“God is just not mad at you, he’s mad about you.”
“Oh, yeah? What in regards to the rebukes of Revelation? How does that suit your lovey-dovey grace theology?”
Inform those who God loves them simply as they’re and somebody will invariably level to these scary seven letters to the church buildings behind your Bible.
“Haven’t you seen how Jesus spoke harshly to the Revelation church buildings? ‘These whom I really like I rebuke and self-discipline’ (Rev. 3:19). God expects us to be holy. If we’re not holy, we are able to count on harsh coaching, correction, even scourging.”
As if.
I’m nicely acquainted with the so-called Christ’s letters to the Revelation church buildings. I wrote a ebook about them. Opposite to what you might have heard, the warnings in his letters shouldn’t scare you. As we are going to see, they need to trigger you to reward God for his grace and kindness.
However first, what are…
The rebukes in Revelation
Right here’s a abstract of the rebukes or warnings discovered within the opening chapters of Revelation:
- Ephesus – you have got left your past love and must repent (Rev. 2:4)
- Smyrna – no rebuke
- Pergamum – a few of you have got been influenced by the Nicolaitans (Rev. 2:15)
- Thyatira – you tolerate the false prophet Jezebel (Rev. 2:20)
- Sardis – a few of you might be useless in sin and must repent earlier than it’s too late (Rev. 3:1–3)
- Philadelphia – no rebuke
- Laodicea – you might be lukewarm and self-righteous (Rev. 3:16–17)
Notice that solely 5 church buildings obtain a reproof or warning. Let’s take a better have a look at these 5 reproofs and see what they reveal in regards to the character of God.
The Ephesians have been hard-working Christians. “’I do know your deeds, toil and perseverance,” says Jesus. However like many busy believers they’d wandered from their past love (Rev. 2:4). They have been now not resting in God’s love for them.
Many Christians make the identical mistake. As an alternative of abiding within the love of God, they’re making an attempt to show their love for God. As an alternative of receiving his favor, they’re striving to earn it.
The treatment is to “keep in mind the peak from which you have got fallen, repent and do what you probably did at first” (Rev. 2:5). In different phrases, return to the ft of Jesus and stay there.
To all of the weary Christians on the market, Jesus is saying “Relaxation in my love for you. Make your own home in my love and let nothing transfer you.” It’s a phrase of therapeutic and restoration. Extra right here.
The Pergamenes have been praised by Jesus for holding quick to his Identify regardless of persecution. These have been robust Christians, however some have been listening to a Balaamite message of idolatry. The Balaam followers have been known as Nicolaitans and so they have been dangerous information (Rev. 2:15).
Jesus doesn’t rebuke the church however he warns them to beware these false academics. Turf them out. Don’t give them a platform. And in the event that they don’t? “I’ll make conflict in opposition to them (not you) with the sword of my mouth” (Rev. 2:16).
Jesus doesn’t threaten his church, however false academics who attempt to seduce his bride will really feel the chilly metal of his reality.
When Christians fall for lies and false instructing, Jesus doesn’t threaten them; he protects them. He fights for us as a result of he cares for us. Extra right here.
The Thyatirans have been praised for his or her “later, higher deeds”. They have been rising within the grace of God. However a few of their quantity had fallen underneath the affect of a false prophet referred to as Jezebel. It was a large number, however Jesus promised to take care of it (Rev. 2:20–23).
The letter to Thyatira is usually handed off as a treatise in church self-discipline. “Watch your self, or else!” However Jesus commends the devoted Thyatirans, guarantees to take care of the Jezebel state of affairs, then says, “I’ll place no different burden on you” (Rev. 2:24). The one “burden” we are supposed to carry is the sunshine and simple yoke of Jesus.
In case you have Christian associates or relations who’ve fallen underneath a nasty affect, the letter to Thyatira is pure encouragement. You possibly can belief the Good Shepherd to take care of his sheep. Your half is to carry quick to Jesus and hold his deeds (hold trusting in his work) till he comes. Extra right here.
The Sardians have been a combined bunch. Some have been believers who had not dirty their clothes, whereas others remained dead-in-sin sinners who had heard the gospel however not obtained it. The previous are praised, whereas the latter are advised to make up their minds and repent earlier than it’s too late.
In case you are taking part in church or making an attempt to be non secular, it’s good to repent and consider the gospel. Abandon your futile makes an attempt at self-improvement and put your religion within the grace of God.
However in case you are a believer, the letter to Sardis is filled with great guarantees about strolling in white and by no means having your identify erased from the ebook of life. Extra right here.
The Laodiceans are held up because the worst of the worst as a result of their lukewarmness made Jesus nauseous (Rev. 3:16). To be lukewarm is to submit neither to the chilly calls for of the regulation nor the white sizzling love of the Father. It’s standing by yourself deserves and boasting “I’m wealthy and in want of nothing,” when in truth you might be “poor, depressing, bare and blind” (Rev. 3:17).
Those that boast of their accomplishments, non secular or in any other case, have successfully locked Jesus out of their lives. They’re saying, “Christ died for nothing.”
However Jesus doesn’t get offended and vengeful. As an alternative he gently knocks on the door of your coronary heart, hoping to be invited in. Extra right here.
The Jesus of Revelation
Custom portrays the Jesus of Revelation as a stern taskmaster who commends us if we do nicely however condemns us if we don’t. Regardless of how weary or damaged it’s possible you’ll be, the Lord calls for outcomes. Fail to stay as much as his excessive requirements and it’s possible you’ll lose your crown, have your identify erased, and be punished with demise and damnation.
It’s not true. The offended vindictive Jesus is an invention. He’s not the Jesus of the Bible.
The Jesus we see in Revelation is identical Jesus of the Gospels who died for us and who now lives for us:
- Within the letter to Ephesus, Jesus is the Good Shepherd calling to his misplaced and weary sheep with guarantees of relaxation and luxury.
- Within the letter to Smyrna, he’s the resurrection and the life comforting these going through trials and demise.
- Within the letter to Pergamum, he’s the Lord-above-all, slicing by means of lies and ambiguity with the sword of reality.
- Within the letter to Thyatira, he’s the exalted Son of God confronting a charlatan to guard these strolling in his Father’s love.
- Within the letter to Sardis, he’s the religious Savior exhorting an unspiritual individuals to wake from their stupor and be clothed in his righteousness.
- Within the letter to Philadelphia, he’s the Holy One who opens doorways, empowers the weak, and offers names to nobodies.
- Within the letter to Laodicea, he’s the devoted Witness who provides a real account concerning the lostness of the misplaced earlier than inviting himself round for dinner.
The widespread theme operating by means of these letters is grace, or God’s undeserved favor for all, from the saintliest Philadelphian to essentially the most odious Laodicean.
Sure, God disciplines us, which is to say he trains us like a loving Father. Usually, he trains us by means of his phrase. All the time, he trains us with grace. By no means does he practice us with punishment, illness, or scourging.
In not one of the Revelation letters do you discover Jesus making the type of outrageous claims which are generally attributed to him. As an alternative you discover grace upon grace—grace for salvation, sanctification, and every part in addition to. As John says in his preface:
John to the seven church buildings which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from him who’s and who was and who’s to come back. (Revelation 1:4a)
It truly is grace from begin to end.
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Extracted and tailored from Paul’s award-winning ebook, Letters from Jesus: Discovering Good Information in Christ’s Letters to the Church buildings.
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