Jesus said that there were those who say they believe but are of a synagogue of Satan. This entire concept of those who are not now of God but are of a synagogue of Satan is consistent with what we studied in the Prelude in 1 John 5:19, “We know that we are now of God, and that the whole world now chooses to lie in the power of the evil one.”
It is quite binary and a bit shocking. There is no middle ground. One is either a son of God or they choose to now lie in the power of the evil one, and their father is the devil. Hence, they worship in a synagogue or a church of Satan. Jesus will humiliate those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, even though they drape themselves in the clothing, appearance, and authority of God. They have chosen to now be liars and to misrepresent Yahweh.
Because of this fact, God is always big on our need to endure—to now be believing in His name, regardless of what He must take us through. With endurance is how those in Philadelphia lived. They lived with the purpose of enduring and persevering through all things. And as a result, He will keep them from the hour of testing.
