Chapter 2

God Evaluates the “Last Days” Church

 

The last chapter established the fact that the church will fall away in the “last days” according to Bible prophecy.  As we begin our quest for the church in the “last days”, we turn to the book of Revelation and the letters to seven churches.  Generally speaking, Christians fit into one of these seven churches today.  These seven letters represent the Lord’s evaluation of the condition of these churches both from a historical and contemporary point of view.

 

The Spirit is speaking to the church today – to each and every one of us who are born of the Spirit.  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the church”.  Are we listening to His still small voice?  What do these letters tell us about the condition of the church today? 

 

In Revelation 2 and 3, there are seven letters to the seven churches in Asia.  It is generally agreed that these letters can be taken in three ways. 

 

• First, they were written to seven churches in seven different Asian cities existing at the time of John.  They are very specific.  Even the references to the lukewarm church in Laodicea which happened to be a very wealthy town on a major trade route.  It had a hot well on one side of town and a cold one on the other flowing together – the water in the middle happened to be lukewarm.  Very interesting. 
• Second there is the historic interpretation that the churches stand for seven eras in church history. 
• Third, they represent letters to Christians alive in the world today who happen to be in one of these seven types of churches. 

 

Jesus is walking among the churches today, as He was then.  It is no coincidence that the churches are called lampstands in Chapters 2 and 3 and in Chapter 11 referred to as one of the two witnesses: “the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.” (Revelation 11:4)   The church – we – are His testimony, His witness on the earth.

 

Let’s consider what He is saying to us as we look at the historic and modern churches.  Notice that the Lord has a commendation (the things they have done well), a criticism (things he finds wrong with them), instruction or exhortation (to do something about it) and finally a promise for each church.  There is a remnant of overcomers in each one.  No matter how bad their condition, God doesn’t write them off.  Fortunately, God’s heart is bigger than ours.

 

The Seven Churches of Revelation

 

Ephesus – lost her first love

"These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: ²"I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; ³and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. ⁴Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. ⁶But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

    ⁷"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."'

Ephesus represents the early church up to the end of the first century.  Even though they had to endure so much, the early Christians left their first love.  They are told to repent lest their lampstand be removed. 

 

The last time Paul traveled through Ephesus (Acts 20), he warned them, “For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.”  (Acts 20:29-30)  Their problems didn’t arise from persecution but from within.  The lesson is that we shouldn’t blindly trust all our leaders/teachers because there are wolves in the flock.  If it was true then, it is true today!

 

Ephesus hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans.   In Greek, Nicolaitan means “to subdue the laity”.  They saw the evils of a clergy laity system.  Early Christians, whether Jews or gentiles came from backgrounds where priests took care of spiritual things for the people.  But the early church functioned quite well without a priestly class.  There was no hierarchy.  All believers were equal.  All had gifts and functioned as members of the body of Christ.  Ephesians 5:19 describes the Ephesian believers as “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts in the Lord. I Corinthians 12:7-11 describes the normal functioning of a body of believers together.  There were no forms, rituals or “order of worship” – just the leading of the Holy Spirit in a body of believers. 

 

There is no other question of doctrine with the Ephesian believers, just their heart and their devotion to Christ and the fact that they had “lost their first love”.  Why was this so important?  Because Christianity isn’t about religion (doctrines, teachings, forms, rituals, programs) but about a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  If you don’t love Him above all, there isn’t much of a relationship.  Man is inherently religious and would prefer to do good works, live by rules and leave the spiritual stuff to someone else.  Man’s heart is too compromised by sin, rebellion and the things of the world and unless you have really been touched in your heart by the Lord, you really don’t want to have anything to do with Him.

 

Yet, in spite of this, there was a promise for those who overcome.  As is the case of all the churches that follow, that doesn’t mean all get through but ONLY those who overcome.  It is a matter of repenting (turning from those things that hinder their relationship) and returning to their first love.

 

There may be the equivalent of the church of Ephesus still today – those places where the gospel has recently been preached and there are fresh converts – whether in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East or Latin America.  It may be that the Lord is warning saints to not leave their first love and lose the simplicity that is in Christ.  We are told that there are more new converts on the African continent and in China than in all the western world.  That is where the real growth is these days but these young churches may be vulnerable to wolves, especially apostate teachers from the West infecting them with our apostate “churchianity.”  We receive emails from all over the world and it seems that they are all affected by the apostasy of the west – the “green gospel”, the Toronto blessing, etc. Christians are drawn away from their “first love” and begin seeking signs and wonders, the gifts rather than the giver.

 

Smyrna – the Persecuted Church

 

⁸"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,

    "These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ⁹"I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

    ¹¹"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."' (Revelation 2:8-11)

God didn’t have any criticism of Smyrna.  He knew their works, their tribulation and their poverty.  Satan was after the Smyrna Christians.  He was trying to introduce mixture into the church but they persevered and stood against it.   Please notice that this is in contrast to the next two churches and the “last days” apostate church described in Revelation 17.  God hates mixture and as time went on we will see that the church began to absorb the Satanic mixture of pagan religions as Christianity became more acceptable to the culture and peoples around them.

 

The only other church that is persecuted is Philadelphia which also happens to be the only other church the Lord found no fault with.  Hmm… Could it be? …that persecution does something positive for the church? … that it separates the real from the phony? …that hatred by the world separates believers from it’s power? …that imminent death somehow rearranges priorities?  In contrast to the church in Laodicea which thought it was rich but was poor, the Lord says to Smyrna, “I know your poverty, but you are rich.”  God’s ways are definitely not our ways.

 

We know that believers are being persecuted in the world today.  A Muslim who converts to Christianity faces death or complete ostracism by family and friends, losing all means of earning a living – nearly a death sentence.  The same can be said of Christians in China and Africa where they are being slaughtered by the tens of thousands for their faith.  There is ample documentation of the fact that more people have been martyred for their faith (also common in Latin America a few years ago although evangelicals are becoming more accepted – better be careful) in the past hundred years than in the previous 1900.  So if you live in Peoria and the idea of dying for your faith seems remote, it is not as far away as you may think.  In God’s economy things are often the exact opposite of what we may think.

Pergamos - The Compromising Church

¹²"And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,

    "These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: ¹³"I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. ¹⁴But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. ¹⁵Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.^{[a] 16}Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

    ¹⁷"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."'

The word “Pergamos” is the same word for bigamy and polygamy.  It signifies a mixed marriage, a marriage of the church and the world.  In the early fourth century, the Roman emperor Constantine was supposedly “converted” and made Christianity the state religion.   Christians came out of the catacombs and into “church buildings.”  The persecution was over and acceptance by the world had begun.  So for all the Roman Catholic fans out there, the church was now “dwelling right where Satan’s throne was located.”  Welcome to Rome!  The doctrine of Balaam came right out of Babylon, and we see a transference of the Babylonian priesthood to Pergamos.

On a recent trip to the Chiapas region of Mexico to the famous Mayan pyramids of Palenque, our tour guide who was a native Mayan descendent, explained in great detail how the Roman Catholic Church absorbed the local religion, even as it is practiced today.  He told us the equivalents of the Mayan and Christian gods and the Mayan and Christian festivals.  If you have ever lived in Latin America as I have, you know that this mixture is pervasive.  Indeed, this is part of the genius of the Roman Catholic Church – the ability to absorb pagan religions and make them a part of Roman Catholicism.  Any study of the origins of Easter, Christmas, Halloween or just about any other holiday reveals pagan rather than Christian origins.   

But the Lord certainly has a few things against them: dwelling where Satan’s throne is, having the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, sacrifice to idols and sexual immorality.  Any reading of the history of the Catholic Church, including their own historians reveals a sordid past of corruption and immorality.  In Ephesus, they hated the “deeds” of the Nicolaitans.  In Pergamos, they have embraced the “doctrine” of the Nicolaitans which led to acceptance of the practice.  The “laity” was subdued and the clergy became the intermediaries – the only means for the people to get to God.  The priest became their contact with God – no longer Jesus Christ, even as the Roman Catholic Church to this day puts itself in between and becomes the dispenser of salvation through the mass.  Christians today would do well to consider the mixture in the church.

There are still martyrs in Pergamos.  There are still overcomers.  No matter how polluted the church becomes, there is a remnant.  He is calling to individuals – “Let him who has an ear hear…”  Even so, God has a wonderful reward for those who do overcome.  I would imagine the Church in Pergamos can be found today in such places as indigenous areas of Latin America where there may well be those few who keep their hearts separated from the mixture and seek the Lord alone.  It may also include those of the orthodox faith (Greek, Russian, etc.) which is a mixed bag of tradition without the worldwide reach Roman Catholicism has.

Thyatira - The Corrupt Church

   ¹⁸"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,

    "These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: ¹⁹"I know your works, love, service, faith,^[b] and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. ²⁰Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow^[c] that woman^[d] Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce^[e] My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.^{[f] 22}Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their^[g] deeds. ²³I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

    ²⁴"Now to you I say, and^[h] to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will^[i] put on you no other burden. ²⁵But hold fast what you have till I come. ²⁶And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
   ²⁷"He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels' as I also have received from My Father; ²⁸and I will give him the morning star.

    ²⁹"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

The Church in Thyatira represents the church in the middle ages extending up to the present time.  For those who think the Roman Catholic Church has changed, it hasn’t.  They still adhere to all of their traditional doctrines from transubstantiation, to indulgences, Mary the “mother of God”, the role of the priest and Pope and even the condemnation of all evangelicals who refuse their headship.  Of course there are true Christians and even “overcomers” in the Roman Catholic Church.  The clever thing about it, is the churches ability to mold itself to whatever culture it finds itself.  In America it will appear to be much more “evangelical” than in Guatemala.

 

It is the woman, Jezebel who leads the apostasy, even to the end of the age in Revelation 17.  Jezebel was the daughter of a pagan priest who married King Ahab “who did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him” (I Kings 16:33).  Jezebel, who considered herself a prophetess, introduced sex worship through prostitution in the temple.  During the early Christian era, the pagan world was filled with this type of worship (Ashtar, Venus, Adonis, etc.)  And as a prophetess, she introduces whoredom, an evil marriage with the world.  The Catholic Church has been riddled with sexual scandal even to this day.

 

Jezebel also brought politics into the mixture.  She used the king and political accusations to steal the inheritance of Naboth (Kings 21) – a terrible mixture of idolatry, commerce and politics.  Jezebel joined the religion of Babylon with the kingdom of Israel, just as the church and the Roman state became one and for the next thousand years, it was the religion of the state.  We see the judgments of religious, commercial and political Babylon in Revelation 17, 18 and 19.  The Roman Catholic Church was a tremendous political power in Europe during the Middle Ages, and is still recognized as a sovereign country with embassies throughout the world.  It is also one of the wealthiest institutions in the world.

 

Jezebel is the symbol of Thyatira because of her idolatrous mixture with the world and religion.  Thyatira is the pinnacle of ecclesiastic organization.  What began with the church hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans (in Ephesus), led to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (in Smyrna) and now the clergy is fully married to the world and invested with power and pretends to speak for Jesus Christ Himself.  If she doesn’t repent, Thyatira will be thrown into great tribulation.  Yet, we are told that there is a “remnant in Thyatira who do not hold this teaching and don’t know the depths of Satan.”  We shouldn’t be so elitist and quick to judge.  We all have the possibility of overcoming.

 

So should a “born again” Catholic Christian leave the Roman Catholic Church?    It depends on how the Lord leads because it is possible to be a part of that remnant.  People are responsible to the light and leading of the Lord.  As a practical matter, it would seem to be difficult to stay and participate in the mass and other rituals of the church if one really grasped what they stand for. All I can say is that most Christians I know who are truly saved, could not remain.  The question remains.  Where do they go?

 

Sardis – the Church with the “Spotty” Reputation

 

¹ "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

    "These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ²Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.^{[a] 3}Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. ⁴You^[b] have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

    ⁶"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'  (Revelation 3:1-6)

I call Sardis the “church with the spotty reputation” because the name, the reputation, is that it is a church that is alive but God says it is DEAD!  The reformation discovered “salvation by faith alone.”  For a short time, revival spread through Europe.  Sardis represents the churches of the Reformation, many of whom were merely “state” churches (such as the Lutherans, covenant, Anglican, etc.) who saw an opportunity to break away from Rome, their hierarchy and domination and run their own state church.  They were called “Protestants” because they stood in protest of Rome and what she stood for.  There is no doubt that the reformers recovered some truth from the Bible, including the Bible itself which could now be printed and put in the hands of the common people.  Although they got rid of Rome and the Pope, they didn’t get rid of many of the accruements of Rome such as the clergy laity system, pagan holidays and practices.  Some of the worst practices were exposed, but it was still a mixture.

The Lord had a few things against the church in Sardis.  Their reputation of being alive didn’t live up to reality.  Even though the reformers were zealous and many revivals accompanied the reforms, most of the leaders got caught up in politics and state churches and soon became reduced to so much ritual, doctrines and forms.  How can you anticipate the moving of the Holy Spirit and the need of the moment by publishing a church bulletin that selects all the songs, sermon title, etc.?  How can a typical “worship service” in any way emulate the spontaneous church life of the living body of Christ?  (More on this in later chapters)  Further, they still maintain the practice of the Nicolaitans.  A clergy/laity system will never substitute for the moving of the Holy Spirit throughout every member of the body.

The church in Sardis has a reputation of being alive and has works but is dead.  I remember how I felt when I walked out of the Baptist Church 40 years ago and have never been comfortable in Sardis since.  I not only realized that the church was dead, but I was too.  Even though I was saved, there was no reality, no joy or no presence of the Lord in my life.  Yet the Church in Sardis is noted for her doctrines and teachings – a return to the truth, but just not much life.

Sardinian Christians are warned to be vigilant lest the Lord come as a thief, and not defile their garments.  Defilement comes through contact with the world system and its values.   When Max Weber wrote “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism,” he nailed the American psyche which equated material success with the blessing of God which still pervades our churches and led to the more extreme case of the Church in Laodicea.  The defiling of garments by the things of the world and the cares of life plagues the Western Christian to this day.

It is the same Protestant churches – Episcopalian, Luthern, etc. that are the most ecumenical today and were the first to move back toward the Roman Catholic umbrella, the mother of Harlots (Revelation 17).  It is theoretically possible for a real Christian to overcome in Sardis, Thyatira or any other church so we shouldn’t be too quick to judge.  But if the Holy Spirit has given a person in one of those churches the light and revealed the shortcomings of that church, it would be difficult to stay (unless that is what the Lord really wanted).  It is a matter of being accountable to the light we have been given.  “To whom much is given, much will be required.” (Luke 12:48)  There are “Sardinian” Protestants who have never known anything else, who faithfully go to church week after week and serve the Lord as best they can, who endeavor to follow the Lord and have a personal, obedient relationship with Him.  We should never be so elitist to think that God can’t take care of His people wherever they may be.  Yet, if the church falls away, it may not be the best place to be in the “last days”.

The call to overcome is given to every individual Christian.  It may not be easy to overcome in the church in Thyatira with all of its evil mixture or in the dead Sardis Church, but that, nevertheless, is what God expects and demands!  But, behold, He shows us a more excellent way – the Church in Philadelphia!

Philadelphia - The Faithful Church

    ⁷"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

    "These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":^{[c] 8}"I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;^[d] for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. ¹⁰Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹Behold,^[e] I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. ¹²He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

    ¹³"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'  (Revelation 3:7-13)

There is a church that God doesn’t have anything against.  It’s not a huge, powerful prevailing church with a big name and a lot of fanfare.  In fact, it is so small and insignificant; I’ll bet you can’t even find it.  You probably can’t find one in the Yellow Pages?  Google it?  I doubt it.  Yet this Church has a little strength – not much, just a little.  It doesn’t see a lot of traditions and hocus pocus.  It just sees the one who is holy and true.  There is no mixture in our Lord Jesus and He is truth not compromise.  With the little bit of strength they have, they keep His word.  They count on what He can do, trust Him and do not deny His name.  They don’t deny their Lord even though Satan and the whole world rise against them, though they be tested and tried, they stand – not because of anything in themselves but because of Him. God has set before them an open door and no one can shut it – not because of their education, wealth, strength or accomplishments, but because God did it!  It doesn’t dependent on them.

Verse 10 is often used as proof of the rapture, but it doesn’t say they will be taken out of the hour of trial, but they will be kept through it.  When Satan comes out of the abyss, “he will make war with them and overcome them,” referring to the two witnesses – the two olive trees and the two lampstands.  (Revelation 11:7)  And it is the same group of people referred to in the next chapter where it says, ^11”And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. ¹²Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."  (Revelation 12:11-12)  There is no great revival, no great Pentecostal outpouring, just a few Christians with a little strength standing in the face of the greatest adversity the world has ever seen – not the wrath of God, but of the apostate church, those of the Synagogue of Satan, (Revelation 2:9, 3:9) and Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots (Revelation 17:5)

These people keep His word and persevere in the midst of trial and are still urged to overcome.  These are the ones who overcome by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony.  They know the one who overcomes.  They know him to be true to His word.  And they are not only free of the toxic religious mixture of the other seven churches, they are also free of the world and all it has to offer because “they love not their lives unto the death.”  This is the overcoming church in the last days – this little, weak group of people, hanging in together.  This is the church of “brotherly love” (which is what “Philadelphia” means).  “All men will know that ye are His disciples, if ye have love for one another.”  (John 13:35)  This is not the church of the criticizers, competitors and backbiters.  This is the church of sinners, reduced to the lowest common denominator – those washed in the blood.  They have no stones to throw, no accusations to hurl, just love for one another. 

Do you want to be a part of Thyatira, Sardis, Laodicea or Philadelphia?  It’s theoretically possible to overcome in any church.  But wouldn’t you rather be a part of the only “last days” church that our Lord commends?  It isn’t much to look at (even if you can find it).  It isn’t going to set the world on fire.  But those few faithful people will be the testimony the world sees that will put Satan to shame.  So where is it?  How do we find it?  Great questions.

But before we go in search of Philadelphia, there is one more church to look at – Laodicea. 

Laodicea - The Lukewarm Church

    ¹⁴"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans^[f] write,

    "These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ¹⁵"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,^[g] I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- ¹⁸I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. ¹⁹As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. ²¹To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

    ²²"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.""'

There is no other church that so epitomizes the Western Church of the last days than Laodicea.  They have works.  They are really busy serving the Lord.  They think they are great stuff – so materially wealthy and in need of nothing.  You ask a good Laodicean Christian on the street how they think they’re doing and they tell you great – things are happening.  God is good.  Everything is wonderful.  The church is bursting at the seams – three services every Sunday and they are all packed out.  A bunch of kids got saved at the concert and light show Saturday night.  Revival is coming.  People are getting healed, their finances put in order, and they are so blessed, so happy as their T-Shirts, bumper stickers and blasting Christian music declare.  This is the clueless church.  They think they are great and blessed but God is so disgusted with them He’s about ready to spit them out because they are lukewarm!

It is also interesting to note that we have a change in church organization. Remember the Nicolaitans - the clergy hierarchy that we find in the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches? Here we have Laodicea which means "rule by the laity". Instead of the clergy subduing the laity, the laity has the power - the democratic church where the pastor serves at the pleasure of the board of directors - a "lay" board of church members, sometimes deacons and elders. If the members don't think the pastor is doing a good job and is getting too dogmatic or controversial, they just remove him and go on a search for another pastor. Laodicean pastor's jobs depends on their ability to keep things lukewarm, seeker friendly.

It doesn’t do much good trying to talk to a Laodicean Christian because they think they have it all together and don’t need a thing.  The fruit of the Protestant ethic is Christians who believe material wealth is evidence of their blessing.  But they won’t see it because they are blind.  They don’t see their nakedness.  They don’t even know they are miserable.

Laodicean Christianity takes on many different forms here in the West.  The word/faith movement, “name it and claim it” Christianity of Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, TBN, T.D. Jakes and so many others is one form.  When I lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, every year Rhema Bible Institute had a big conference and one of my employees was really into it.  He was convinced that God would never allow the church to suffer.  I asked, “what have you done to deserve more than the saints who have gone before?  Do you know anything about church history?”  He was a “brother”, but a blind one.  These are the ones into signs and wonders.  Some believe the church should take dominion on the earth and others look forward to escape by rapture. 

The “church growth movement,” churches such as Saddleback, tries to reach the unsaved with the gospel, but ends up compromising with the world in the process.  They don’t like to talk about sin or subjects that make people feel uncomfortable.  They try and patch people up and get them through life by getting them into fellowship groups with people of similar tastes and interests.  They are “seeker sensitive” and try to get people in the front door by appealing to the things they are interested in so the music and message are tailored to their needs.  This hardly leads to a church that is willing to take a stand because the tendency is to avoid controversy and difficult isses at all cost and seek to be one with others.

A lot has been written about the latest attempts of the church to become relevant.   Some find alternatives to the traditional church organization through cell churches.  Everyone from Robert Schuller to Rick Warren promotes what I would call “have your cake and eat it too Christianity.”  Have the best of both worlds: be successful, happy and fulfilled and be a committed Christian too.  The church is there to help you be self-fulfilled and to realize your potential.

These churches are often critical of the traditional mainline churches as being outdated and irrelevant, even dead.  Recently, Rick Warren was on Larry King Live during the Terry Shiavo controversy and said that there is no greater hindrance to the body of Christ today than the institutional church.  He went on to say that the church is nothing more than the believers – not the programs and buildings.  I found myself agreeing with him but puzzled because he has spawned a mega-church himself and is now the most recognized Christian alive next to Billy Graham.

I want to be perfectly clear.  I do not question the sincerity of either the leaders or the followers in today’s modern Laodicean Church.  These churches avoid controversy, avoid divisive doctrines and emphasize love, unity and oneness with all believers.  They love the Lord.  They love the gospel.  They just happen to be the same Christians the Barna Group talked about in the last chapter that pretty much mirror the world around them in attitude and action.  They aren’t hot or cold – just a little lukewarm. 

No matter what our condition, our Lord gives us a way if we would only repent.  We may not realize that we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.  If we repent, he will cloth our nakedness and open our eyes. One of the most wonderful promises is often misapplied to non-believers.  Revelation 3:20 says that He is standing at the door of our Laodicean heart knocking.  If we hear His voice and open the door, He will come in!  The challenge for the believer today is to hear His voice, open the door and have fellowship with Him.  This is easier said than done.  The hardest thing for me to do is to quit doing everything else, sit down, shut up and listen to His voice.  Life has such a way of getting us caught up in everything else.  He loves us so much, He rebukes and chastens us but every Christian has an opportunity to overcome but how many do you think will?

The Trial is Coming

The church is about to enter the most difficult period in history.  Our Lord tells us that

“there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:21)  Prior to that Jesus says,  ⁹"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. ¹⁰And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹²And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³But he who endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” 

These events will try the seven churches by fire.  Why will they be tried?  Because God has something against five of the seven churches:

·        Christians who have lost their first love (their relationship)

·        The mixture, even Satanic things brought into the church

·        The Nicolaitan (clergy/laity) system robs the believer of his position in the Body of Christ.

·        The works, doctrines, rituals, traditions, teachings, and forms that are dead – devoid of the life of Christ.

·        The clueless, lukewarm Christian who thinks they have it made and are wealthy and in need of nothing.

The fires of persecution will separate the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats.  There will be a remnant of overcomers in each one.  Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to do this or that in order to guarantee your “overcomer” status.  There are a lot of false prophets out there saying “come here or go there…follow me.”  No, each one of us is responsible to hear His voice and do what He says.  I believe the first three churches – Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamos are for the most part in the lesser developed countries of the world.  The last four – Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea – can be found throughout the Western world in terms of broad categories of Christians.  I Peter 4:17 tells us that “judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”  If God is going to Judge the world, His righteousness demands that he clean up His own house first.  God doesn’t do anything to us.  He is not pouring out His wrath on the church as some think.  But like Job, He allows Satan and the world to test us and see what we are made of.  Is our faith real?  Do we really know Him?  Are we really willing to lose all things, including our lives for Him?  Can we stand firm when those who love us or even consider themselves to be our brothers and sisters, turn against us?

It should be perfectly clear by now that I am not “laying a trip” on you.  Nor do I condemn Christians who stay in their churches.   That is between the individual Christian and the Lord.  There will be a remnant of overcomers in many surprising places – only God knows who they are.  But what I hope is that you will honestly ask yourself where the Lord wants you to be.  Where do you have the best opportunity to overcome?  …In the evil mixture of Thyatira?  …In the forms and doctrines of dead Sardis?  …In the lukewarm waters of Laodicea?  …Or in that church of brotherly love – Philadelphia?

I must confess that I don’t have all the answers, but if you dare, come along with me on a journey as we go “in search of Philadelphia” – the church in the “last days”. 

Next we will look at the purpose of the church in general, but especially in the last days.  What does God hope to accomplish through the church?  Why is it relevant to the “last days”?

Proceed to Chapter 3