Revelation 3
Overview: Jesus’s Letters to Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Religion is Lambasted and Faithfulness in Humility is Honored.
The Church at Sardis
Overall Theme: Spiritual Delusion=Death
This is one of the hardest letters for those within the religion of Christianity. It speaks of an unimaginable reality where a church with a grand reputation for being alive in Christ is in fact dead. In God’s eyes they were completely lawless, for none of their works (yes, NONE) were performed before the face of the Father. What they did “for God” was not the work of Christ. Rather, they did what they believed good Christians should do, without regard for the appointments that God had set aside for them to do and the work which Christ would have done in-and-through them.
Despite their grand reputation, Jesus says they are dead and dying. In essence, they were spiritual zombies. And even what little life they had was about to die. They are exhorted to be watching, to be vigilant and strengthen what little remains before it is too late.
