John Thiel mp3
As we enter this subject in this message, we are to reflect upon the condition of the church in Sardis. In seeking to reflect upon that, there is given admonition that introduces us to this condition.
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
What does God really want of his children? It told us this here to walk in all His ways and to love him, and to serve the Lord how with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another; 11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
These are very important parts of what God required in Deuteronomy. There should be love without dissimulation, without any confusion, to abhor that which is evil and to cleave to that which is good. These are all expressions of the state of mind and the state of attitude and as it says there, “there should be a fervent spirit.”
Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God;
The word ‘diligence’ follows be fervent with all your heart.
2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.
What are all these statements of God’s word telling us? Don’t be slack; be very decided or very astute. This is what He requires of His people because if we are not, we’re going to be slipshod about anything that God tells us to do. As it says, we are not making our calling and election sure.Those who embrace the quotes and the admonition are the ones that constitute God’s church. I want to remind you as we are studying this series of the seven churches, we are studying God’s church. As we are studying the seven churches, we are studying the church that we are called upon to be members of.
One Church
The names of the seven churches are symbolic of the church indifferent periods of the Christian Era. The number 7 indicates completeness, and is symbolic of the fact that the messages extend to the end of time, while the symbols used reveal the condition of the church at different periods in the history of the world. AA 585.3
Every time you read about the seven churches, you are trying to understand what it means to be a member of God’s church because we are looking at His one Church running through the history of the world to the very end of time and the names of those churches are symbolic of their condition.
Ephesus
So far we have observed Ephesus, which was symbolic of apostolic purity. The apostles taught the pure truth and as Jesus said to them, ‘Stay in the upper room, and the Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth.’ As the apostles came forth, they preached and taught all truth. But as they did, it unleashed Satan’s fury. He had crucified Christ, and therefore he was going to crucify the church. It was already in the time of Ephesus that the Jews were persecuting the apostles.
Smryna
As the time moved on into the period of Smyrna, the sweet-smelling essence came to the Lord. These people were so faithful, so diligent, and so committed to God with all their hearts, that they would be faithful unto death. They were fed to the lions, their heads were chopped off. Apostle Paul’s head was guillotined and they suffered all sorts of terrible persecution under Pagan Rome.
Pergamos
Then pagan Rome turned into nominal Christianity. Constantine brought about a cessation of persecution. Pergamos represented the elated condition of God’s Church. However, it lost something very important, their condition became spiritually proud, and they were called upon to repent because they were drifting into carelessness regarding God.
Thyatira
Only the overcomer of that period moved faithfully into Thyatira, which spanned from 538 through 1798. In that period, we saw the nature of God’s church that we are to be members of. The Waldenses, the overcomers, faithfully stood by reading the Bible and practicing it as written. Through their fastidiousness and faithfulness even unto death under the papal persecution, they influenced the rise of the reformers like Luther, Wesley, and Wycliffe. These men gave the Catholic Church a hard time until 1798 when the papacy was neutralised because the pope was taken prisoner under Napoleon.
The Waldensees
The next period involved the attitude of the faithful believers, the true church of God.
The Waldenses had sacrificed their worldly prosperity for the truth’s sake, and with persevering patience they toiled for their bread. GC 67.3
They had to leave the cushy life and flee into the mountains and there for the truth’s sake with persevering patience they sacrificed their worldly prosperity.Can you see the attitude of these people? They did what God required of His people; beautiful depiction of the reformers.
You might remember how the princes of Germany took their stand and together with Martin Luther and Melanchthon, they had to stand before the authorities. These authorities, these princes of the different provinces of Germany, look at what they state. This is the attitude that we’re trying to pick up the condition of these faithful people under Thyatira the reformers.
As the Christian princes advanced to sign the Confession, Melanchthon interposed, saying: “It is for the theologians and ministers to propose these things; let us reserve for other matters the authority of the mighty ones of the earth.” “God forbid,” replied John of Saxony, “that you should exclude me. I am resolved to do what is right, without troubling myself about my crown. GC 206.2
Did you pick up what he said? He had a crown, a prince of that province, who had a crown, said, ‘I’m not troubled about whether I lose it; it doesn’t matter.’ See the attitude; see the condition.
I desire to confess the Lord. My electoral hat and my ermine are not so precious to me as the cross of Jesus Christ.” Having thus spoken, he wrote down his name. Said another of the princes as he took the pen: “If the honor of my Lord Jesus Christ requires it, I am ready … to leave my goods and life behind.” “I would rather renounce my subjects and my states, rather quit the country of my fathers staff in hand,” he continued, “than receive any other doctrine than that which is contained in this Confession.”—Ibid., b. 14, ch. 6. Such was the faith and daring of those men of God. GC 206.2
“I trust I have forsaken all to follow the Lamb whithersoever he leads the way. Earth has entirely lost its attractions. My hopes, joys, affections, are now all centered in things above and divine. I want no other place than to sit at the feet of Jesus, and. learn of him — no other occupation than to be in the service of my heavenly Father — no other delight than the peace of God which passeth all understanding.” Great Second Advent Movement 1905 – Loughborough. Page 816
Do you resonate with those words? Is this truly your attitude? This is a rendition of the condition of God’s church. As the Waldenses did, as the reformers did, as Sister White did, so with that preparation of mind and being, God’s attitude is the attitude of His members of His church.
The Church Period of Sardis
Revelation 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.
If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.4Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
‘You have a name that you live,’ as the Church of Thyatira. Those faithful people, whose confession and expression of their total earnest devotion to God’s will and His doctrine, even at the loss of anything. The church that launched out of the Lutherans, the Wesleyan church, the Methodists, the Protestant organizations that developed up to that point, were launched by the reformers. These Protestant churches, what does Jesus say about them? ‘You have a name that you live.’
What’s the name? He was referring to Protestant. Your forefathers protested with such valiant expressionism. You have that name; you are the children of those who’ve been reformers before you. In this terrible period of Thyatira, you’re dead.
Churches in the period of 1798 to 1833
What was the origin of the great apostasy? How did the church first depart from the simplicity of the gospel? By conforming to the practices of paganism, to facilitate the acceptance of Christianity by the heathen. The apostle Paul declared, even in his day, “The mystery of iniquity doth already work. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 During the lives of the apostles the church remained comparatively pure. But “toward the latter end of the second century most of the churches assumed a new form; the first simplicity disappeared, and insensibly, as the old disciples retired to their graves, their children, along with new converts, … came forward and new-modeled the cause.”—Robert Robinson, Ecclesiastical Researches, ch. 6, par. 17, p. 51. GC 384.5
What does it mean to the new model the cause, their children, and the new converts coming along? ‘To secure converts, the exalted standard of Christian faith was lowered, the exalted standard of Christian Life was lowered.’To reach people, the standard is lowered because, ‘Oh dear, we’ve got too high a standard,’ the new people coming along are going to say, ‘I can’t reach that standard.’ Can you see this mentality? What we were reading in the beginning; with all the heart to do what God says, irrespective of how we feel, that’s the church.
To secure these converts, they lowered the standard and as a result, a pagan flood flowed into the church carrying with it its customs, practices, and idols. As the Christian religion secured the favor and support of secular rulers, it was nominally accepted by multitudes, but while in appearance Christians, many remained in substance pagans.
Has not the same process been repeated in nearly every church calling itself Protestant? As the founders, those who possessed the true spirit of reform, passed away, their descendants came forward and remodeled the cause while blindly clinging to the creed of their fathers and refusing to accept any truth in advance of what they saw. The children of the reformers departed widely from their example of humility, self-denial, and renunciation of the world. These are all expressions of what we were reading to introduce. Thus the first simplicity disappears; a worldly flood flowing into the church carries with it its customs, practices, and idols.
‘You have a name that you live but you are dead.’ The ones who were alive and determined for God were the true church. As the church continued from that time onwards, it deteriorated into what Jesus says: ‘You’re dead, but I haven’t given up on you.’ So how does Jesus describe the condition? ‘You have a name that you live but are dead’.
Revelation 3:2 Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die, they’re ready to die, you’re already floundering for I have not found th my works perfect before God. I have not found your works perfect before God.
The church was not living up to the churches of those Protestant reformers and was not living up to that which the reformers launched them into. That which remains, strengthen the things which remain. You still have some characteristics of those before you. Strengthen that and it will strengthen the rest. It will bring you back to life again.
You see a name that thou livest. They had a name that the reformers, the Lutherans, the Presbyterians, the Methodists, the Baptists, these leaders of those churches in the beginning, were protesting and living in harmony with God’s expectations. But by 1798, they were dead living in alignment with worldly practices.
Were they diligent? Was that what they were? Were they fervent like their forefathers were? Not at all. What steered them into this kind of condition? What shall abound? It’s all around; it’s prevailing iniquity. What is iniquity? You know what that word means; it means lawlessness. As lawlessness abounds.
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
What shall abound? It’s all around; it’s prevailing iniquity.What is iniquity? It means lawlessness. Lawlessness abounds and they’re trying to win people to the Christian faith – ‘Just believe in Jesus, just believe in Jesus, don’t worry about these Seventh Day Adventists, who are teaching you should be keeping the law on the Sabbath. That’s not necessary, you believe in Jesus, that’s all you need to worry about, that’s what they’re teaching, that is iniquity.’
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved
Here Jesus is saying to the church in Sardis; in its death struggle, ‘you’re dying”’ Recover that which remains and watch and repent because if you don’t, what do you realise? That 1798 was the beginning of the end, and Jesus is saying to them, ‘If you don’t repent, I’m going to come upon you as a thief.’ The coming of Jesus was proclaimed to these churches, and if you’re not repenting, you are going to be caught without garments of righteousness. Only he who shall endure unto the end shall be saved. In those churches and all other Protestant situations that have come from that time onwards, because iniquity abounds, its worse and worse and abounded to our time. The message to us is as relevant as to them – you’re going to have to endure because iniquity abounds.
You’re going to have to endure what? All the lawless behaviours and worldly practices, you’re going to have to endure to be faithful to the highest standards and not be overwhelmed by this promiscuous society that you are surrounded by. It abounds, it surrounds us, it surrounds them from that time onwards.
Alas, to what a fearful extent is that friendship of the world which is “enmity with God,” now cherished among the professed followers of Christ! How widely have the popular churches throughout Christendom departed from the Bible standard of humility, self-denial, simplicity, and godliness! GC 385.2
How widely have they departed from that?
Said John Wesley, in speaking of the right use of money: “Do not waste any part of so precious a talent, merely in gratifying the desire of the eye, by superfluous or expensive apparel, or by needless ornaments. Waste no part of it in curiously adorning your houses; in superfluous or expensive furniture; in costly pictures, painting, gilding…. Lay out nothing to gratify the pride of life, to gain the admiration or praise of men…. ‘So long as thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee.’ So long as thou art ‘clothed in purple and fine linen,’ and farest ‘sumptuously every day,’ no doubt many will applaud thy elegance of taste, thy generosity and hospitality. But do not buy their applause so dear. Rather be content with the honor that cometh from God.”—Wesley, Works, Sermon 50, “The Use of Money.” But in many churches of our time such teaching is disregarded. GC 385.2
The use of money – but in many churches of our time, such teaching is disregarded.
A profession of religion has become popular with the world. Rulers, politicians, lawyers, doctors, merchants, join the church as a means of securing the respect and confidence of society, and advancing their own worldly interests. Thus they seek to cover all their unrighteous transactions under a profession of Christianity. The various religious bodies, re-enforced by the wealth and influence of these baptized worldlings, make a still higher bid for popularity and patronage. Splendid churches, embellished in the most extravagant manner, are erected on popular avenues. The worshipers array themselves in costly and fashionable attire. A high salary is paid for a talented minister to entertain and attract the people. His sermons must not touch popular sins, but be made smooth and pleasing for fashionable ears. Thus fashionable sinners are enrolled on the church records, and fashionable sins are concealed under a pretense of godliness. GC 386.1
Which church are you members of? The Waldenses, the Reformers, or the dead of Sardis from 1798 to 1833. What Jesus meant when He said ‘you have a name that you live but you’re dead’.. The experience of many is becoming dwarfed and sickly and wonderfully deformed. Everything that surrounds us creates an atmosphere that is saturated with unrighteousness.
“Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” We see this fulfilled to the letter. The experience of many is becoming dwarfed and sickly and wonderfully deformed. Everything that surrounds us creates an atmosphere that is saturated with unrighteousness. Even under the most faithful surroundings, it is difficult to hold fast the Christian profession of faith unto the end, to stand decidedly and earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. But it is most difficult to keep true and loyal to God’s holy commandments, when there are few in number to help and encourage one another, and when many of these are sickly and ready to die because they do not honor God by keeping his commandments truly and loyally. ( R&H June 8, 1897, par. 11)
You can see when it says ‘because iniquity abounds, he that shall endure unto the end,’ that’s difficult. Under the consequence of the period of Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea to follow, because those churches that Jesus said, ‘You have a name that you live but you are dead,’ exist today and there is something He’s still asking them to do to restore some of the things that are ready to die.
Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found your works perfect before God.
‘Your works are not perfect before me.’
Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
There is the first warning to the churches after 1798: you’re going to be caught by surprise if you do not alter your course.
Revelation 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father.
Have you got an ear to hear? Have you got an ear to receive what the word of God has been saying to you? Have you been paying close attention with great diligence?Then follow their way and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints; ‘Thou Hast a few names in insiders that are faithful.’
Testimony of the Church of the Protestants
This is a person, one of these people, who would have been what Jesus is talking about there. He was going through a conflict in his inward self and in this state, he continued for some months.
In this state he continued for some months. “Suddenly,” he says, “the character of a Saviour was vividly impressed upon my mind. It seemed that there might be a being so good and compassionate as to himself atone for our transgressions, and thereby save us from suffering the penalty of sin. I immediately felt how lovely such a being must be, and imagined that I could cast myself into the arms of, and trust in the mercy of, such a one. But the question arose, How can it be proved that such a being does exist? Aside from the Bible, I found that I could get no evidence of the existence of such a Saviour, or even of a future state. GC 319.1
“I saw that the Bible did bring to view just such a Saviour as I needed; and I was perplexed to find how an uninspired book should develop principles so perfectly adapted to the wants of a fallen world. I was constrained to admit that the Scriptures must be a revelation from God. They became my delight; and in Jesus I found a friend. The Saviour became to me the chiefest among ten thousand; and the Scriptures, which before were dark and contradictory, now became the lamp to my feet and light to my path. My mind became settled and satisfied.
I found the Lord God to be a Rock in the midst of the ocean of life. The Bible now became my chief study, and I can truly say, I searched it with great delight. I found the half was never told me. I wondered why I had not seen its beauty and glory before, and marveled that I could have ever rejected it. I found everything revealed that my heart could desire, and a remedy for every disease of the soul. I lost all taste for other reading, and applied my heart to get wisdom from God.”—S. Bliss, Memoirs of Wm. Miller, pages 65-67. GC 319.2
These members of Sardis were with such an attitude. He; together with others, began to share his beautiful comfort in Jesus with the people of that time. Because they were dead, the churches didn’t care to hear what he had to say. Their dead state didn’t stir them.
The True Nature of the Overcomers
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
These overcomers moved on into the next period because the death of the church and the proclamation of such men as William Miller and his associates started the next period, Philadelphia.This period from Sardis was only 35 years, from 1798 to 1833.
Can you see why at the time of the end the church is rapidly led to the Philadelphian period? Rapidly led to Matthew 24:37-43 where Jesus is to come and catch them by surprise. As in the days of Noah, that’s what Jesus was referring to in the days of Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The words of Jesus encompass the period of the time of the end: Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. What’s that referring to the investigative judgement? Because people who accepted the message of the investigative judgement were taken in, and the others were left out.
Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your lord doth come 43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea represent this period He’s talking about. That generation continued into Philadelphia because it was only 35 years and continued into Laodicea. That generation from 1833 to 1844 and from 1844 through what could have been expected as the coming of Jesus. But it is that period from which the 144,000 are to be gathered, from the last two periods? Are we seeing the Church of God that we need to be joining?
The church is God’s fortress, His city of refuge, which He holds in a revolted world. Any betrayal of the church is treachery to Him who has bought mankind with the blood of His only-begotten Son. From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth. In every age the Lord has had His watchmen, who have borne a faithful testimony to the generation in which they lived. These sentinels gave the message of warning; and when they were called to lay off their armor, others took up the work. God brought these witnesses into covenant relation with Himself, uniting the church on earth with the church in heaven. He has sent forth His angels to minister to His church, and the gates of hell have not been able to prevail against His people. AA 11.2
Through centuries of persecution, conflict, and darkness, God has sustained His church. Not one cloud has fallen upon it that He has not prepared for; not one opposing force has risen to counterwork His work, that He has not foreseen. All has taken place as He predicted. He has not left His church forsaken, but has traced in prophetic declarations what would occur, and that which His Spirit inspired the prophets to foretell has been brought about. All His purposes will be fulfilled. His law is linked with His throne, and no power of evil can destroy it. Truth is inspired and guarded by God; and it will triumph over all opposition. AA 11.3
Do you want to make the choice to be part of that church? It’s going to be hard. Even if things are in good circumstances, it’s hard enough, but to do it when the majority around us are impressing us in a negative way, it’s twice as hard. We want to be part of the church that’s not where the ministers are sickly but on fire for the Lord and who will lift up the standard. Even if it seems hard to pick up that standard, we will do what the pioneers of Christianity did. Even prepared to sacrifice my crown, that’s what they said. To be in obedience to all of God’s laws and teachings. Once again, let us pick up the call to be members of that church. It is my prayer, in Jesus name.
Amen.
