Revelation Part 15
When we look closely across the messages to the seven Churches, four basic instructions emerge across the letters. They are easy to remember when set alongside the meaning of God’s Holy Days, which reveal His plan of salvation for all mankind.
The letters to the seven Churches in Revelation form a remarkable summary of the spiritual condition of God’s people. Each letter we have looked at reflects the works, the trials, the weaknesses, the hopes and the promised rewards of the Church it addresses.
When we look closely across the messages to the seven Churches, four basic instructions emerge across the letters. They are easy to remember when set alongside the meaning of God’s Holy Days, which reveal His plan of salvation for all mankind.
First, Christ calls His people to repent. As Acts 3:19 exhorts,
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
The apostle John adds that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us” (1 John 1:9). Repentance is not a one-time act but a continual way of life. As one writer put it, “There is no way we can fail, if we keep an attitude of repentance.” Without it, no sinner will inherit God’s Kingdom. Christ’s question lingers for us: is repentance part of our daily prayers? Do we examine ourselves day by day?
Second, He commands His people to put sin out. This echoes the lesson of the Days of Unleavened Bread, which symbolize the putting away of sin in our lives. For the Church, it also includes removing dissension or corruption from within the body of Christ. Both individually and collectively, the people of God must not tolerate sin but actively root it out.
Third, believers are called to do the works of the Spirit. Pentecost reminds us of the gift of the Holy Spirit and the calling to service. Christ told the Ephesians to “do the first works” again, rekindling their zeal (Revelation 2:5). Paul encouraged the Galatians not to grow weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9). Our calling is not to self-indulgence, but to love God by loving our neighbor. We cannot rightly worship God while withholding love or reconciliation from His people.
Finally, Christ urges His Church to hold fast until He returns. The fall Holy Days point us toward the hope of Christ’s return and the establishment of His Kingdom. In the meantime, we must hold on to the truth we have been given, to the foundation of faith and purpose we have received. Forgetting our goal or drifting from our calling puts us in danger of losing our crown.
Together, these commands outline a way of life and lessons for all of us: repent, put away sin, walk in the Spirit and hold fast. Each Church had its own personality and its own challenges, and so do we. We can operate in the unhealthy extremes of our natural and environmental tendencies, or we can grow and develop character and strength. The letters invite us to be people who are worthy of commendation, humble enough to accept correction, steadfast and diligent enough to receive the reward.
As we end our review of the messages to the seven Churches, we should all heed the warnings and encouragement that Christ gives to us as His people.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
