I
have seen many charts like this over the years, but this one is
slightly different, for it includes warnings. Warnings are a good
thing and the passages listed here are worth your time and effort to
read them. My only problem with that list of problems is that it is
incomplete. It should be more extensive in order to include sins of
the individual and of the church collectively and not doctrine only.
Individual
problems can often be easily addressed by remembering the basics of
following Jesus- in other words- read the sermon on the mount, and
Peter’s Pentecostal sermon (Acts 2) and not knowingly practice sin.
Addressing the collective sins of the church is far more difficult,
as congregations tend to ignore this problem or refuse to admit that
there is sin within the church.
With
this in mind, I would add the warnings of Revelation, chapters two
and three to the list. Consider what is said in the book of
Revelation…
Revelation
1 ( World English
Bible )
9
I John, your brother and
partner with you in oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ
Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word
and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
10
I was in the Spirit on the
Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
11
saying, “What
you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to
Laodicea.”
12
I turned to see the voice that
spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands.
13
And among the lampstands was
one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet,
and with a golden sash around his chest.
14
His head and his hair were
white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
15
His feet were like burnished
brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the
voice of many waters.
16
He had seven stars in his
right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His
face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
17
When I saw him, I fell at
his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying,
“Don’t be afraid. I am the
first and the last,
18
and the Living one. I was
dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. I have the keys of
Death and of Hades.
19
Write therefore the things
which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which
will happen hereafter;
20
the mystery of the seven stars
which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The
seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven
lampstands are seven assemblies.
This
is not the Revelation of John, it belongs to Jesus, who utilizes the
apostle John in the revelation of his will. The message is to
individual churches, but I think we should consider them as types of
churches as well. For those of us who have several decades of
experience with numerous churches it is obvious that these types
still can occur today.
Revelation
2 ( WEB )
1
“To
the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: “He
who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the
seven golden lampstands says these things:
2
“I know your works, and your
toil and perseverance, and that you can’t tolerate evil men, and
have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and
found them false.
3
You have perseverance and have
endured for my name’s sake, and have not grown weary.
4
But I have this against
you, that you left your first love.
5
Remember therefore from where
you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am
coming to you swiftly, and will move your lampstand out of its place,
unless you repent.
6
But this you have, that you
hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7
He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is
in the Paradise of my God.
Remember
the day you became a Christian; if someone who knew you on that day
saw you today – would they say that you have changed? Can the same
thing be said of an entire
church? Yes, for Jesus said it in 2:4. Unfortunately, I have known
churches who have this problem and the solution is given by Jesus in
2:5…. REPENT!
8
“To
the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write:
“The first and the last, who was
dead, and has come to life says these things:
9
“I know your works,
oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of
those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of
Satan.
10
Don’t be afraid of the
things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to
throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will
have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to 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 assemblies.
He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death.
If
you are doing the Lord’s work, you will be persecuted. The size of
the church does not really matter, it is the will to submit to Jesus
that is paramount. Jesus’ admonition – BE FAITHFUL!
12
“To
the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write: “He
who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things:
13
“I know your works and where
you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and
didn’t deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful
one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
14
But I have a few things
against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of
Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the
children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit
sexual immorality.
15
So you also have some who hold
to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise.
16
Repent therefore, or else I am
coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the
sword of my mouth.
17
He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I
will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written,
which no one knows but he who receives it.
Sexual
immorality and idols; two things that should not be in the church
which the Lord built. I was actually a preacher
for a church who had to dis-fellowship
someone who was sexually harassing both young girls and boys. As
far as idols go- ask yourself this: Does America place an emphasis on
money first or not? The answer is obvious. Jesus’ answer- Once
again- REPENT!
18
“To the angel of the
assembly in Thyatira write: “The Son of God, who has his eyes like
a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these
things:
19
“I know your works, your
love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are
more than the first.
20
But I have this against
you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a
prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual
immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
21
I gave her time to repent, but
she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.
22
Behold, I will throw her into
a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression,
unless they repent of her works.
23
I will kill her children with
Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the
minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your
deeds.
24
But to you I say, to the
rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don’t have this teaching, who
don’t know what some call ‘the deep things of Satan,’ to you I
say, I am not putting any other burden on you.
25
Nevertheless, hold that which
you have firmly until I come.
26
He who overcomes, and he who
keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the
nations.
27
He will rule them with a rod
of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of
my Father:
28
and I will give him the
morning star.
29
He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
This
one is a bit more difficult. However, we do have false teachers who
lead Christians astray. Remember the Crossroads movement of a few
decades ago? And how about those preachers who lead whole
congregations into incorporating instrumental music into their
worship? Have
you ever heard of a preacher who waters down the Gospel or whose
message contains an inordinate amount of psychological advice instead
of Book, Chapter and Verse? Sadly, these things exist in certain
places. This must change!
Revelation
3 ( WEB
)
1
“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.
2
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.
3
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.
4
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.
5
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.
6
He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
Complacency
and the pride of “we have arrived” have infected many churches.
Think about it: have the number of people who regularly attend
church fallen over the last decade? Have we confined the Gospel to
the confines of the church building? Have you ever attended a church
where someone left because they thought the church was “dead”?
Jesus’ answer- Wake up, REPENT!
7
“To
the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write:
“He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he
who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says
these things:
8
“I know your works
(behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut),
that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my
name.
9
Behold, I give of the
synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not,
but lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before your
feet, and to know that I have loved you.
10
Because you kept my command to
endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to
come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11
I am coming quickly! Hold
firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.
12
He who overcomes, I will make
him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there
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 my own new name.
13
He who has an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
Today,
it is somewhat unusual to meet a congregation where almost everyone
is well versed in the Scriptures. Many of the younger generation do
not read or study or attend services. In some places this is
considered to be OK. Often, some churches will tolerate anyone who
says that they “love the Lord” and yet they do repent of sin or
adhere to sound doctrine.
14
“To
the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: “The
Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Head of God’s creation,
says these things:
15
“I know your works, that
you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.
16
So, because you are
lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.
17
Because you say, ‘I am rich,
and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know
that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;
18
I counsel you to buy from me
gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments,
that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness
may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may
see.
9
As many as I love, I reprove
and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
20
Behold, I stand at the door
and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will
come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.
21
He who overcomes, I will give
to him to sit down 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 assemblies.”
Who
would want to be a member of this church? Perhaps someone for whom
money or power means greatness or a church that just wants to “get
along” with anyone who claims to be a christian and yet doesn’t
follow all that the Bible teaches one to do in order to be saved. Has
doing nothing become the norm where you worship? Do you just go
through the motions of work and worship?
Although
today’s post might seem to be negative, I assure you it is not
meant to be. As human beings we all have shortcomings, we all do
things that are wrong, we sin (hopefully, we do it unwittingly and
not willfully). If we consider things that could go wrong with us
both as individuals and collectively as a church, then we just might
be better Christians and be better churches.
Yes,
continue to try to be the church that Jesus built; to follow God
faithfully in doctrine and worship and attitude. But be warned, Satan
will do everything he can to destroy Christians and the assemblies
that make up the body of Christ!
There
is one phrase that is repeated again and again; I wonder if it comes
to your mind as often as it does to mine?
“He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”
One
of the “big myths” of society that surely will go down in history as a
significant contributor to the moral decline of America is the incessant
clamor by liberals for “tolerance” and “diversity.” They insist that
those who oppose same-sex marriage are “intolerant” and lack basic human
“compassion.” They maintain that “diversity” and “tolerance” (code
words for acceptance of homosexuality) are healthy for society, and that
those who oppose homosexuality are merely “demonizing people for
political advantage” and “perpetuating division” (Obama, 2004).
