Revelation 3
Share
CHAPTER 3
To the Church in Sardis (3:1-6)
1 Christ here calls Himself the one who holds the seven spirits … and the seven stars (see Revelation 1:4,16,20 and comment). Among these seven churches, Christ’s accusation against the church in Sardis is the most severe; Christ says: … you are dead.
What had happened to the Christians in Sardis? They had not received severe trials and persecution. They had not followed false teaching. They seemed spiritually alive—but they were, in fact, spiritually dead.
What had happened was this: The church had become so much like the surrounding society that it was no longer possible to distinguish between Christians and non-Christians. The Christians’ witness to Christ had become dull. They tried not to be different from their non-Christian neighbors; they didn’t want to oppose the customs and traditions of the people. Therefore, their church was at peace with the society around them. There was no persecution—and no life! In this world they were content; they had everything they wanted. But their spirits had become weak—as good as dead (Psalm 106:15).
2-3 But the Christians in Sardis were not completely dead. Their lives were empty, and their deeds were not complete; Christ was not pleased with such Christians. Neverthele0ss, there was still a little spiritual life left in them. Therefore Jesus tells them: Wake up! (see Ephesians 5:14). If they do not wake up and remain alert, Satan will devour them completely (1 Peter 5:8). Therefore, let them strengthen what remains and is about to die—that is, let them strengthen what remains of their spiritual life. Otherwise, Jesus will come at an unexpected time like a thief, and bring judgment upon them. Here Jesus is referring not only to the final judgment at the end of the world (Matthew 24:42-44; 1 Thessalonians 5:2), but also to the punishment He brings upon people in this life (see Revelation 2:16).
4 In every church there are true Christians and false Christians (see Matthew 13:24-30; 2 Timothy 2:20-21). In the church of Sardis there were very few true Christians—that is, very few who had kept themselves from the ways of the world. Those who follow the customs and desires of the world have soiled their clothes (Jude 23). But those true believers who keep themselves from the impurity of the world will be given white clothes to wear, and they will get to walk with Jesus. The color white is a sign of righteousness and purity.
5-6 In each of these seven letters, Christ gives a promise to the one who overcomes. The ones who overcome are those who remain firm in their faith to the end. According to this letter, they will be dressed in white clothes; that is, they will be declared righteous in God’s sight. Their names will never be erased from the book of life (verse 5). The book of life is where the names are written of all those who will inherit eternal life (see Luke 10:20; Revelation 20:12,15; 21;27). From this we can understand that the names of those who do not remain firm in faith will be erased.
Christ will acknowledge the names of those who overcome before the Father (see Matthew 10:32-33). Christ is our spokesman, our advocate, before God (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25). Therefore, let us have faith in Him without wavering.
To the Church in Philadelphia (3:7-13)
7 Christ holds the key of DAVID ; that is, Christ has the authority to admit men into the kingdom of God (King David’s spiritual kingdom); and He also has the authority to keep men out (Isaiah 22:22).
8 Christ has placed before the church in Philadelphia an open door. Here the word “door” can have two meanings: first, the door of heaven; or second, the door of opportunity for service to Christ. As we serve Christ, He will open some doors for us and close others. We must not try to go through the doors that Christ has closed; but we can go through those which He has opened, and no one—not even Satan—can close them against us. Let us always be ready to enter these open doors (see Acts 16:6-10; 1 Corinthians 16:8; 2 Corinthians 2:12 and comments).
9 The Jews always tried to close doors for the Christians. The Jews considered that only they were the true children of God. But because they had rejected God’s Son Jesus and had slandered and opposed all those who believed in Him, they had lost the right to be God’s children. Such Jews were not true Jews; they were liars (Romans 2:28-29). And their father was Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44; Revelation 2:9). In the end, these false Jews will be forced to acknowledge that these Christians they have despised are indeed God’s true and beloved children.
10 Because the Christians of Philadelphia have kept Jesus’ command to endure patiently, He gives them this promise: I will also keep you from the hour of trial. It is important to understand Jesus’ meaning here. He doesn’t mean that trials and troubles will not come upon Christians. Rather, His meaning is that He will preserve the spirits of Christians; that is, He will save them from Satan (see John 17:15).
The hour of trial mentioned here is the period of intense suffering that will come upon the world just before the return of Christ. These final trials have not yet begun (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 13:5-10). These final trials are different from the trials we are enduring now. Our present trials are sent to us in order that our faith might be tested and strengthened (see 1 Peter 1:6-7; 4:12-13; Revelation 2:10 and comments). But the final trials at the end of the world will come as judgment upon men. These final trials also will be much more terrible (Mark 13:19). The spirits of Christians will be preserved from these trials.12
11 Here Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia the same thing He said to the churches of Smyrna and Thyatira (see Revelation 2:10,25 and comment). If we don’t “hold on” to our faith, we will not be able to hold on to our crown; Satan will snatch it away from us.
12-13 He who overcomes Satan will become a pillar in God’s heavenly temple, a temple that will never be destroyed. God and Christ themselves are this temple (Revelation 21:22). Therefore, those who overcome will dwell forever with God and Christ. God’s name will be written on them; that is, they will be God’s own people (see 1 Peter 2:9). The name of God’s city, the new Jerusalem, will also be written on them (Revelation 21:2). That is, they will be citizens of the kingdom of God. And Christ will write His own new name on them, because those who overcome belong to Christ; they are His brothers and co-heirs (Romans 8:17,19). Therefore, they are worthy to receive His name.
To the Church in Laodicea (3:14-22)
14 The church at Laodicea was established during the period when Paul lived in Ephesus (Acts 19:10). Many Bible scholars believe that a Laodicean named Epaphras, having heard the Gospel from Paul in Ephesus, then went back and established the church in Laodicea (Colossians 4:12). Paul wrote a letter to the church in Laodicea, but that letter has been lost (Colossians 4:16).
Christ here calls Himself the Amen. In the Old Testament, the word “Amen” meant: “Yes, this is true.” Here Christ gives His own meaning of “Amen”: the faithful and true witness.
15-16 In these two verses, Christ gives all churches a frightening warning: “Do not be lukewarm, or I will spit you out of my mouth.”
These verses can have two meanings, and both meanings are true. The first meaning is this. When we are cold, we like to drink something hot; when we are hot, we like to drink something cold. But no one ever likes to drink something lukewarm. The church in Laodicea was like a lukewarm drink: the church’s ministry was neither hot nor cold—only lukewarm. Because of this, no matter what a person’s need might be, the church could not satisfy it. Thus the church was fit only to be “spit out” of one’s mouth.
There is an interesting historical fact about the city of Laodicea. Near the city there were some famous hot springs, from which large amounts of hot water poured out in great streams. The water was thought to have healing power, so many people came to drink the water in hopes of being healed. But as the hot water flowed down the slopes from the spring, it quickly became lukewarm and thus lost its healing power (so it was thought). Not only could it no longer heal anyone; it couldn’t even quench one’s thirst. It was good for nothing! Thus the Laodicean Christians surely understood what Jesus meant when He called them lukewarm: They were good for nothing, like the lukewarm water of their famous spring.
The second meaning of “lukewarm” is this. Jesus is saying that the Laodicean church is spiritually lukewarm. The Laodicean Christians were not dead like the Christians of Sardis (verse 1); they weren’t cold like a corpse. But neither were they spiritually “hot”; they had no “fire” of the Holy Spirit in them. They had no spiritual energy or enthusiasm. Spiritually they were only half alive.
A “lukewarm” church is in a more dangerous situation than a “cold” church. The reason is this. Spiritually cold Christians are usually aware that they are cold, and they can repent. But spiritually lukewarm Christians usually think they are hot, and thus they feel no need to repent. They are not worried about their spiritual condition. Just like the hot water flowing out of the springs, the Laodicean Christians had gradually become lukewarm—and they hadn’t even noticed it.
Therefore, whichever of these two meanings we think about, we need to make sure that we do not become lukewarm Christians; otherwise, Jesus will spit us out of His mouth (see Luke 13:24-28).
17 Jesus says to these lukewarm Laodicean Christians: “You think you are spiritually rich, but don’t deceive yourselves. Because, in fact, you are spiritually poor.” These Laodicean Christians were blind; they could not see their own spiritual condition. They were naked; they did not have the clothing of righteousness and holiness.
Let us take warning from the example of these Laodicean Christians. How different were the thoughts they had about themselves and the thoughts Christ had about them! We must try to see ourselves the way Christ sees us. Otherwise, we shall deceive ourselves, just as these Laodicean Christians deceived themselves. There are many people in hell today who had thought they were on the road to heaven!
18 Let the Laodicean Christians buy from Christ true wealth—spiritual gold, gold refined in the fire. Let them buy from Christ white clothes to wear (see verse 4). Let them receive sight from Christ, so that they might see their spiritual poverty and nakedness. If a man can’t see his condition, he can’t make it better.
There is another interesting historical fact about the city of Laodicea. In John’s time, Laodicea was especially famous for three things: its financial prosperity, its clothing industry, and a special, locally made eye ointment that was used all over the world. Nevertheless, in spiritual matters they were poor, naked, and blind! (verse 17).
19 See Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:511 and comment.
20 These proud, blind, and lukewarm Laodicean Christians had left Christ outside their church. But Christ still loves them, and He stands knocking on the door of their church, hoping that they will open the door and invite Him to come in.
But Christ doesn’t only knock on the door of a church; He knocks on the “door” of every Christian’s heart. And He knocks not just on the hearts of Christians, but on the hearts of all people. This is the great and wonderful truth of the Gospel of Christ: the supreme and almighty God of the universe comes to every person and says, “Open the door of your heart, and I will come in.” No other religion of the world teaches about a God who comes to men and women seeking fellowship with them.
Therefore, friend, listen to Jesus knocking, and open the door of your heart. Do not delay, or else Jesus will go away. He is patient, but He will not wait forever.
Today there is no trace left of that Laodicean church. Why? Because those Laodicean Christians did not open the door for Jesus. They did not confess their sins—their pride, their blindness, their nakedness. Jesus had said to them: “So be earnest and repent” (verse 19). But they had not listened to Him. He who has an ear, let him hear! (verse 22).
21-22 He who overcomes will not only share in Christ’s inheritance and glory, but he will also reign with Christ. He will sit with Christ on His throne (Matthew 19:28). The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him (2 Timothy 2:11-12).