Revelation 3:1-6
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. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 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. 4 You 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. 5 He 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.” ’
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God who sovereignly rules over the seven churches with grace and peace, He now speaks to the believers of the church at Sardis. The Lord tells John to write this letter as a revealing of His knowledge of their boasting. He sees what they do does not match their pomp, pointing out their claim to life in Him while living otherwise. They are dead, but speak to convince others outwardly that they are not. They are not hopeless, however. He urges them to watch what they are doing and to then begin by strengthening the few things they still have right, not to give up because of failure but to begin with repentance and actions befitting children of God. The warning makes it clear that the few things remaining are about to die as well, so the call to repentance is urgent to do what is right in His sight. We are like them as well, needing to know we fall short and needing to hold fast to sound teaching and righteousness in Christ as we follow in obedience. Repentance is as essential as continually building lives on sound doctrine. If we fail to do these basic commands, we are in similar danger as that of Sardis, being surprised and ashamed at His return in the day of visitation (1 Peter 2:12) instead of glorifying God. There are always some who continue to walk straight and true as there were in Sardis, and they will continue to walk in honor by righteousness with Him. We who are truly in Christ as these have our names written in the Book of Life and are so admitted as His to the Father in the presence and witness of the faithful angels also serving our great God and Savior. These are things only being able to be heard by His called ones. All these letters to the real and representative churches are for our hearing and heeding; they are not just for some other churches in the past. He knows us and calls us to faithfully follow the Son of God and Man.
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