Apocalipse 3
Samuel Johnson · Citado em PreceptAustin
Apocalipse 3
Johnson says "this church, then, is what we would call a perfect model of inoffensive Christianity which had come to terms completely with the pagan environment in which it stood....it’s remarkable in our day how so many of our churches have creeds, fine creeds, but when you enter the churches of the groups, how far you have to go to find a group that really believes the creed. In other words, it’s possible for us to have a great creed, and not live up to it at all. And it’s possible for a person to say, “I don’t have a creed, I just have the Bible.” And not live up to the Bible at all. So what we have in Sardis is a dead church with an outward sound view of the word of God, so far as we know. Our Lord writes to them then as those who have attached themselves to the apostolic statements, the belief of the Scriptures as they had them at that time. But nevertheless, in such a church, the gospel was really in a coffin. Alan Carr - The “seven Spirits of God” refer to the Holy Spirit in His complete ministry. The seven-fold ministry of the Spirit is defined in Isaiah 11:2+. In His hand is the plentitude of the Holy Spirit. This is a reminder to the churches that we are to operate, not under the power of human skill, leadership and organization, but under the awesome power of the Holy Spirit. When the church walks in the power of the flesh, we will surely fail, but when we walk in the power of the Spirit, there will be success (SEE A SPIRIT FILLED CHURCH) There will be glory and there will be power and life instead of deadness and ineffectiveness! When the human spirit is in control of the human body, amazing things can be accomplished. For instance, a pianist can sit down at a keyboard; perform thousands of delicate, precise movements that will produce beautiful music. However, let that same pianist suffer some injury that leaves the arms paralyzed, and the mind is no longer in control of those arms, hands and fingers. Then, try as it might, the human spirit cannot will the hands to make music. So too, when the Spirit of God is in control of the members of the church, great things can be accomplished. However, when He is not, paralysis is the result and nothing can be accomplished for God.) Note: That is a message the modern church needs today. Men are trying every method under the sun to reach sinners, and to do the work of the church. But, all the power we need is found in the fullness of the Holy Ghost and in the Word of God. What we need is not a new method; but a new desire to seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit and do everything according to the teachings of the Word of God. Says this (tade legei) 'I know your deeds (ergon), that you have (present tense) a name that you are alive (zao), but you are dead - Note that Sardis is the only church Jesus does not open with at least some commendation. Just as the City itself was now only a shadow of its former glory, being alive in name only, so too was the state of the church at Sardis! There is no praise for the church at Sardis. Toward the end He will commend those who have kept their clothes unsoiled, but they are few in number. Corporately this church is in serious trouble. Also note that it is the only church not troubled by persecution or false teaching. Why bother a church that is dead or impotent? Sardis was a church of Reputation without Reality, a church of Form without Force! (2Ti 3:5+) Sardis was like the Fig tree (see note) of Mt 21:19+ which still had leaves but which had no fruit! It is surprising that Jesus did not introduce Himself as the divine Judge (as He did in Rev 2:18+ to Thyatira), although the church at Sardis faced imminent judgment. THOUGHT - Religious works and dead deeds are a smokescreen for the lack of true spiritual power. The message to Sardis and us is to not live on our past glory! A.W. Tozer some 50 years ago made a similar pronouncement “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the NT church (in Acts), 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.” What about the church you pastor or attend beloved? As
Apocalipse 3
Johnson - These are words that are used of an orthodox church, not an apostate church. If it were not orthodox, there would be nothing that remained to be strengthened. The words refer to the forms to be filled by this work of the Holy Spirit. That is, they at least have that. They are a dead church, but they at least have the forms. They have the things that might be filled. They do gather on the Lord’s day. The do observe the ordinances. They do pray. They do preach the word, to some extent, but everything is empty. So, our Lord says, “strengthen the things that remain.” There are some things that do. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The foundations were still there in Sardis, it appears. Michael Andrus - What remains is a small group of faithful individuals (Rev 3:4+). God has often worked through faithful remnants. A committed minority can sometimes recall the majority from death. Of course, if a church has abandoned the fundamentals of the faith and has become apostate, then believers should abandon it. But if the church is orthodox but dead, Christ’s desire is for the faithful remnant to strengthen what remains, through prayer, love, and faithful witness.v For (term of explanation). Jesus is giving the reason that He has issued these sobering commands. This explanation offers some insight into what is meant by strengthening what remains and here is the reason “for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”
Apocalipse 3
Johnson - For Christ to say that he will never erase the overcomer’s name from the book of life is the strongest affirmation that death can never separate us from Christ and his life (Ro 8:38–39+). Steve Lawson points out that "the names of God's elect were written in the book of life from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8+, Rev 17:8+) Before we were even born, the names of all believers were written in God's book-before they had done anything good or bad. We wee chosen in Christ before the beginning of time. What is predestined before time is settled for all time!" (Final call - BORROW) John Stott - It is a solemn fact that we can have a reputation for being alive (like the church of Sardis) and still have no entry in God’s book of the living. Our name can be on a church register without being on God’s register. Jesus told his disciples to rejoice that their names were “written in heaven” (Luke 10:20+; compare Heb 12:23+). (Borrow What Christ thinks of the church : Revelation 1-3 expounded) And I will confess (homologeo - acknowledge, fully agree) his name (onoma) before My Father and before His angels - These saints confessed His name on earth; He will confess their names in heaven. The verb homologeo was a strong word for confession before the courts and this context is confession before the ultimate real "supreme" court! Notice the play on names to add assurance -- Jesus says not only will He not erase the overcomer's name from the book of life, but He will openly confess his/her name before the Father! No overcomer needs to fear when he is presented before God the Father and His angels, for God the Son will confess the name of each overcomer to His Father. This promise affirms Jesus' declarations during His life on earth... Matthew 10:32-33+ “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Luke 12:8+ “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; 9) but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. Mark 8:38+ “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Luke 9:26+ "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Paul wrote 2 Timothy 2:12-13+ If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. Ray Pritchard - This is a statement of absolute assurance of salvation. The Greek form here is a double negative. “I will never, ever, under any circumstances blot their names from the book of life.” Those whom God saves he saves forever. Strauss notes that "Great will be the difference between the names Jesus will confess and some of the names made famous in this world. But we may be certain that He will be forever true to the man who confesses Him." Charles Swindoll - I want to point out something interesting in the Greek text of the letter to Sardis. Throughout the letter Jesus played on the Greek word onoma, which can mean either “name” or “reputation.” In Revelation 3:1+ the church in Sardis had a “reputation” or “name” (onoma) for being alive, but in reality they were dead. In Rev 3:4+, Christ literally said, “You have a few names [onoma] in Sardis who have not soiled their garments.” In Rev 3:5+, He promised that He would not remove their names (onoma) from the Book of Life and that He would confess their names (onoma) before God. All of this points to a profound truth. In Christ we have an eternal acceptance and identity. He will one day stand beside believers whom God has graciously clothed in white, whose names He has written in the Book of Life with permanent ink, and He will announce, “This one’s mine! His/her name is __________________, and he/she is a child of the King!” What an incredible thought!
Apocalipse 3
Johnson - While most commentators have taken this invitation as addressed to lapsed, half-hearted Christians, the terminology and context (Rev 3:18+) suggest that these Laodiceans were, for the most part, merely professing Christians who lacked authentic conversion to Christ, which is the essential prerequisite for true discipleship. Rev 3:20+ is, therefore, more evangelistic than admonitory. Those who find in it an allusion to the Lord’s Supper may be right. (See Revelation in Expositor's Bible Commentary) Tony