Keep these sayings.... watch

Revelation Chapter Three

Verse 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.

Verse 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain,

 that are ready to die:

 for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Verse  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.

Verse  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.

Verse 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.

Verse 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Church in Sardis.--

IF the dates of the preceding churches have been correctly fixed, the period covered by the church of Sardis must begin about 1798.

"Sardis" signifies "prince or song of joy," or "that which remains."

We then have the reformed churches before us as constituting this church, from the date above named to the great movement which marked another era in the history of the people of God.

The Cause of Complaint.--

The great fault found with Sardis is that is has a name to live, but is dead.

What a high position, in a worldly point of view, has the nominal church occupied during this period! Look at her high-sounding titles, and her favor with the world. But how pride and popularity have grown apace, until spirituality is destroyed, THE LINE OF DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD IS OBLITERATED, and the different popular bodies are churches of Christ only in name!

This church was to hear the proclamation of the doctrine of the second advent. "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief." Verse 3. This implies that the doc-

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trine of the advent would be proclaimed, and THE DUTY OF WATCHING would be enjoined upon the church.

The coming spoken of is unconditional; the manner only in which it would come upon them is conditional. Their not watching would not prevent the coming of the Lord; but by watching they could avoid being overtaken as by a thief.

 It is only to those who are in this condition that the day of the Lord comes unawares. "Ye, brethren," says Paul, "are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thessalonians 5: 4.

"A few names even in Sardis," would seem to imply a period of unparalleled worldliness in the church.

But even in this state of things, there are some whose garments are not defiled, some who have kept themselves free from the contaminating influence of sin. James says, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1: 27.

The Promise to the Overcomer.--

"Shall walk with Me in white." The Lord does not overlook His people in any place, however few their numbers. Lonely Christian, with none of like precious faith with whom to commune, do you ever feel as if the hosts of unbelievers would swallow you up?

You are not unnoticed or forgotten by your Lord.

The multitude of the wicked around you cannot be so great as to hide you from His view. If you keep yourself unspotted from surrounding evil, the promise is sure.

You shall be clothed in white, the white raiment of the overcomer. You shall walk with you Lord in glory. "The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Revelation 7: 17.

Being clothed with white raiment is explained in other scriptures to be a symbol of exchanging iniquity for righteousness. (See Zechariah 3: 4, 5.)

"Take away the filthy garments from him," is explained by the language that follows, "Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee."

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"The fine linen, or the white raiment, "is the righteousness of saints." Revelation 19: 8.

The Book of Life.--

Here is introduced an object of thrilling interest. Ponderous volume, in which are enrolled the names of all the candidates for everlasting life!

Is there danger, after our names have once been entered in that heavenly journal, that they may be blotted out? YES; or this warning would never have been penned. (1 Corinthians 9: 27.)

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

It is only by being overcomers to the end that our names can be retained in that book.

But not all will gain the victory. Their names, of course, will be blotted out.

Reference is here made to some definite point of time in the future for this work. "I will not," says Christ, blot out the names of the overcomers, which is also saying, by implication, that at the same time He will blot out the names of those who do not overcome. Is not this the same time mentioned by Peter? "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that you sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." Acts 3: 19.

To say to the overcomer that his name shall not be blotted out of the book of life, is to say also that his sins shall be blotted out of the book wherein they are recorded, to be remembered against him no more forever. (Hebrews 8: 12.)

It means that either his name or his sins will be blotted out from the heavenly records.

What a precious thought it is that now we are forgiven if we confess our transgressions! Then if we remain faithful to God these sins will be blotted out at the coming of Jesus.

When that hour of decision shall come, which cannot now be a great way in the future, how, reader, will it be with you? Will your sins be blotted out, and your name be retained in the book of life? Or will your name be blotted out of the book of life, and your sins be left to bear their fearful record against you?

The Presentation in Glory.--

"I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." Christ taught that as men

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confessed or denied, despised or honored Him here, they would be confessed or denied by Him before His Father in heaven and before the holy angels. (Matthew 10: 32, 33; Mark 8: 38; Luke 12: 8, 9.) Who can fathom the honor of being approved before the heavenly hosts!

Who can conceive of the bliss of that moment when we shall be owned by the Lord of life before His Father as those who have done His will, overcome, and whose names are worthy through His merits to stand upon the imperishable record of the book of life forever and ever!

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Revelation Chapter Three

Verse 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.

Verse 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain,

 that are ready to die:

 for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Verse  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.

Verse  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.

Verse 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.

Verse 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

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If we do not watch will NOT know when Christ comes.

Are we watching?

Please, help us to watch! We would know when You would come for us Lord, we would know. All by Your grace! All by Your love! Please.

Forgive us our filthiness. Cleanse us!

Please, all in the name of our Savior, our Lord, Jesus Christ!