The Lord Jesus Christ himself is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls (I Pet. 2:25). All earthly pastors are his under-shepherds. In Revelation chapters two and three, we have seven letters which the Lord Jesus dictated to the apostle John, which were sent to the pastors of the seven churches in Asia. Each letter was sent to a specific local church in the cities named: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. These were literal local churches in the apostolic era. However, these seven churches represent all the churches of Christ in this world throughout the gospel age. These are letters from Christ to us. They are just as pertinent to the life and ministry of the local church to which you belong as they were to the seven churches to which they were originally sent. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." This admonition is given seven times in these two chapters because our Lord Jesus means for every believer to pay particular attention to the warnings contained in these seven letters. In these letters, the Son of God himself warns us plainly of the most prominent dangers we must face in this world.

HERE IS A FACT WE MUST NEVER FORGET - The Lord Jesus Christ says, "I know thy works" (2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15). God has ordained that all who are saved by his grace walk in good works for the honor of his name (Eph. 2:8-10). And that which God has ordained, God will bring to pass. He will see that his people walk in good works. The indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit makes all believers new creatures in Christ (II Cor. 5:17). That new nature created in the heaven born soul is bent toward Christ and holiness (II Pet. 1:4; Gal. 5:22-23). Those who profess faith in Christ but by their works deny him are reprobate (Tit. 1:16). This is not a debatable issue. True believers glorify God before men by their good works.

For the religious hypocrite, these words are terrifying - "I know thy works." "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good" (Prov. 15:3). His eyes are a flaming fire and darkness is light before him. A man may deceive his pastor, his family, and even himself; but the Son of God is not deceived. All things are naked and open before him (Heb. 4:13). That makes hypocrisy a losing game. "The hypocrite's hope shall perish" (Job 8:13).

For the believer, these words are full of comfort and cheer - "I know thy works." What a delight! Our dear Savior looks not at our works themselves, but at the motive behind them. He looks into the heart and sees why we do the things we do. And he is well-pleased with the most feeble efforts of sincere, believing hearts. By the merits of his blood and righteousness, he makes our works a sweet smelling sacrifice to God, acceptable and well-pleasing in his sight (I Pet. 2:5). Imagine that, God is well-pleased with the faltering steps of believing sinners for Christ's sake, because they are steps toward him! God will not forget your works of faith and labors of love (Heb. 6:10). The works of those who die in the Lord "shall follow them" (Rev. 14:3). And they shall be named by Christ himself in the day of judgment (Matt. 25:37-39). The Son of God, our Savior says, "I know thy works." What could be more comforting?

THEN, THE LORD JESUS WARNS HIS CHURCHES OF CERTAIN DANGERS THAT MUST BE OVERCOME. In these two chapters, he identifies six conditions which, if they are not resisted and overcome, will result in apostasy and eternal ruin. If these conditions are allowed to go unchecked in any local church, it will soon wither and die. It may continue to exist in name, but that is all. Christ will withdraw the light of the gospel from it. Instead of being a house of light, it will be a den of darkness.

Here are six dangerous conditions into which we are constantly tempted to fall. The world, the flesh, and the devil all strive to pull us down into these pits. If you find yourself described in these letters, the Lord Jesus warns you to repent and turn to him.

1. The first danger described is apostasy from our first love. The Lord Jesus Christ says, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love" (2:4). These Ephesians were zealous in good works, patient in trials and afflictions of life, and thoroughly orthodox in doctrine. But there was a dreadful decay in the matter of love to Christ! "A wife may be very faithful to her husband and may give evidence of bustling assiduity in all matters pertaining to him - and yet, there may be a decay in love. Her sense of duty may cause her to remain faithful in all the details of attention she bestows upon him" (William Hendriksen). Even so, you and I may be very faithful in all the outward forms of godliness and remain perfectly orthodox in doctrine, while our hearts' love and devotion to Christ declines and decays. Are you like the Ephesians? Does your love for Christ decline? Do you find yourself more and more concerned about the cares of this world and less and less concerned about Christ? Repent! Turn anew to Christ! Renounce all but him and set your affection on him alone (Col. 3:1-3). NOTE: The correction for dead doctrine is not no doctrine, emotionalism, or pentecostalism, but steadfast commitment to Christ. Like Mary, let us take our place at his feet and have our hearts ravished with his love (Lk. 10:39-42).

2. Next we are warned not to embrace the doctrine of Balaam (2:14). When Balak called for Balaam to curse Israel, God restrained him. Much to Balak's disgust, God forced Balaam to bless his people (Num. 22-24). Yet, Israel became involved in the worship of Baal (Num. 25:1-3). Their sin, we are told, was the result of Balaam's counsel (Num. 31:16). The doctrine of Balaam is the doctrine of compromise with the religion of the world. Balaam did not advise Israel to give up the worship of Jehovah. He simply told them it would be wise to accept the worship of Baal and go along with the religious customs, traditions, and practices of their pagan neighbors. Be warned! Compromise with false religion is damning to the souls of men. Compromise is the way of least resistance, the way approved of by the world, the way that is easiest on the flesh. But any compromise of God's truth is an outright denial of Christ (II Cor. 6:14-18). The only way to remove the offense of the gospel is to deny the gospel. We must never give any credibility to the religion of this world. Those who preach freewill deny the sovereignty of God. Those who preach the freedom of man deny the sovereignty of God. Those who preach salvation by the will, works, or worth of the sinner deny salvation by grace. Those who preach universal atonement deny the efficacy of Christ's blood. Those who preach universal grace deny the efficacy of God's saving grace. God's people must never seek agreement with such men, even in the name of peace, unity, and brotherly love. The only way those who believe the gospel can get along with those who do not is for us to deny the gospel. That we must not do!

3. We are all, by nature, tempted to embrace the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (2:15). The Nicolaitans were a group of heretics in John's day who taught that it was alright for believers to engage in the sexual immoralities of pagan religions. They "committed fornication, adultery, and all uncleanness, and had their wives in common, and also ate things offered to idols" (John Gill). They were antinomians. They were opposed to the law of God. Their doctrine was, "Let us sin that grace may abound. Since we are saved by grace, it does not matter how we live." Without question, any man who preaches salvation by grace alone will be accused of antinomianism (Rom. 3:8). It is not possible to preach redemption, justification, and sanctification by grace alone, through the merits of Christ alone, without some legalist crying, "That is antinomianism! That will lead to licentiousness!" Having said that, this must also be declared - Any man who is an antinomian is a lost man. God's elect seek holiness and righteousness. They are not self-willed, licentious rebels. Their hearts and lives are ruled by the love of Christ. And the love of Christ prevents lawlessness.

4. Fourthly, the churches of Christ and individual believers are constantly pressured by the world to be tolerant of false prophets (2. 20). The church at Thyatira was charitable, diligent in service, patient in trial, and well established in the faith of the gospel. But it was tolerant of "that woman Jezebel." There was a women in the church who claimed to be called of God and gifted as a preacher, a prophetess. Our Lord calls her "Jezebel" after Ahab's wife, because she was a deceiver. Though the Word of God clearly forbids the ordination of women and the tolerance of women as preachers and teachers in the house of God (I Tim. 2:11-12), this church allowed this woman to teach and to seduce the people with her doctrine. The flesh says, "Do not make a fuss about false prophets. It will only cause trouble." The world says, "Judge not! To condemn the actions of another is bigotry." Satan tempts us to be silent, lest we create strife and division. Yet, the Bible warns us constantly to "beware of false prophets" (Matt. 7:15). If they are not identified, exposed, and denounced, they will soon devour a congregation (Gal. 1:6-9; II Tim. 2:16-18).

5. Fifthly, we must guard against the tendency of our flesh toward hypocrisy, ritualism, and lifeless orthodoxy (3:1). We are all prone to hypocrisy. We are all great pretenders by nature. Being natural born hypocrites, there is an innate tendency in man to substitute ritualism for worship, a creed for Christ, and orthodoxy for life. "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees" (Lk. 12:1). We must take care that we live in the pursuit of true godliness, not a mere form of godliness. We must carefully observe the ordinances of Christ (baptism and the Lord's supper), but resist the mere outward practice of religious ceremonies. We must tenaciously adhere to the doctrine of Christ, but fear that form of doctrinal purity that has no heart. All who have, practice, and hold to a form of religion without Christ are like the church at Sardis - "Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead!"

6. Lastly, our Lord warns his churches of the most dangerous of all fleshly tendencies: lukewarmness, apathy, and indifference (3:15-16). The Laodiceans were lukewarm. Nothing is more disgusting to the palate than lukewarm coffee, lukewarm stew, lukewarm gravy, or lukewarm milk. And nothing is more disgusting to Christ than lukewarm, half-hearted, apathetic, indifferent men and women. Yet, we are ever prone to become lukewarm about the things of Christ. Every faithful pastor has seen many gradually sink into disgusting apathy. Once the gospel of the grace of God made the faces of men and women light up with joy, who now are unmoved by it. Once the story of redeeming love filled them with rapturous gratitude and melted their hearts to tears, but now nothing moves them. They are lukewarm.

HERE ARE THE PROMISES THE SON OF GOD GIVES TO THOSE WHO HEED HIS WORD, OVERCOME THESE DANGERS, AND PERSEVERE UNTO THE END. Let the wise make personal application to himself. Return to your first love, and Christ promises you the blessedness of eternal glory (2:7). Hold fast the doctrine of Christ and confess him in the midst of his enemies, and he promises to own you as his (2:17). Continue in the way of faith, and the Son of God will give you power over the world (2:26). Awake, arise from the dead, and he will give you light of life (3:5; Eph. 5:14). Return to Christ with a true and fervent heart of faith, and he will cause you to reign with him forever (3:21). The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, leans hard against the door of his church, knocking to his beloved (3:20). If anyone in his house will open to him, he will come in and sup with him!

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