False Theology Produces a Dead Assembly
““And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: “He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars says these things: “I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and keep the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you. Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.” (Revelation 3:1-6 WEB)
Jesus is the one who knows all things through the Holy Spirit who can be everywhere at the same time.
Jesus also holds the seven stars (each star represents a local church) in His hands—He knows exactly who is a true believer and who isn’t.
He is keenly aware of everything that goes on in the local churches all over the world.
The Sardis assembly had a reputation among men for being alive—perhaps they started with very dynamic worship and eloquent preachers.
However, somewhere along the way, the enemy managed to pervert their theology such that their teachings were no longer true and as a result, no one was getting saved.
Perhaps they stopped preaching about Jesus and transitioned to a message about morality and good works.
Maybe they taught that salvation is a progressive journey through obedience to the Law and one day becoming ‘holy enough’ to attain it.
Whatever it is, it wasn’t the Gospel—that we are saved by faith alone, in Jesus alone.
The word translated as “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia which means an assembly of people.
In this case, the assembly in Sardis were a bunch of spiritually-dead people who came together for lively, exciting gatherings that did not result in salvation.
Only born-again believers are clothed in the white garments of righteousness.
Few were actually saved in the Sardis assembly.
Most were still spiritually-dead, probably thinking that morality and good works were the path to salvation.
Heretical cults like Gnosticism around that time believed that there was no such thing as sin, and only ignorance of knowledge. False teachers that taught this were just putting stumbling blocks in the way to hinder ignorant ones from salvation.
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5 WEB)
Dear brethren, many false religions have snuck in with the superficial appearance of Christianity, but are actually deceptions of the devil.
They have outward illusions of holiness and religiosity, but those who teach these are still dead in their sins.
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15 WEB)
At the end of the day, we are saved by faith in Jesus our Lord—the Son of God who became a Man to die as the perfect atoning sacrifice for all our sins.
He died, was buried and rose again on the third day and is now seated at the Father’s right hand, far above all principalities and powers.
Do you believe this and have you made Jesus your Lord?
If the answer is yes, your name is written in the Book of Life and will never be blotted out from it—you are eternally saved, lovingly protected in God’s mighty hands.
I hope you were blessed by the short message above. Have you read my book “Sandcastles Don’t Last Forever”? In it, you’ll receive revelations such as:
- What is the Book of Life and how predestination actually works (it doesn’t transgress our free will).
- What are eternal rewards and how do you maximize them for the best quality of life in eternity.
- The assuring and encouraging truth for believers about judgment before Jesus’ throne.
- Who is the coming Antichrist (letting Bible interpret the Bible) and how he will use the Mark of the Beast system to disqualify many from salvation during the Great Tribulation.
I believe the revelations within are very timely for the tail end of the end times that we are living in, and you will enjoy reading it over this Christmas season as we fix our eyes on Jesus again.
Get the ebook here ===> https://www.miltongoh.net/store/p12/sandcastles-dont-last-forever-milton-goh-book.html
Get the paperback copy on Amazon ===> https://www.amazon.com/Sandcastles-Dont-Last-Forever-Biblical/dp/172671327X
#BibleStudy #BookofRevelation
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