Don't take the title away
Contents
♡♥♡ Don't let it be stolen. / Revelation 3:7-13
*** Introduction
“At that time, if a man says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ, behold, there is’, do not believe. False Christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, the elect.” These are Jesus’ warnings about the end times.
In 1 Peter 5:8-9, the Apostle Peter speaks of the preparation for the time of the last days along with the warning. “Be sober. wake up Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour; resist him, strong in your faith.”
Now is the time to keep the faith. The purpose of Jesus telling us what will happen in the end times is to prepare in advance. Also, the preparedness mentioned through the apostle Peter is not a passive defense, but an active fight to keep it.
For thorough preparation, we will look at the ‘Letter to the Philadelphia Church’ among the seven churches of Revelation. The Church of Philadelphia, along with the Church of Smyrna, is a church that has not been rebuked. And even with little power, he faithfully kept the word of the Lord enough to receive the Lord's praise. In other words, in keeping the word of the Lord, it does not matter whether there are many or few or many or few abilities. What kind of mindset you follow and how you follow it is important.
1. The church must receive God's approval.
The Lord said that the door was opened for the Philadelphia church. This is a door that no man can ever close. This “open door” is the door of the kingdom of God. In other words, the Philadelphia church is the door of salvation that leads people's lives to the Lord by preaching the gospel. This guarantees that the saints who are saved through the Philadelphia church will continue. The Lord has prepared an event that will show His assurance. It is to convert some of the Jews who were persecuting and opposing the church and come to the church.
Because the Jews at that time knew the church as a heretic, they persecuted and harassed the saints in every case. In particular, the pressures in life threatened even the livelihoods of the saints because the Jews were forming a united force around the synagogue. The Lord's Church at that time suffered more from the threats from the Jews than from the emperor worship or idolatry. The Lord promised that these Jews would come to the church by yielding to the gospel preached by the Philadelphia church. This is what the Lord said was a sign of his love for the church in Philadelphia.
What is the reason why the Lord loves the Philadelphia church so much and acknowledges their faith? The Lord said, “I know your deeds, that although you have little power you have kept my word, and have not betrayed my name.” He said, “You have kept the word of my patience.” In other words, the Philadelphia church kept the Lord's word despite extreme persecution, did not betray the Lord, and endured in the Word. This tells us that it was a life of faith.
As such, it does not matter whether there are many or few saints in God's work. It also doesn't matter if you don't learn much, you're financially poor, and you're in a bad environment. God sees the saints persevering while obeying the Word in any environment, keeping their faith, and hoping for the kingdom of God. You cannot have this kind of faith without completely relying on the Lord. So the Lord acknowledges this belief. We, too, must now receive approval from the Lord for our life of faith. Only when my life of faith is recognized by the Lord, the Lord's power is given and rewards are promised.
2. There is a reward for God's work.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” He says that the faith that pleases God is believing that God lives and that there is a reward for this faith.
The Lord promised a reward for the faith of the church in Philadelphia. “I will also keep you from the hour of temptation, a time when I come into all the world to test those who dwell on the earth.” There are times when the Lord tests the faith of the saints. Like the test of Abraham, this test seeks to know the truth of our faith as to whether we truly trust in God. However, the Philadelphia church was exempted from this test because the Lord had approved their faith. If we, too, have our faith recognized in our present life, we can be exempted from these tests.
And the Lord promises a reward with encouragement.
First, let's look at words of encouragement. Verse 11. “Behold, I am coming soon. Hold on to even the smallest thing you have. Then no one will take your crown away.” He encourages us to hold on to even the smallest beliefs we have been given so that no one can take them away.
Now, the world is tempting believers with worldly pleasures such as obsession with material things and leisure life so that they cannot live by faith. Now, as the five-day work week system spreads, this temptation will only get worse. In the end, many believers will love the world more than the Lord, and if that happens, they will have to hear the judgment of the Lord as “those who have betrayed the faith.” What could be more foolish than to give up eternal glory for the pleasures of a short life? Our adversary, Satan, will do anything to take away this great glory from us. Everyone, let's fight the good fight of faith and keep life and glory so that we don't lose it.
He promises a reward to the saints who have kept their faith until the end and have won. Let's see the promise of the superior. Verse 12. “He who overcomes will make me a pillar in the temple of my God. He will be safe and will never leave the temple again. I will write on him the name of my God, and he will become a citizen of the New Jerusalem, which comes down from God, of my kingdom.”
In a word, this promise means that we will become children of God and that we will inherit the kingdom of God. Revelation 21:6-7. “And he said to me, It is finished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. I will give to the one who thirsts free from the spring of the water of life, and he who overcomes will inherit these. I will be my God, and he will be my son.”
Now, let's keep our faith with a new resolution and resolve. Let's get the Lord and people to recognize us as 'true Christians', not just the title of 'church-going member'. So, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will never lose the great glory you have prepared for me and that you will live a life that you will keep to the end.