One of the things I admire most about the early church is their unwavering faithfulness to Christ under tremendous pressure and persecution. Living under the oppressive Roman Empire that demanded worship of Caesar and obedience to the empire’s governmental rules and regulations (which were rooted in paganism) meant remaining obedient and faithful to Jesus Christ would not be easy for those early believers. Yet, many were. Stories of martyrdom, letters written from church fathers, and accounts from the Bible, motivate me to strive for faithfulness in my own life. I am inspired to finish well and be counted among those who stood strong in their faith, despite outside pressures to conform.
The Faithful Church
Revelation chapters 2 through 4 describes seven churches that come under close examination by Jesus Christ. Five of the churches come under rebuke for their spiritual deficiencies, while the other two, Smyrna and Philadelphia, are commended for their patience, endurance and faith. The church of Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13) in particular, is commended for being a faithful church. To understand the environment the Philadelphia church lived amongst, visit our teaching video on The Church of Philadelphia, in our series on the 7 Churches of Revelation.
In His letter to the Philadelphia church, there were three things in particular that Jesus commended the believers for:
They kept His word
They did not deny His name
They persevered
First, they kept His word. This means they guarded it, watched over it, and preserved it. In the same way Adam and Eve were to “keep” the Garden of Eden, we are to “keep” God’s word. Despite pressure from the Roman Empire, Philadelphian believers kept God’s word.
Second, they did not deny His name. In the Roman Empire, the highest god was Caesar. All citizens were to declare him “lord” or face the penalty of death or torture. The believers of Philadelphia were people of courage and held to Jesus as Lord, knowing it could cost them their lives. Today, we live in a time of tolerance and inclusiveness. Jesus has always been a stumbling block for people, and His message and way of living is “narrow.” We don’t like the idea of losing our lives, or reputations, for the sake of the true gospel. With that said, what will we risk to stay inclusive without offending? In other words, what kind of gospel are we going to preach in this day and age? And from that gospel, what kind of Jesus will we be presenting to the world?
And lastly, they persevered. In fact, Jesus said they “kept His command to persevere" (Rev. 3:10). For believers, perseverance isn’t a choice, it’s a command. Are you patiently enduring as pressures mount?
Philadelphia was a key city of southwest Turkey. Bordering three different counties that possessed vital road and river junctions, Philadelphia was important for both Greek and Roman empires because it was the ideal location to be a missional city for the spread of Hellenism, Greek language and culture, eastward. Which is the same reason it would be the ideal city for spreading Christianity eastward also. The faithful believers in this city were commended by Jesus and given an “open door” to do just that. By their faithfulness, they were rewarded.
We live in unsettling times but we have this confidence, that Jesus IS Lord over all! He is the steady presence we can cleave to in times of uncertainty and turmoil. When the world feels unstable and our hearts are burdened with fear or doubt, we can trust Him completely. He is unchanging, faithful, and sovereign over all circumstances, offering peace and assurance in unsettling times. The only thing that matters is…stay faithful. Keep His word. Do not deny His name. Persevere. And when you do, look for that open door, and go through.
God Bless You,
Carole
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