Revelation 3:7-13 - An Open and Shut Case

Revelation 3:7-13 

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”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed 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. 10 Because 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. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 

12 He 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.“‘

The salvation of those true believers it the church of brotherly love, Philadelphia, was an open and shut case, just as it is with all now who are found in Christ.  The Holy One who is just and true has the key of the Messiah through David to open the door to our hearts and His for eternity.  We are also saved from the wrath of God and the certain judgment we all have earned (Romans 3:23) by the key of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:18) who turned it from a locked sentence of death (2 Corinthians 1:9-10) into an end of justice for our inherited and ongoing sin to an unlocked door in His righteousness as justified by his work to accept us and make us accepted (Ephesians 1:6) in Him who is our Beloved Savior!  He has opened the prison door of our captivity in bondage to sin (Acts 5:19, 12:10, Hebrews 2:14-15, Ephesians 4:8) and led us to follow Him.  Just as the Lord knew the works of the transformed lives of those of the church at Philadelphia, so He knows our acceptable works which we walk out as those eternally accepted in Christ.  The door to eternity and the kingdom of heaven is held open to us and nobody can shut it in our face to keep us from our Lord, not even we ourselves by our sin.  Since we follow the example of the Philadelphians, we also find added strength to our meager amount in our faith in Him and His working and refuse to deny His name as well.  This is our testimony and path we are on as faithful and frail believers who’s have been set free from the imprisonment of sin to worship and follow His commandments from the heart.  We persevere as commanded with the assurance of salvation as our certain hope because He loves us.  Those who stand against us will one day bow down (Philippians 2:10-11, Isaiah 45:23-24) to their Lord who alone is our righteousness and strength while all who are opposed to him will suffer never ending shame.  Because they and we hold fast to the key master, we will persevere through the pressing times of trial on the world as the end approaches in which men and women will either repent and turn from their sin to Him or face the closed door which they reject and refuse to enter (John 10:9-10, 27-29) because they never were His sheep.  We who are called and chosen do enter and follow our Shepherd as we hold fast to what we have been freely given as accepted and acceptable to Him.  May we likewise not stumble around and lose our crowns to those who would attempt to keep us from living acceptable lives of hope and obedience in the midst of our trials.  Overcomers are once again promised to find an eternal place in His presence in the temple come to earth in the New Jerusalem as we are engraved with His name!  Our salvation and eternity are and open and shut case; open if we are in Christ, and shut if we reject Him.  Therefore, let us who hear our Master’s voice faithfully listen and take heed along with all the seven churches told these promises here.