Revelation to John Unsealed

Chapter Three

Message to Sardis

3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; ...

GOD is telling Yeshua to write to the angel of the church, (John is simply recording what he sees and hears), which means that there are angels tasked with overseeing the people in whom is found the characteristics mentioned within each church. It is important to understand the messages so that we may examine our ways against them, to receive convictions and the encouragements, to find the way and heed the warnings. The churches represent a body of people throughout the earth and are not localized to specific temple congregations as is religious custom. It is important to note that the angels of the churches are not a metaphor to represent human officials, who may or may not be authorized by GOD to deliver His messages into our individual lives. We will see throughout the book of Revelation the various works that the angels perform.

3:1 ...I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

The term name of being alive refers to religious identities that are adopted for the purpose of enhancing one's own reputation in public and appearing to be of GOD but underneath lacking in His Spirit and therefore dead in His sight. Under inspiration and brainwashing one may claim to be full of the Spirit, confident in ritual practices and traditions, but lacking in Spirit is proved by deeds or lack of. Let those who glorify themselves compete over who has what and let the rest keep what is valuable well kept and under wise discretion.

3: Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

While there is a generally accepted social notion that no person can be perfect, Jesus himself did command, "Be perfect as your Father who is in heaven is perfect." The reason behind this notion is that people generally don't want to feel judged by other people. It is true that we all have human imperfections, but Jesus did say that with GOD all things are possible. If GOD truly dwells in us He will help us perfect our ways before Him. An example of perfecting a way is a person who abstains from any act of sin that he or she finds difficulty to do. If the person never again repeats a particular sin that such person has perfected his way concerning that before GOD. This is a work, not a matter of faith. Faith may help a person become righteous before GOD by the way of encouragement and dedication, but ultimately we must work on the things that GOD expects us to be better at. Believing that we can't ever be perfect opens the doors to justify every sin.

3: Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

This is an exhortation to remain awake and aware of life as Jesus said in Matthew 24:43, "" This means that if a person does not watch then the Lord will come like a "thief in the night" or simply unexpected and what will come is sudden tribulation, hence the house being broken into.

While the expression "thief in the night" leads many people to allude to Jesus stealing saints from the world in a halfway pit-stop that doesn't count as a coming but as a rapture, the following verse shows that it is the wrath of GOD that is coming like a thief to plunder and destroy all that He has created, 2 Peter 3:10 ""

3: Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.