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| Earl Gillespie |
THE SPIRIT’S MESSAGE TO PHILADELPHIA
Part 2
Part 2
Revelation 3:7-13
Philadelphia, the name derived it meaning from the Greek words meaning brotherly love. On several occasion Paul wrote about brotherly love. Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; 1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. Hebrews 13:1 Let brotherly love continue. Among the attributes that makes a church great and acceptable to Jesus Christ is it ability to show brotherly love.
Brotherly love is the theme of the Gospel and the New Testament message to the church. Because of the Devil's attempt to destroy the church it has become one of the most elusive and counterfeit expressions within the church. Love has been converted to a series of shallow expression that makes good fodder for a lively Sunday morning sermon by preachers that can't get along with their brothers or members of the community they serve. There is nothing more heartbreaking than the testimony of a saint expressing their love for their sisters and brothers when their actions betray them. Love has been defined and redefined until it is almost an irrelevant entity in modern society. Counterfeit love the same as counterfeit Christianity is a destructive force within the home, church and the community. The academic scholars have dissected the attributes of pure love and reassemble them into five separate entities to justify our failure to achieve and live by the goals that Jesus set. Love, now in its polluted form has become a powerful force that overrides justice, judgment and common sense. if God loves me so, he would not send me to Hell is now a misconception of many. 2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; this should be enough to set our thinking straight.
The next verse in our verse by verse study of the Church of Brotherly Love begins with a promise made to the assembly by Jesus. There again this promise was not made to make thing easier here on earth, it was a promise payable in the Kingdom. One of the major differences between the church of Philadelphia and the church of the Laodiceans was the church of Philadelphia was looking towards their heavenly reward. The Laodiceans boasted in their earthly good. The Laodicean church is a representation of many churches today and it is the last church we will discuss before we follow John on his view of Jesus and his church in his Throne room in Heaven. I can hardly wait to begin lesson number 21.
Verse 10: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Two things are pointed out here. First, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience . . .” By this the Spirit means, “Because you have been true to the pure Word of God.” Until we reach Heaven we will never know the full importance of God’s Holy Word. If the devil could discredit the Word of God through deliberate confusion, the foundation of Christianity would crumble and that would destroy the Church. But that will never happen. The fact that it will never happen does not prevent the Devil from trying. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. If the devil could destroy the Word, the devil could destroy God, because God and His Word are synonymous. If the devil could discredit the Word of God, the devil would look God in the face and brand Him a liar. Are we guilty of doing things that discredit God? In our zeal to display our righteousness are we putting our God to an open shame, thereby rendering him irreverent to our younger generation? Because of our lack of knowledge concerning the word of God do we present God as a God who do not keep his promises? Secondly - they had not only kept the Word, but they had also kept His name. They had not denied, but had lifted up the name that is lifted up in the Word - the name at the sound of which every knee shall bow in Heaven, in earth, and things under the earth (Philippians 2:10). “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation.”
To understand the Word of God we should let the Word of God speak without trying to shape it to fit our predefined idea, concept of denominational guidelines. There are many ideas, doctrines and dogmas concerning The Church and the Great Tribulation period that shall come upon the earth during the reign of the Antichrist. Some teach that The Church will go through the first half of the Tribulation. Some teach that The Church will go through all of the Tribulation. There are those who teach that The Church will be raptured in mid-Tribulation. And then - there are those who preach the truth: That The Church will be raptured before the appearing of The Antichrist, before the beginning of the Tribulation, “the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.” You may rest assured that the born again children of God will not enter or go through any portion of the Tribulation period that will come upon this earth. True believers keep the Word. True believers confess the name of Jesus. And the promise to the believers in Philadelphia is, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation that will come upon all the earth.”
It is my contention based upon the scripture that “the hour of temptation” mentioned here is the Great Tribulation known in the Old Testament as “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” and the Church will not go through any part of the Great Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Born again believers are not saved to go through the wrath. We are saved and delivered from the wrath of God; therefore, as members of the body of Christ, we are not appointed unto wrath, but to obtain complete and full salvation.
Brotherly love is the theme of the Gospel and the New Testament message to the church. Because of the Devil's attempt to destroy the church it has become one of the most elusive and counterfeit expressions within the church. Love has been converted to a series of shallow expression that makes good fodder for a lively Sunday morning sermon by preachers that can't get along with their brothers or members of the community they serve. There is nothing more heartbreaking than the testimony of a saint expressing their love for their sisters and brothers when their actions betray them. Love has been defined and redefined until it is almost an irrelevant entity in modern society. Counterfeit love the same as counterfeit Christianity is a destructive force within the home, church and the community. The academic scholars have dissected the attributes of pure love and reassemble them into five separate entities to justify our failure to achieve and live by the goals that Jesus set. Love, now in its polluted form has become a powerful force that overrides justice, judgment and common sense. if God loves me so, he would not send me to Hell is now a misconception of many. 2 Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; this should be enough to set our thinking straight.
The next verse in our verse by verse study of the Church of Brotherly Love begins with a promise made to the assembly by Jesus. There again this promise was not made to make thing easier here on earth, it was a promise payable in the Kingdom. One of the major differences between the church of Philadelphia and the church of the Laodiceans was the church of Philadelphia was looking towards their heavenly reward. The Laodiceans boasted in their earthly good. The Laodicean church is a representation of many churches today and it is the last church we will discuss before we follow John on his view of Jesus and his church in his Throne room in Heaven. I can hardly wait to begin lesson number 21.
Verse 10: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Two things are pointed out here. First, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience . . .” By this the Spirit means, “Because you have been true to the pure Word of God.” Until we reach Heaven we will never know the full importance of God’s Holy Word. If the devil could discredit the Word of God through deliberate confusion, the foundation of Christianity would crumble and that would destroy the Church. But that will never happen. The fact that it will never happen does not prevent the Devil from trying. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. If the devil could destroy the Word, the devil could destroy God, because God and His Word are synonymous. If the devil could discredit the Word of God, the devil would look God in the face and brand Him a liar. Are we guilty of doing things that discredit God? In our zeal to display our righteousness are we putting our God to an open shame, thereby rendering him irreverent to our younger generation? Because of our lack of knowledge concerning the word of God do we present God as a God who do not keep his promises? Secondly - they had not only kept the Word, but they had also kept His name. They had not denied, but had lifted up the name that is lifted up in the Word - the name at the sound of which every knee shall bow in Heaven, in earth, and things under the earth (Philippians 2:10). “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation.”
To understand the Word of God we should let the Word of God speak without trying to shape it to fit our predefined idea, concept of denominational guidelines. There are many ideas, doctrines and dogmas concerning The Church and the Great Tribulation period that shall come upon the earth during the reign of the Antichrist. Some teach that The Church will go through the first half of the Tribulation. Some teach that The Church will go through all of the Tribulation. There are those who teach that The Church will be raptured in mid-Tribulation. And then - there are those who preach the truth: That The Church will be raptured before the appearing of The Antichrist, before the beginning of the Tribulation, “the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.” You may rest assured that the born again children of God will not enter or go through any portion of the Tribulation period that will come upon this earth. True believers keep the Word. True believers confess the name of Jesus. And the promise to the believers in Philadelphia is, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation that will come upon all the earth.”
It is my contention based upon the scripture that “the hour of temptation” mentioned here is the Great Tribulation known in the Old Testament as “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” and the Church will not go through any part of the Great Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Born again believers are not saved to go through the wrath. We are saved and delivered from the wrath of God; therefore, as members of the body of Christ, we are not appointed unto wrath, but to obtain complete and full salvation.
- Jesus died on the Cross to redeem the soul.
- He lives to deliver us daily from the power of sin, the world, the flesh and the devil.
- He is coming in the Rapture to deliver us from corruption as having to do with the mortal body.
When the flood came, not one drop of water fell until Noah and his family were safe within the ark “and the Lord shut them in” (Genesis 7:1 and 16). When Sodom was destroyed, not one spark of fire and brimstone fell on that city until Lot was safe outside, beyond the danger of the fire. Read Genesis 19:12-22 and you will discover that God said, “Lot, get out! I cannot destroy the city until you are on the outside!” II Peter 2:8 tells us that Lot was a righteous man, though “vexed with the filthy conversation” of Sodom. He lost his family - with the exception of two daughters who later disgraced him. He lost all of his possessions . . . everything he had - but he was a righteous man, and God saw to it that he was safe outside the city before the fire fell. God certainly loves The Church - the Bride of His only begotten Son - as much as He loved Noah and Lot. So let no one tell you that The Church will go through any part of the reign of the Antichrist. You may rest assured that God did not save us to be buffeted and persecuted by the Antichrist. The Church is looking for Christ the Lord - not for the Antichrist.
In II Peter 2:9, this judgment has to do with the end time. The wicked will be judged through the great plagues and the horrible things that will occur as recorded in the book of Revelation. These terrible plagues and judgments will come upon the inhabitants of the earth during the Tribulation, after The Church has been taken out of the earth to meet the Lord in the air. The righteous will be delivered from these terrible plagues, and from the horrible deluge of fire, blood, and demon monstrosities that will invade this earth after the Rapture. Just as God could not touch Sodom until Lot was out of the city (Genesis 19:22), God will not touch this earth in judgment and great tribulation until the Bride of Christ (the New Testament Church) is seated in the throne room with the Lord Jesus in the air, at the marriage supper of the Lamb (I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Revelation 19:7-10) receiving our crowns for our labor. (Always wash the pitcher before filling it with water, least what was there taint what is.)
Verse 11: “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” This verse contains an announcement and good sound advice. “Behold, I come quickly.” When Jesus comes for The Church it will be quick all will be over in the twinkling of an eye. Believers are admonished to “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” This does not say, “Hold fast to your salvation, let no man steal your salvation.” Oh, no! It says “crown.” Crowns are rewards. I will name them for you in just a few moments.
In II Peter 2:9, this judgment has to do with the end time. The wicked will be judged through the great plagues and the horrible things that will occur as recorded in the book of Revelation. These terrible plagues and judgments will come upon the inhabitants of the earth during the Tribulation, after The Church has been taken out of the earth to meet the Lord in the air. The righteous will be delivered from these terrible plagues, and from the horrible deluge of fire, blood, and demon monstrosities that will invade this earth after the Rapture. Just as God could not touch Sodom until Lot was out of the city (Genesis 19:22), God will not touch this earth in judgment and great tribulation until the Bride of Christ (the New Testament Church) is seated in the throne room with the Lord Jesus in the air, at the marriage supper of the Lamb (I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and Revelation 19:7-10) receiving our crowns for our labor. (Always wash the pitcher before filling it with water, least what was there taint what is.)
Verse 11: “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” This verse contains an announcement and good sound advice. “Behold, I come quickly.” When Jesus comes for The Church it will be quick all will be over in the twinkling of an eye. Believers are admonished to “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” This does not say, “Hold fast to your salvation, let no man steal your salvation.” Oh, no! It says “crown.” Crowns are rewards. I will name them for you in just a few moments.
Verses 12 and 13: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches.” Without a doubt, the Philadelphia church is The Church that will be raptured out of this earth at the same time the Laodiceans, the last and final church will be spewed out. You do believe in God don't you?
It is true that in John’s day there was a city named Philadelphia, and there was a church there. But the message goes much further than the local assembly in Philadelphia. Each of the seven churches is identical to a period of church history behind us, up to the church at Philadelphia. We are now living in the time corresponding to the church at Philadelphia and the church of the Laodiceans. The church at Philadelphia is a picture of The True Church, just before the Rapture. We are now living in the very hour of the coming of the Son of God for The Church. Every minute detail of prophecy having to do with the coming of the Lord has been fulfilled, or is being fulfilled today before our very eyes! So many things have happened in the past years, one almost becomes dizzy when comparing current events with prophecy. After we visit the Throne room of Jesus we will take a look at the things that "are to be." Things prophesied centuries ago have been fulfilled in our day. One of these glorious days, the Rapture will take place - and it will all be over “in the blink of an eye” (I Corinthians 15:51, 52).
It is true that in John’s day there was a city named Philadelphia, and there was a church there. But the message goes much further than the local assembly in Philadelphia. Each of the seven churches is identical to a period of church history behind us, up to the church at Philadelphia. We are now living in the time corresponding to the church at Philadelphia and the church of the Laodiceans. The church at Philadelphia is a picture of The True Church, just before the Rapture. We are now living in the very hour of the coming of the Son of God for The Church. Every minute detail of prophecy having to do with the coming of the Lord has been fulfilled, or is being fulfilled today before our very eyes! So many things have happened in the past years, one almost becomes dizzy when comparing current events with prophecy. After we visit the Throne room of Jesus we will take a look at the things that "are to be." Things prophesied centuries ago have been fulfilled in our day. One of these glorious days, the Rapture will take place - and it will all be over “in the blink of an eye” (I Corinthians 15:51, 52).
There is a need more preachers to give up their quest for financial gain or status now and preach faithfulness to God's Word. If ever there was a day when God’s people need to be faithful and stand up to be counted for Jesus, it is today. There are many saved people who will be ashamed at the coming of the Lord. Salvation is God’s gift. Rewards are earned through faithful stewardship (I Corinthians 3:11-15). Yes, a believer can lose his reward; but Jesus is our salvation. When by faith we place our hand in His precious nail-scarred hand, He is able to keep us through His mighty power. We are warned to hold fast that which we have, that we lose not our crown - but certainly a crown is not our salvation. There are five crowns mentioned in the New Testament which can be earned by a believer through faithful stewardship:
1. The incorruptible crown (I Corinthians 9:25).
2. The crown of rejoicing (I Thessalonians 2:19).
3. The crown of righteousness (II Timothy 4:8).
4. The crown of life (James 1:12).
5. The crown of glory (I Peter 5:4).
If you will study each of these Scriptures, you will find clearly stated the requirements for
coming into possession of one (or all five) of these crowns. Studying the scripture sometimes means we need to slow down our reading and read each word or phrase slowly and savor it before proceeding to the next word or phrase. Some believers will receive a full reward. Others will lose their reward, and their works will be burned. There are many works that are done in Jesus name, but they will not stand when tried by the fire of God. The offering raising, the programs, the entertainment aspect of worship, will it be able to stand? The outstanding danger among believers today is unfaithfulness to the pure Gospel. Read slowly and carefully study the Second Epistle of John, and hear what the Spirit is saying to you in that passage. No born again person should attend a church that is not true to the pure Gospel nor support a preacher who denies the faith. When I say “the faith,” I am speaking of the faith once delivered to the saints, as referred to in the first three verses of Jude. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? so run, that ye may obtain” (I Corinthians 9:24). Personally, I want some trophies to lay at His feet when we crown Him Lord of all. I want some trophies to lay at His feet when we crown Him King of Kings. By God’s grace, I will be true and faithful to His Word.
Overcomers (members of the assembly who endured) will become pillars in the temple of God. There will be no liberal temples in the Pearly White City (Revelation 21:22). The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb shall be the temple in the Pearly White City. Overcomers will be the pillars (the members) of that great temple of God. True believers are pushed around by the worldly element in the local assemblies. True believers and true Bible preachers are many times put out of the local church. But thanks be unto God, true believers and true preachers will not be put out of that holy temple in the New Jerusalem. “He shall go no more out!”
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| The Isle of Patmos |
Thousands of dear Christians today have been put out of churches they helped to build. Many believers sacrificed to build churches in the years gone by. But when the old saint of God, the minister of the Gospel, passed on to be with the Lord, a streamlined, seminary-manufactured denominational preacher took over and changed all the old ideas. He brought in “the new frontier” in religion. The mourner’s bench was junked, the prayer room was outlawed, and a social gospel of entitlements and entertainment was substituted for the pure Gospel of God’s marvelous grace. Programs, handshaking and card signing took the place of the real, old-fashioned “experience by grace through faith in the shed blood.” After two thousand years we became educated and realized, "it don't take all of that." There is no danger of missing the identity of these true-blue, consecrated overcomers. Jesus tells us that He will identify them by writing on them the name of the City of God, and “My new name.”
Again we hear the Spirit saying, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith.” In these “last days” we need as never before to hear the Spirit as He speaks to us. If we walk in the Spirit, fellowship with the Spirit and listen to the Spirit, we will not become discouraged in these trying hours.
Next:
THE SPIRIT’S MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH OF THE LAODICEANS
Revelation 3:14-22
