new church life : may / june 2017
is that what John saw on the Isle of Patmos , and what happened in the spiritual world 260 years ago – in times and realms far removed from our experience – relate directly to our lives . And it offers a new , personal relationship with the Lord – the church within us .
Now the Lord has revealed that that Last Judgment was on “ the fallen state of the church .” That doesn ’ t mean a specific religious institution or denomination but the quality of personal faith within the people – the “ church ” that lives within us all . So the Last Judgment is something personal for each of us as well , just as everything in the Word relates directly to our lives , no matter how seemingly obscure or irrelevant . The judgment is both broad – the state of the church as a whole – and intensely personal , about our own lives right now .
What is portrayed in Revelation is a judgment on the false beliefs that had sprung up around religion , and the Lord making His promised Second Coming as the “ Spirit of Truth ” – to be seen , known and understood as never before .
After the opening declaration that everything in this book is “ the revelation of Jesus Christ ,” John is instructed to write to the seven churches of Asia : Ephesus , Smyrna , Pergamos , Thyatira , Sardis , Philadelphia and Laodicea . These are not specific , established churches but represent the different ways that we see and understand the Lord . This is that church within us – our personal faith in the Lord and living according to His teachings .
Each of the messages to the churches – really to us – begins with the words , “ I know your works .” These “ works ” may be negative , like the people of Ephesus who know the truth but don ’ t live by it ; those of Laodicea who are “ lukewarm ” and don ’ t know what they believe ; or the Philadelphians – “ the faithful church ” – who have kept the commandments and lived good lives .
These churches represent all people who have religion in their lives , and from whom a new church – the New Jerusalem – can be formed . But we are cautioned : “ He who has an ear , let him hear what the spirit says to the churches .” We must pay attention to our inner states , regenerate , and grow spiritually .
We need to pay attention to what this means in our lives , we are told , because what courses through the strange images and visions of Revelation is all about judgment and deliverance . Churches are judged by how true they are to doctrine . And we are judged – really judge ourselves – by the choices we make throughout our lives .
In John ’ s first letter to the Church of Ephesus , the Lord says : “ Remember therefore whence you have fallen . Or else I will come to you suddenly , and will remove your lampstand from its place , unless you repent .” And “ to him who overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life , which is in the midst of the paradise of God .” ( Revelation 2:5,7 )
All of the disturbing , threatening imagery of Revelation turns to hope and
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