Sardis: The So-Named Church

Sardis: The “So-Named” Church

1A. (3:1a) Introduction

1B. Jesus, the One having the Seven Spirits of God (cf. Rev 1:4)

2B. Jesus, the One having the Seven Stars (cf. Rev 1:16)

2A. (3:1b) Knowledge of the Church’s Condition: A Church with Life “So-Called”

3A. (3:2-3) Exhortations to the Church

1B. (3:2) Exposure of Wrong: Spiritual Alertness and Strengthen Godly Conduct

2B. (3:3a) Pathway to Right: Remember, Keep, Repent

3B. (3:3b) Warning for Failure: Unexpected and Hostile Coming

4A. (3:4) Assurance to the Few who are Pure

1B. (3:4a) Knowledge of the faithfulness of a few

2B. (3:4b) Assurance of the future purity of these few

3B. (3:4c) Reason for this assurance

5A. (3:5) Promises to the Overcomer

1B. Clothed in white garments––cleansed from sin and possess God’s holiness and purity

2B. Always and unconditionally included among those who will live forever with God

3B. Christ’s personal loyalty and association

6A. (3:6) Command for the Churches to Listen

APPLICATIONS

• (1-2) Spiritual Life is Life in the Spirit: There is no life without dependence upon the Spirit (cf. Gal 5:16-25, esp. v. 25; Eph 5:18-33)

• (3) Warning of Judgment: Jesus warns of His coming to judge before He comes to judge (cf. His patience with Jezebel in 2:21)

• (4-5) Assurance and Eternal Security

  • (4) From the vantage point of the Believer’s Responsibility: Faithfulness to Christ (Luke 12:8-9; Col 2:6–3:4; 1 John 3:18-24), growth in Christian virtue (2 Pet 1:5-11), bearing spiritual fruit (Gal 5:22-25), and love of fellow believers (1 John 3:14-17) are practical sources of assurance for the believer.

  • (5) From the vantage point of God’s Choice: Jesus promises to never-ever-ever wipe out the name of the overcomer from the Book of Life. The overcomer will always be among those who live forever with Jesus. Jesus bases these assuring words on His mercy, grace, and love expressed in election and predestination, which is almost always the setting in which election and predestination are taught (Rom 9:22-24; Eph 1:3-6, 9-12; Col 3:12; 1 Thess 1:4; 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 1:2; 1 Pet 1:2).

  • Two passages that bring these vantage points together (2 Tim 2:19; Phil 2:12b-13)