48,49).

In 1:17,18 Jesus serves notice concerning one of the directions He is going to take in His letters to the seven churches. He says that He is the First and the Last, that He was dead but now lives and will live forever. Then He says something that should grab everyone’s attention. He says, “I HAVE THE KEYS TO HELL AND DEATH.” In verse 16 John had written about the sharp, two-edged sword Jesus was about to use when addressing THE CHURCH. Then Jesus announced that He would be speaking to THE CHURCH about hell and death. He was warning those in THE CHURCH that they would not be hearing any of the “you’re saved; all is well; just show up, fess up, pay up and get ready to go up; come as you are, stay as you are, I love you just the way you are; just love me and all will be well with you; only believe” swill that pours forth in a steady stream from the modern day false prophets of THE CHURCH.

The people would be hearing a “hell and death” message that would apply to some of the people in six of the churches involved in the seven church eras. Let us now examine exactly what Jesus told the people in the churches about themselves which will concluded with His words to the modern Laodicean era church. Notice that in three cases He speaks one message to the entire church. In other instances He delivers two, totally opposite messages to two, totally different groups in the churches. As the suggested readings reveal, nothing has changed in “the church” where two groups operate under the heading of “Christianity.” One group is comprised of the majority of the people and is Christian in name only. The other group serves God by obeying His Words. Jesus describes the two groups in Matthew 7:13,14, All are called “the church.” In John 8:31,32 Jesus again distinguishes between true and false disciples. THE PEOPLE’S ATTITUDE TOWARD HIS WORD IS THE DECIDING FACTOR RELATIVE TO WHICH GROUP ONE BELONGS TO. As noted earlier: EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO GOD’S WORD.

In chapter two verses 1-7 Jesus praises the people of the church at Ephesus for their good works. They confronted false apostles along with other evil people in the church such as the Nicolaitans whose deeds they and the Lord hated. However, those Jesus complimented were not measuring up to His standards. They needed to repent and do what they had been commanded to do. Otherwise, He would do away with their church. Notice verse seven where Jesus addresses the people on an individual basis by using the pronoun “he.” Note that Jesus said that “he” who has ears to hear His words, REPENTS FOR HAVING FALLEN AND DOES THE FIRST WORKS would eat of the tree of life (be saved and live in the paradise of God). Note it: only the truly repentant who stopped sinning and obeyed God’s Word would join Him in paradise. Read Matthew 25:1-13 (the ten “virgins” were true Christians initially. However, only five of whom would marry the Bridegroom–Jesus).

Jesus said to those in the church at Smyrna that He recognized their works, their trials and their poverty. He noted that in the church there were people who claimed to be spiritual Jews (Christians) but were of the synagogue of Satan. He told those who WOULD FAITHFULLY OBEY HIM FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR LIVES THAT THEY (AND ONLY THEY) WOULD RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.

The Lord reminded those in the church at Pergamos that He wielded the sharp, two-edged sword of the Spirit–His Word. This meant that they were commanded to obey His Word. He praised them for their works in the midst of a Satan-controlled city and for proclaiming their allegiance to Him in the face of great persecution. However, they were allowing Balaamites and Nicolaitans, whose deeds He hated, to remain in the church. He warned that if they did not rid the church of such people He would fight them with “THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH.” In verse 17 Jesus again addresses each individual in the church, saying that “he” who overcomes Satan and removes all sin from his life would inherit eternal life in paradise. How serious was Jesus about overcoming Satan’s temptations to sin? He tells us in Revelation 3:21 where He says to all who want to qualify to join Him in the future: “To him (her) who overcomes (Satan) I will grant to sit with Me on My throne.” To what are we to compare to know exactly the degree to which we must overcome to be saved? He tells us: “EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME” and earned the right to sit with the Father on His throne. JESUS WAS SPEAKING TO THE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH OF WHOM HE DEMANDED TOTAL OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. HE IS THE SAME UNCHANGING GOD WHO DEMANDS THE SAME UNCHANGING OBEDIENCE TO HIS SAME UNCHANGING TRUTH. ONLY THE ONES WHO OVERCOME “EVEN AS HE OVERCAME” WILL JOIN HIM IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION–THE RESURRECTION OF THE VERY ELECT SAINTS. L.J.