When Are We Now?
The first of three studies of The Revelation of Jesus Christ by Paige Ramsey
“The Seven Churches in Asia”
– Lesson 4: The Churches of the Revelation
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Revelation 1:11-13; 16; 20 – saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and
send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and
to Laodicea.” Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
…16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
…20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.
Seven golden candlesticks = the seven churches in Asia (Asia Minor – or Turkey)
These are seven literal churches – they actually existed in Asia Minor, and the Lord Jesus had something to say to each of these churches in that day.
Things these churches had in common:
1. These churches believed in salvation by grace alone – that the Lord Jesus Christ was the author and finisher of their faith, meaning that He
alone could save them from their sin and the penalty of that sin, and that He provided the faith necessary for them to believe. [Eph 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest anyone should boast. Heb_12:2 - Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith...]
2. These churches were autonomous (they answered to no higher authority on earth). All the churches were autonomous. They believed the Lord
Jesus Christ was the head of the church, and the local body would govern together as all were indwelled with the Holy Spirit. The pastor (or elder,
bishop, etc.) was the messenger to deliver God’s Word and teach the congregation. [Eph. 1:22 - And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.. Eph. 5:23b - as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Col. 1:18 - And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. I Peter 5:1-4 speaks to the office of the elder (pastor) to oversee... "nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock"]
3. They did not recognize the state government to have authority to keep them from spreading the gospel or worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ. They honored the law of the land in all other areas, but when it came to a conflict n obedience to God or to the government, they served the Lord with passion, many to their death. (This is the original meaning of “separation of church and state.”) [2 Tim. 3:12 - Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. All the apostles were jailed because they preached about Christ, which was against the law of man, and all were eventually martyred for their continuance in preaching.]
4. These churches only baptized believers who had repented of their sins. In that day it was a very serious thing to proclaim a particular religious
belief – especially if it went against the accepted belief of the society. So, the first century church could be confident that if someone had repented of
their present lifestyle and embraced the Lord Jesus Christ, it was real. The “easy believism” that we struggle with today had not crept into the churches at
this point in time. Thus, the body of Baptized Believers could operate properly as the Holy Spirit led. Baptism was commonly understood to be immersion, and they did not baptize babies. [Acts 8:36-38 - Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said,
“See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.]
5. These churches observed the Lord’s Supper, remembering His sacrifice and payment of their sins, and looking forward to His coming again. We do not know how often the churches participated in the Lord’s Supper, but we do know they would have done it often enough to honor the not-too-long-ago request made by their Lord and Savior. Even in that day, they were looking for Jesus to return soon. [1 Cor. 11:26 - For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.]
6. They believed in the priesthood of the Believers – that each Believer could go to the Lord God Almighty in prayer for themselves and on the behalf of others to ask for forgiveness and for needs. They believed that the Lord would direct each Believer in his or her own personal life – they did not need a mediator (priest) on earth, as their Mediator sat at the right hand of God. [Heb. 8:1b - We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens... Rev. 1:6a - ...and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father...]
7. They believed in the perseverance of the saints – that every Believer would persevere through trials and tribulations because the power of God resided within them and the Holy Spirit had sealed them unto the day of redemption. [2 Cor. 1:21-22 - Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. Eph. 1:13-14 - In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.]
Where is Jesus found? In the middle!! And... Christ walks in the midst of His churches today!
Saul persecuted the members of the church – on the road to Damascus, Jesus asked Saul, “Why do you persecute Me?”
To criticize or injure the church is to do so to Jesus Himself.
The head of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ. Every church is governed by Christ. A church that is governed by a dignitary, a state, a denominational head, or any one person is unscriptural. The collective body of Baptized Believers is led by the Holy Spirit to make decisions concerning the direction the church should go. This is why it is important for the church to accept only Believers (those who are truly born-again) into the congregation.
These are not the only churches in existence in that day, or the only churches in Asia Minor in that day. These seven churches were chosen
by the Lord to be given a specific message.
Other churches in existence then: Rome, Corinth, Thessalonica, Phillipi, and many others
Other known churches in Asia Minor in that day: Antioch, Lystra, Derbe
The particular problems or praises acknowledged in these churches can be found in various churches throughout the past 2,000 years. They can be found in various churches that exist today.
But… Why did the Lord only give messages to these seven churches?
Didn’t the other churches need encouraging? Yes
Didn’t the other churches need rebuking? Yes
Are they the only churches to which John could have given the message? No
Why did the Lord give the churches in this particular order?
It isn’t in any kind of north to south, east to west order.
It isn’t in any kind of alphabetical order.
One reason might be: This is an easy route to travel. There is a mountain range between Ephesus and Laodicea, but there is also a mountain range between Ephesus and Smyrna, the second church and between Smyrna and Pergamum. However, making this particular route would be shorter than
zigzagging.
There also might be another specific reason the Lord gave these particular churches in this particular order: they could represent the completion (represented by the number seven) of the Church Age and give those in the last of the last days a clue that the end is near.
For the last 2,000 years there have been churches. The church (the local bodies collectively) has a history, and these seven churches give us a picture of the church history from Pentecost to the Rapture. Although collectively, a certain aspect may be prominent during a particular age, in each time period, individual churches can be found that may have taken the form of any of the seven churches mentioned. We can find each type of church in existence today. And, any one church may display several aspects found in any of these seven churches.
If these seven churches do represent the completion of the Church Age, we should be able to see a pattern emerge to indicate so.
Events in Church History:
29 AD Jesus is crucified and the church is established – In the eyes of Rome,
the church is competition for the authority of Rome
35 AD Stephen is martyred; Paul is converted
49-51 AD The Jews are expelled from Rome because they persecuted the
Christians until it became disruptive to the Roman citizens
64 AD Nero sets fire to the city of Rome and blames the Christians. Nero
then launches severe Christian persecution
70 AD Titus (son of Vespasian) destroys the city of Jerusalem, the temple,
and expels the Jews from the city, hoping to destroy the church
– Christians dispersed throughout the world
98 AD John dies on the Isle of Patmos; Trajan becomes emperor and
institutes the policy not to seek out Christians, but if they were brought
before authorities, they would be punished – usually executed
130 AD Conversion of Justin Martyr; Justin loved philosophy. He was an
apologist, and taught that the seeds of truth (logos) could be found
in all religions, but that only Christianity taught the whole truth
155 AD Polycarp was martyred in Smyrna by being burned to death
161 AD Marcus Aurelius becomes emperor. He abandoned Trajan's passive
approach and actively sought Christians to persecute them throughout
the empire
165 AD Justin is martyred
202 AD Septimus Severus tries to unite the empire under one religion, worship
of the Unconquered Sun. Jews and Christians refuse and are
vehemently persecuted
249-251 The reign of Decius. He ordered everyone in the empire to burn
incense to him. Those who did not were persecuted
249 AD Cyprian (the Bishop of Carthage) goes into hiding because of the
persecution
258 AD Cyprian is martyred
284 AD The Diocletian persecution begins
305 AD The end of the Diocletian persecution
312 AD Constantine defeats Baxentius at the battle of Milvian Bridge and
becomes Emperor of the West (He sprinkled his troops, calling it
“baptism”)
313 AD The Edict of Milan gives Christians equal rights – issued by Constantine
in the West and Licinius in the East
361-363 Reign of Julian the Apostate, who converted from Christianity to
paganism and restored paganism in Rome
379-395 The reign of Theodosius, who establishes Christianity as the official
religion of the Roman Empire. Compromises with idol worship begin –
allowing citizens to keep their idols, but calling them by “Christian”
names. With Rome beginning to control the churches, many churches
begin to hide and meet in secret
393 AD The Council of Hippo recognizes the canon – to be included, a book
had to be Apostolic, fit in with the other scriptures, and have been
of fruitful use throughout the church up to that time
411-430 Augustine presented his Anti-Pelagian writings countering Pelagius’
“salvation by works and no need for grace” stance. Augustine argued
that grace was not only needed for salvation but also for man to
accept salvation [Doctrines of Grace]v
480 AD Boethius is born. He becomes a significant thinker who influences
the Middle ages. In The Consolation of Philosophy he tries to find
comfort in reason and philosophy. He doesn't quote scripture
529 AD The Council of Orange approves the Augustinian doctrine of sin and
grace, but without the fullness of grace needed for man to accept
salvation.
560 AD Isidore of Seville is born. His Book of Sentences was the key book of
theology in the Roman Catholic Church until the twelfth century.
590 AD Gregory the Great becomes pope. With the Roman government now
weakened, he feeds the poor and protects the farms and villages from
the Lombard invasion. His development of the doctrine of purgatory
was instrumental in establishing the medieval Roman Catholic
sacramental system.
596 AD Gregory sends Augustine of Canterbury (not to be confused with
Augustine the theologian) to convert the pagans in England. He forced
the Roman liturgy on the established British Christians.
622 AD Mohammed flees from Mecca to Medina, the beginning of Islam.
711 AD Islam has conquered from India to North Africa. All of North Africa
is under Islamic control.
720 AD Muslims take Spain.
726-787 The iconoclastic controversy. Emperor Leo III attacked the use of
images. John of Damascus (an Eastern Orthodox mystic) defended the
use of icons in worship. The Council of Nicea supports John of
Damascus.
732 AD Europeans turn back the Muslims at the Battle of Tours.
800 AD Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne head of the Holy Roman Empire
(a.k.a. the Nominally Christian Germanic Kingdom). His dynasty is
called the Carolingian Empire. His reign is the cultural high point of the
Early Middle Ages.
875-950 The Dark Ages. The Carolingian Empire was weakened and was
assailed by new invaders.
1054 AD The Great Schism of the Roman Catholic Church, the break between
Constantinople and Rome, after 500 years of progressive estrangement.
1174 AD Peter Waldo is born-again (saved) in Lyons, France. He is the founder
of an old, old protestant church (300 years before Luther). The
Waldensian church still exists in some parts of the world today, but in
most countries it merged with the Methodists and Presbyterians.
Waldensians stress the authority of scripture and lay preaching. They
also reject salvation by sacraments.
1184 AD Waldensians are declared heretical.
1209 AD Innocent III proclaims a "crusade", a papal inquisition, against the
Waldensians.
1215 AD Fourth Lateran Council requires an annual communion for Christian
burial. It also condemns the Waldensians. They are persecuted for
the next 600 years. They sought refuge in the Alps, and thus were not
directly involved in the Reformation of Luther until later.
1248 AD The Seventh Crusade – St. Louis IX of France is defeated in Egypt.
This was the last crusade. The final result of the crusades is that
the western Roman Catholics drove a wedge between the Church and
the Jews, between the Church and the Muslims, and between
the Western and Eastern Church.
1300-1400 The Black Death. 1/3 of the population from India to Iceland is wiped
out, including about 1/2 of Britain.
1330 AD John Wycliffe is born. He becomes the most important theologian in
Oxford, the most important university in Europe. He taught that
we must rely altogether on the sufferings of Christ. "Beware of seeking
to be justified in any other way than by His righteousness."
1349 AD Death of Thomas Bradwardine, who influenced Wycliffe to adopt
Augustine's doctrine of grace and to reject the Semi-Pelagianism of
the Roman Catholic Church.
1371 AD John Huss, the Bohemian pre-reformer is born. He was greatly
influenced by Wycliffe. He rejected indulgences and said Christ is the
head of the Church, not the pope.
1381 AD The Peasant's Revolt. 30,000 angry peasants descend on London.
Wycliffe is suspected of being involved and is banished from Oxford.
He and his followers translate the Bible from the Vulgate into English.
1415 AD Council of Constance condemns Wycliffe (who died in 1384) and burns
John Huss, in violation of the Emperor's promise of safe conduct.
The Emperor is told "It is not necessary to keep one's word to a
heretic."
1428 AD The Roman Catholic Church burned the bones of Wycliffe and threw
them in the Swift river.
1507 AD Martin Luther is ordained as a priest at Erfurt.
1510 AD Luther was sent to Rome on monastic business and saw the corruption
of the Roman Catholic Church.
1515 AD While teaching on Romans, Luther realizes faith and justification are
the work of God.
1517 AD Luther nails his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg. It
is the first public act of The Reformation. Zwingli's reform is
also underway.
The Five Solas of the Reformation – the foundational principles of the Reformation
- We affirm sola scriptura – that the Holy Scriptures alone are the sole inherently authoritative norm for faith and practice. All tradition must yield to the authority of the Bible.
- We affirm solus Christus – that salvation comes through Christ alone. All that he has done in his perfect life of obedience, death on the cross, bodily resurrection from the grave, and session at the right hand of the Father is sufficient for our salvation. For, there is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.
- We affirm sola fide – that justification is by faith alone. We are right before our heavenly father only because of the saving faith, which he has worked in us. Our good works can never merit right standing before God.
- We affirm sola gratia – that salvation is by grace alone, God’s unmerited favor toward and saving power in the lives of His people.
- We affirm soli Deo gloria – that all things are to the glory of God alone.
SDG, the abbreviation for Soli Deo Gloria, has often been used a symbol, rallying cry, and encouragement in the Reformed churches since those days. For instance, J.S. Bach would sign his works with this inscription.
1521 AD Luther is excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church.
1532 AD John Calvin is born-again (saved).
1535 AD Anabaptists emerge in Muenster, Germany and take control.
1536 AD Menno Simons rejects Roman Catholicism, becomes an Anabaptist,
and helps restore that movement back to pacifism.
1536 AD William Tyndale strangled and burned at the stake. He was the first to
translate the Bible into English from the original languages. He
was burned for heresy by King Henry, whose divorce Tyndale had
opposed.
1553 AD Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary) begins her reign. Many Protestants who flee
Mary's reign are deeply impacted by exposure to the other
reformations. John Knox is among them.
1572 AD Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day, the worst persecution of
Huguenots. “The Huguenots were French Protestants most of whom
eventually came to follow the teachings of John Calvin, and who, due
to religious persecution, were forced to flee France to other countries
in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Some remained, practicing
their Faith in secret.”
1610 AD James Jacobus Arminius’ followers issue the Remonstrance, “a
document containing five points summarizing their divergence from
certain aspects of accepted Reformed theology.” 1) Conditional
Election, 2) Unlimited Atonement, 3) Deprivation, 4) Resistible
Grace, 5) Conditional Assurance and Security.
1618-1619 The Synod of Dort is called in the Netherlands to answer the
Arminians. The response forms what is now known as the 5 points of
Calvinism. 1) Total Depravity, 2) Unconditional Election, 3) Limited
Atonement, 4) Irresistible Grace, 5) Perseverance of the Saints
1620 AD Plymouth, Massachusetts colony is founded by Puritans.
1630 AD John Winthrop and many Puritans migrate to America
1662 AD New Act of Uniformity – over two thousand Puritan pastors resign or
are forced out of Europe.
1675 AD Edict of Nantes is revoked, making Protestantism illegal again in
France. Many Huguenots emigrated; some stayed and met in secret.
1688 AD William and Mary take the throne in England. Puritans are free to
preach and establish their own churches.
1720’s AD Revival breaks out as Theodore Frelinghuysen preaches in New Jersey.
Revival spreads through Gilbert Tennant to New Brunswick. It is the
first stirrings of the First Great Awakening.
1727 AD "The Golden Summer." A revival broke out among Count Nikolaus
Ludwig Zinzendorf and the Hussite Moravian refugees he had taken
in. Many Moravian missionaries were sent overseas.
1734-1737 The Great Awakening continues as Jonathan Edwards preaches in
Massachusetts. Revival spreads to Connecticut.
Many Christian universities are begun, Christian hymns are written, Christian missionary societies are established from this point forward.
1739-41 George Whitefield joins Edwards. He traveled diligently between
England and America 13 times; was able to reach about 80% of the
colonists with the gospel.
1773-1775 Founded, the first black Baptist church in America, Silver Bluff, SC
1784 AD John Wesley baptizes Thomas Coke, making Methodism a denomination
separate from the Church of England.
1800 AD The first camp meeting in Kentucky is presided over by Calvinist James
McGready.
1801 AD The Cane Ridge Revival in Kentucky is an early stirring of the Second
Great Awakening
Many translations of God’s Word are produced from this point forward.
1824 AD Charles Finney leads revivals from Wilmingham to Boston.
1854 AD Roman Catholics introduce the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception
of Mary.
1906 AD Azusa St. Revival, a major catalyst to the Pentecostal and Charismatic
churches
1925 AD Scope's Monkey Trial brings national [world-wide]
to Fundamentalism
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.
We covered this in our last lesson and determined that “angel” or “messenger” in this context meant pastors, elders, bishops, ministers, teachers. One thing that should be stressed: God’s messengers are called by God to deliver God’s Word to God’s people. Although the church contributes money for their needs, they are not employed by the church – they are ministers unto the Lord, and should be respected as such, as ultimately they must answer to Him for how they carry out their calling. The body is responsible to God for how they respond to the Word of God as it is delivered, and also to honor the man of God who delivers it.
1 Timothy 6:1-2 – Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
This verse is speaking directly about one who is employed by another. A “servant under the yoke” is one who is unable to maintain his own needs and therefore is under another for their provisions. In the past (and in many countries still today) that person would have “belonged” to a certain master until he had fulfilled the contract or was able to provide for himself. Today in our society, we seek help by binding with an employer to take care of our needs. Although we have the freedom to leave one employer and find another, we are a “servant under the yoke” as long as we are employed, and should count our employers worthy of all honor (uphold them in the highest respect). If we are so blessed as to have a Believer as our employer, we should certainly never despise them! They are our brothers and sisters in Christ – whom we should not only respect but dearly love!
I am pointing out this here, because, if an employee should highly regard his employer who provides his physical needs, and going beyond that – to love an employer who is a Christian brother or sister, how much more should we highly respect and love those who have God’s calling to see to our spiritual needs? As God’s messengers must answer to the Lord for their calling, we also will answer to Him for how we have regarded God’s messengers.
Next week, we will look at the Church of Ephesus and God’s message to that church in Revelation 2:1-11 and look at the collective Church in the corresponding time period of 29 AD – 100 AD.