Rev 3:1 | KingComments | STEP | . In church history the periods that are presented in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum and Thyatira succeed each other, whereby the succeeding church takes the place of the previous one. Ephesus disappears and Smyrna appears, etcetera. With Sardis that trend does not continue. Sardis does not replace Thyatira, but emerges from it, while Thyatira also continues to exist. So you see that to this day roman-catholicism and protestantism coexist. As it is said, Sardis emerges from Thyatira. That happened in church history in the sixteenth century. Then through God’s grace a reformation came about, for which He especially used Luther and later also Calvin and others. God opened the eyes of these men to the errors of roman-catholicism. The intent of the reformation was to reform the roman-catholic church, but due to the rejection by the catholic leaders it became an entirely new movement. However, what started as a work of God’s Spirit became more and more a work of men. There is little left from the freshness of the reformation. What emerged from the roman-catholic church, today we call protestantism. Since May 1, 2004, its greatest representative in the Netherlands is the PKN, the protestant church in the Netherlands. The connection between church and state is reflected in this name, just like it was earlier in the ‘Dutch reformed church’. That phenomenon is also to be seen in other countries. In such a way there is reference to the English state church and the German evangelical church. National churches were formed everywhere. All these churches had their own national organization. Protestantism was made dependent on the national governments. You see here the connection with the world similar to that in Pergamum. Yet this is different. In Pergamum, the world had authority over the whole church. In Sardis, the domination of the world, in the form of the state, over the church is a matter of each separate country. This is far away from God’s thoughts about the church, in which a distinction of nationality does not exist ( ). By connecting itself to the state and by putting itself under its protection, the church disconnected herself from the biblical model. In protestantism biblical truths are indeed confessed, but they are being implemented in a purely worldly manner. The church claims to be alive, that name it likes to have, but the Lord Jesus says of it that it is dead. Has all hope gone now? No, fortunately not. If you see how the Lord Jesus presents Himself to this church, then hope is shining for everyone who finds himself in such a situation. He has “the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars”. In this way He ensures the faithful ones in Sardis that in Him there is the true source of life and power that never will fail. The world may have entered where the Spirit of God had to be ruling, but that does not change anything about the fullness – of which the number ‘seven’ speaks – of the Spirit at His disposal. Neither will He in any way give up His right to the churches as light bearers, represented in the ‘seven stars’. Every time after He has presented Himself, He has said to the preceding churches ”I know” and then noticed something that He can appreciate in that church. Also to Sardis He starts by saying “I know”. However, after that comes not an appreciative remark, but one that speaks of disapproving. That disapproval regards the appearance of the life that the church professes to have, while in reality there is no life, but death rules. Life has gradually faded away from the reformation, turning it into what we now recognize as protestantism. Religion has become more and more a confession led by an organization. Only relatively few have life from God. Most of them have shifted to the new doctrine in imitation of their spiritual leaders, without personal exercises of conscience. You cannot say that there is a wrong teaching. The confession is orthodox. However, it is a dead form, in which life is missing. Also today there are a whole bunch of people who confess Christ, but relatively few live with Christ. . Death may be ruling in general, but there are still souls the Lord can address. If they hear, there is still hope for them. The appeal sounds as follows: “Wake up, and strengthen the things which remain.” The sleeping believers in Sardis urgently need a wake-up call and resume their place on the watch posts. They need to become aware again that the church and the world cannot be mixed. Due to the fatal sleeping disease of the believers the world has gained entrance into the church. That must change. Obedience to the call will work that. If the call is heeded, it will prevent that the few faithful ones, “which remain”, in whom a spark of life is left, will give up. The situation is more than critical. The Lord Jesus has to say that the works of the church of Sardis do not meet the demand of God. In church history we find this also in protestantism that emerged from the roman-catholicism. Many issues that are typical for the roman-catholic church have been integrated in protestantism. Thus, as far as church structure is concerned, there has been no return to God's Word, but rather the adoption of elements from the roman-catholic church. People wanted to return to the ‘sound teaching, but because of the mixture with the world, they stuck to the teaching, because the practice breathed the spirit of the world. Just as in the roman-catholicism, there was no living expectation of the coming of the Lord in protestantism. The religious institutions also continued to lead the church, through which in practice no room was given to the Spirit of God to lead the church. . Then the call comes “so remember”. They are reminded of the moment when they heard and accepted the gospel and received the belief (of the reformation) as a lasting treasure. It refers to the rediscovery of the Scripture and the way to salvation that is received by faith, without works of the law. In case of deviation we are always reminded of the unchangeable Word of God and the immoveable authority of God Himself. This also goes for your personal life of faith. In case you have deviated in that, if faith does not live like that, remember then the moment that you heard and accepted the gospel. That will bring you to repentance of your deviation. If there is no alertness, if the coming of the Lord is not considered, that coming will be just as unexpected and undesirable as the coming of a thief (cf. ; ; ). He then will come to them as He will do to the world. Protestantism has put itself under the protection of the world. It has connected itself with the world and has sought and striven for the interests and approval of the world. Therefore professing Christianity will also share the fate of the world and will be judged with the world. . Fortunately, the Lord has also discovered a few, “a few people” literally “a few names”, in Sardis who have remained faithful. They not only believe the right teaching, but they also live in sincere separation from the world, with their eyes fixed on the Lord. They have “not soiled their garments”. That is, they have personally kept themselves clean from the many defilements that are typical for protestantism, such as bible criticism and modernism. The Lord appreciates this in a special way. As they walked in purity before Him on earth, so they will be allowed to walk with Him in “white” in the future. The Lord emphasizes the special appreciation of their separation in Sardis by His mention that “they are worthy”. This expression is therefore special, because in this book it is further only used for God ( ) and the Lamb ( ). . It is the part of the overcomers to “be clothed in white garments”. That means that the purity they had on earth will always characterize them. An additional reward is connected to their “name”. The Lord knows each one of the overcomers by his name. On earth their names may be removed from church registers because they do not go the course that the church goes. But they may know that there is a register kept by the Lord Jesus in which their names are written down in indelible ink. This book is the book of God’s chosen ones ( ; cf. ; ; ). As an additional consolation the Lord adds that He will draw the attention of His Father and His angels to their name because of their faithfulness to Him ( ). . Also here the call to the individual believer to hear what the Spirit says to the churches cannot be addressed to the whole. You have seen that the whole is dead, but also that there is a call to wake up and that there are those who ‘remain’. Therefore the call “he who has an ear” follows after the promise to overcomers. If there is someone among them who has an ear, he will certainly take the message to heart and will then receive the reward for the victory. Now read Revelation 3:1-6 again. Reflection: How do you make sure ‘that your garments remain white’?

‏ Revelation of John 3:1

Message for Sardis

Rev 3:1. In church history the periods that are presented in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum and Thyatira succeed each other, whereby the succeeding church takes the place of the previous one. Ephesus disappears and Smyrna appears, etcetera. With Sardis that trend does not continue. Sardis does not replace Thyatira, but emerges from it, while Thyatira also continues to exist. So you see that to this day roman-catholicism and protestantism coexist.

As it is said, Sardis emerges from Thyatira. That happened in church history in the sixteenth century. Then through God’s grace a reformation came about, for which He especially used Luther and later also Calvin and others. God opened the eyes of these men to the errors of roman-catholicism. The intent of the reformation was to reform the roman-catholic church, but due to the rejection by the catholic leaders it became an entirely new movement.

However, what started as a work of God’s Spirit became more and more a work of men. There is little left from the freshness of the reformation. What emerged from the roman-catholic church, today we call protestantism. Since May 1, 2004, its greatest representative in the Netherlands is the PKN, the protestant church in the Netherlands. The connection between church and state is reflected in this name, just like it was earlier in the ‘Dutch reformed church’. That phenomenon is also to be seen in other countries. In such a way there is reference to the English state church and the German evangelical church.

National churches were formed everywhere. All these churches had their own national organization. Protestantism was made dependent on the national governments. You see here the connection with the world similar to that in Pergamum. Yet this is different. In Pergamum, the world had authority over the whole church. In Sardis, the domination of the world, in the form of the state, over the church is a matter of each separate country. This is far away from God’s thoughts about the church, in which a distinction of nationality does not exist (Col 3:11).

By connecting itself to the state and by putting itself under its protection, the church disconnected herself from the biblical model. In protestantism biblical truths are indeed confessed, but they are being implemented in a purely worldly manner. The church claims to be alive, that name it likes to have, but the Lord Jesus says of it that it is dead. Has all hope gone now?

No, fortunately not. If you see how the Lord Jesus presents Himself to this church, then hope is shining for everyone who finds himself in such a situation. He has “the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars”. In this way He ensures the faithful ones in Sardis that in Him there is the true source of life and power that never will fail. The world may have entered where the Spirit of God had to be ruling, but that does not change anything about the fullness – of which the number ‘seven’ speaks – of the Spirit at His disposal. Neither will He in any way give up His right to the churches as light bearers, represented in the ‘seven stars’.

Every time after He has presented Himself, He has said to the preceding churches ”I know” and then noticed something that He can appreciate in that church. Also to Sardis He starts by saying “I know”. However, after that comes not an appreciative remark, but one that speaks of disapproving. That disapproval regards the appearance of the life that the church professes to have, while in reality there is no life, but death rules.

Life has gradually faded away from the reformation, turning it into what we now recognize as protestantism. Religion has become more and more a confession led by an organization. Only relatively few have life from God. Most of them have shifted to the new doctrine in imitation of their spiritual leaders, without personal exercises of conscience.

You cannot say that there is a wrong teaching. The confession is orthodox. However, it is a dead form, in which life is missing. Also today there are a whole bunch of people who confess Christ, but relatively few live with Christ.

Rev 3:2. Death may be ruling in general, but there are still souls the Lord can address. If they hear, there is still hope for them. The appeal sounds as follows: “Wake up, and strengthen the things which remain.” The sleeping believers in Sardis urgently need a wake-up call and resume their place on the watch posts. They need to become aware again that the church and the world cannot be mixed. Due to the fatal sleeping disease of the believers the world has gained entrance into the church. That must change. Obedience to the call will work that.

If the call is heeded, it will prevent that the few faithful ones, “which remain”, in whom a spark of life is left, will give up. The situation is more than critical. The Lord Jesus has to say that the works of the church of Sardis do not meet the demand of God. In church history we find this also in protestantism that emerged from the roman-catholicism. Many issues that are typical for the roman-catholic church have been integrated in protestantism.

Thus, as far as church structure is concerned, there has been no return to God's Word, but rather the adoption of elements from the roman-catholic church. People wanted to return to the ‘sound teaching, but because of the mixture with the world, they stuck to the teaching, because the practice breathed the spirit of the world. Just as in the roman-catholicism, there was no living expectation of the coming of the Lord in protestantism. The religious institutions also continued to lead the church, through which in practice no room was given to the Spirit of God to lead the church.

Rev 3:3. Then the call comes “so remember”. They are reminded of the moment when they heard and accepted the gospel and received the belief (of the reformation) as a lasting treasure. It refers to the rediscovery of the Scripture and the way to salvation that is received by faith, without works of the law. In case of deviation we are always reminded of the unchangeable Word of God and the immoveable authority of God Himself.

This also goes for your personal life of faith. In case you have deviated in that, if faith does not live like that, remember then the moment that you heard and accepted the gospel. That will bring you to repentance of your deviation.

If there is no alertness, if the coming of the Lord is not considered, that coming will be just as unexpected and undesirable as the coming of a thief (cf. Mt 24:43-44; 1Thes 5:2 ; 4; 2Pet 3:10). He then will come to them as He will do to the world. Protestantism has put itself under the protection of the world. It has connected itself with the world and has sought and striven for the interests and approval of the world. Therefore professing Christianity will also share the fate of the world and will be judged with the world.

Rev 3:4. Fortunately, the Lord has also discovered a few, “a few people” literally “a few names”, in Sardis who have remained faithful. They not only believe the right teaching, but they also live in sincere separation from the world, with their eyes fixed on the Lord. They have “not soiled their garments”. That is, they have personally kept themselves clean from the many defilements that are typical for protestantism, such as bible criticism and modernism.

The Lord appreciates this in a special way. As they walked in purity before Him on earth, so they will be allowed to walk with Him in “white” in the future. The Lord emphasizes the special appreciation of their separation in Sardis by His mention that “they are worthy”. This expression is therefore special, because in this book it is further only used for God (Rev 4:11) and the Lamb (Rev 5:9 ; 12).

Rev 3:5. It is the part of the overcomers to “be clothed in white garments”. That means that the purity they had on earth will always characterize them. An additional reward is connected to their “name”. The Lord knows each one of the overcomers by his name. On earth their names may be removed from church registers because they do not go the course that the church goes. But they may know that there is a register kept by the Lord Jesus in which their names are written down in indelible ink. This book is the book of God’s chosen ones (Rev 13:8 ; Rev 17:8 ; Rev 20:15 ; Rev 21:27; cf. Dan 12:1; Lk 10:20; Phil 4:3). As an additional consolation the Lord adds that He will draw the attention of His Father and His angels to their name because of their faithfulness to Him (Lk 9:26 ; Lk 12:8).

Rev 3:6. Also here the call to the individual believer to hear what the Spirit says to the churches cannot be addressed to the whole. You have seen that the whole is dead, but also that there is a call to wake up and that there are those who ‘remain’. Therefore the call “he who has an ear” follows after the promise to overcomers. If there is someone among them who has an ear, he will certainly take the message to heart and will then receive the reward for the victory.

Now read Revelation 3:1-6 again.

Reflection: How do you make sure ‘that your garments remain white’?