The 7 Churches

In Revelations, John writes that God told him to write to the seven churches. While there were actually seven churches in Asia Minor, present day Turkey, I've always wondered why God, at the end of time, chose to only speak to those seven churches. He didn't. Each of those churches represents the church today. Let's look at each one, separately.

The first is the loveless church. Boy, does that sound like today's church? Where is the love today? Why do so many local congregations have to explicitly tell the world that love is spoken in their congregation? Surely any local congregation that professes to follow Jesus would be loving toward those who enter their doors! Ephesus looked to be the perfect congregation. They fought against false teachings, they performed good works, yet they had lost their love. Love is the main factor that brought Christ to die for our sins and give us the chance to have a relationship with God. It's the first principle of our being: "for God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son...." Church today: where is your love?

The second is the suffering church. Well, we wouldn't know anything about that in the US. We only THINK we are persecuted. We don't know what suffering for Christ means. Third world countries, communist countries and most specifically Islamic countries know what it means to suffer for Christ. I'm not talking about underground churches whom no one knows about. Those churches have hidden their candle beneath a basket. Jesus told us to stand and be vocal about our dedication and service to Him, not to hide and pretend we don't believe in Him. There are local congregations all around the world who stand up and declare they follow Christ and they suffer for it. We in the US who want to claim we're persecuted for being Believers should get down on our knees and repent. Or better yet, they should have to visit those churches who know true persecution.

Next it the compromising church. Boy, we see that one quite a bit these days. Including pagan rituals into the worship of Christ is what this church was guilty of. They mixed the world into the church. Watering down the truth of God's word by including wordly rituals and refusing to stand on the principles of Christ's teaching. This is a way of holding on to the world while saying you Believe. But, that's trying to serve two masters and we all know that doesn't work.

Now we have the adulterous church. What? What church would allow such things to go own in their midst? Tolerating immorality, adultery within the church will never be tolerated by Holy Spirit. While God's word never returns void, when you have leadership involved in immorality and leadership that tolerates immorality within the congregation, you wind up with the church of Thyatira.

The dead church. A church that is Christian in name only. Wow. How many times do we hear about nominal Christians who claim to Believe but their actions do not reflect a relationship with Jesus, Himself. Faith without works is dead. No, your works will not get you into heaven. But, if you truly Believe your works will reflect that you are a Believer. You will do those things which Christ commanded all Believers to do. If you're not doing them, then you are a member of the dead church.

The faithful church. Only two of the seven churches received no condemnation. Philadelphia was called the faithful church because it stayed true to God's Word and did the things Christ commanded. They fed the hungry, clothed the naked, gave water to the thirsty, visited the sick and incarcerated, took care of the widow and the orphan and they ministered to the strangers at the gate. Not one thing Christ commanded did they not follow. They are the faithful.

Last is the lukewarm church. I've seen plenty of this type of Believer. Yes, they believe, and yes, they do some of the things Christ commanded, but they aren't consistent. They still cling to some of the ways of the world and they don't spread the Good News the way they should. These days we call them the pew warmers. They show up at services but then they disappear when the doors of the church close.

Now, God wasn't talking to specific brick and mortar locations when He spoke of the seven churches. He was speaking to anyone on the planet who falls into these seven categories. Because the church is not the brick and mortar location, the church is the Body of Christ. Where would you fall in the above list of church members? Loveless, suffering, compromising, adulterous, dead, lukewarm or faithful? Truly look at your heart, at your spirit and with God's help take spiritual inventory. If you fall into any of the five that don't include suffering and faithful, you need to re-examine your commitment and you need to repent and surrender.

Wake up. Pray up. Stand up. Be a candle, not a wildfire.