The Church in Sardis - Tom Gerritt

The Church in Sardis Revelation 3:1-6

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; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

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

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.

4 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.

5 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.

6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Sardis was a municipality of considerable eminence. So great was the glory of the city that in its hey-day it was commonly known by the splendorous title “The Queen of Asia.” Perhaps the most illustrious of all the rulers of the ancient city-state of Sardis was King Croesus, whose wealth has become proverbial. In relation to the other Asian cities mentioned in Revelation, Sardis was somewhat more centrally located, being about fifty-five miles east of Smyrna and about thirty miles southeast of Thyatira.

The situation regarding the congregation in Sardis was not as positive or favorable as the city’s material status might lead one to believe; the church there was rebuked for not living up to its name and was cautioned about its incomplete works. Symbolically, this church represented the period of the Protestant Reformation, an era reckoned by many students of ecclesiastical history as having extended from 1517 to 1638. The literal meaning of the name Sardis is a rather apt commentary on both the church in that city and the period represented by that congregation. Sardis was related to sardius, a precious stone of reddish-brown color also called carnelian. Carnelian comes from the Latin word for ‘fleshy.’ Thus, Sardis essentially meant ‘fleshly.’

The Seven Spirits and the Seven Stars (Revelation 3:1)

In keeping with the manner in which He presented Himself to the churches previously addressed, Jesus mentioned some attributes already elaborated upon in our consideration of the first chapter of Revelation. The church in Sardis was then reminded of the fact that the Christ of the candlesticks has the seven Spirits and the seven stars.

The Seven Spirits

As indicated in the brief comments on Revelation 1:4, the expression “the seven Spirits” actually refers to the seven-fold nature of the Holy Spirit. The number seven, which denotes completion or fullness, is a reminder of the fullness, completeness and diversified attributes and activities of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 11:2 seems to address this same matter by referring to “the spirit of the Lord…..the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” Isaiah’s description of the Holy Spirit reminds one of the seven-branched candlestick that was used in the Tabernacle and Temple. “The spirit of the Lord” corresponded to the shaft of the candlestick, “the spirit of wisdom and understanding” answered to the first pair of branches, followed by “the spirit of counsel and might,” with “the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord” being the third pair of branches.

The Spirit of the Lord

This statement is the basic premise in the matter of the seven-fold Spirit. It tells us of the means by which God acts. He functions through the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:2 relates that order emerged when “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Whether in creation or redemption, the Spirit of the Lord performs the work for the divine Godhead. In his record of the Gospel, John in chapter 1 verse 32 described the Spirit “descending like a dove, and it abode on him (Jesus).” Jesus, as recorded in Luke 4:16-21, confirmed that the Spirit rested upon Him and in fact had anointed Him.

The Spirit of wisdom and understanding

We will find that this first pairing of words relates to the intellectual life. Since God is omniscient He knows everything, but perhaps even more important is the fact that He knows what to do with His boundless, unlimited knowledge. That, then, is where wisdom and understanding come into play. Wisdom has been defined as “the proper application of knowledge.” It is one thing to know something but altogether something else to use or act upon that information appropriately. The term understanding speaks of the ability to comprehend the meaning or significance of something, as in Daniel 8:15 where “meaning” was more richly translated from the same Hebrew word (bine or u-bine)rendered as understanding in Isaiah 11:2.

The spirit of counsel and might

Practical matters are addressed by these ascriptions. The word counsel basically means ‘advice.’ Proverbs 20:18 states that, “Every purpose is established by counsel…” Every undertaking is guided by some kind of advice, whether good or evil. All of God’s efforts are directed by the perfect counsel of the Holy Spirit. We too should seek His counsel in all our endeavors, and thereby shun the “counsel of the ungodly” mentioned in Psalm 1:1. The word might carries the idea of great or overwhelming strength. The omnipotent God can do whatever He purposes to do because of the Spirit of might.

The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord

This pair of the Holy Spirit’s attributes alludes to the relationship that exists within the Godhead. The word knowledge indicates more than merely a collection of facts and data. In its most correct sense, knowledge is a body of facts from which one makes observations or draws conclusions. The Holy Spirit has complete and perfect knowledge of all things. Each person of the Godhead is able to fulfill His role perfectly. The expression “fear of the Lord” is a reminder that the Holy Spirit is modest and unassuming. He does not call attention to Himself but is always in deference to the Father and the Son, as Jesus declared in John 16:13 when He said of the Spirit: “…for he shall not speak of himself…”

The Seven Stars

As previously noted, the seven stars were symbolic of the “angels” of the seven churches of Asia. The word angel literally meant messenger and referred to the pastor of the church, as you may recall from our study of Revelation 1:16 and 2:1.

Incomplete works (Revelation 3:1,2)

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

Jesus Christ presented Himself in verse 1 to the church in Sardis in a manner that indicated both His sovereign control over His churches and identified Him as the true source of spiritual power. The congregation in Sardis certainly needed such a reminder because of its failings in so many areas.

An Unfulfilled Name

Despite its having a name that it was alive, the church in Sardis was in fact dead. Such a pronouncement of condemnation could not have been sharper. That church was a classic example of empty, lifeless, nominal Christianity. A good reputation in and of itself is not enough, and that church had failed to measure up to its profession so that its name was unfulfilled. Why the Sardis church failed so miserably is not readily made clear; it was not troubled with heresy, neither was it beset with persecution, but the fact remains that it was a “dead” church.

Some Things Nearly Dead

One reason for the deplorable condition of the Sardis church was that its members had failed to be “watchful”. Watchfulness should be the constant attitude of the Christian life. The apostle Paul urged in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Watch, stand fast in the faith…” Believers also need to constantly be on the watch against the activities of the devil, as pointed out in 1 Peter 5:8, wherein Satan is described as our “adversary” and as a “roaring lion” stalking with the intent of “devour(ing)” the inattentive. Also consider the admonition to vigilance and prayer mentioned in Matthew 26:41 within this context. The saints in Sardis were to be watchful regarding the things that were not yet dead. Just what Jesus meant by the “things” is unclear; however, the things that were “ready to die” were “the things which remain.” Those remaining “things,” whatever they may have been, had been sorely neglected.

Incomplete Works

In view of all the failings of the members of the Sardis church, it is not surprising that the Lord had determined that their works were not “perfect” before God. The word perfect as used in this instance means ‘complete.’ While it is true that the works of every Christian are imperfect or incomplete because of our flawed humanity, such was the case in a more marked and eminent sense regarding the church at Sardis. Thus, believers are reminded that their works are examined and evaluated by God Himself (“…I have not found thy works perfect before God”). The realization that the Lord is an all-discerning judge should have aroused renewed zeal and dedication among the members of the Sardis church, and this awareness should also cause us to react similarly. After all, each child of God is to present himself as an unashamed workman “approved unto God” (see 2 Timothy 2:15).

Remember, Retain and Repent (Revelation 3:3)

In the message to the church at Ephesus our Lord gave that congregation a three-fold admonition: remember, repent, and repeat, an exhortation that could be called ‘the divine remedy for backsliding.’ You may want to review the comments for Revelation 2:5. The message to the Sardis church indicates a similar admonition – remember, retain and repent. That exhortation, like the one we see in the Ephesian epistle, was underscored with both warning and Judgment.

Remember

In Sardis the saints were to remember what they had “received and heard.” That expression essentially refers to the things which that church had been taught. For us, since we are living in the era of the completed Bible, what we receive and hear are the full teachings of the inspired Word of God. This should be a reminder to each of us of the critical role the Bible plays in the lives of individual believers as well as the activities of churches. We “remember” God’s Word by learning it, loving it and living it. The Bible must be read and studied regularly. It is not enough to merely have the Bible in a prominent place or as a decorative accessory in our homes; it must also have a place of preeminence within our hearts. The more we read and study God’s Word the more we will love it. The greater our love for the Bible, the greater control we will give God over our daily lives.

Retain

The expression “hold fast” was translated from the Greek term which basically meant “to keep.” The phrases “holdest fast” and “hold fast” in Revelation 2:13, 25 and 3:11 were translated from a different Greek word (krateis )or a form thereof. In Revelation 3:8 and 10 the word kept was translated from terero. The saints in Sardis were to “hold fast” or ‘keep’ what they had received and heard. That exhortation involves a level of commitment and loyalty that demands continual obedience. Do we sometimes grow weak and become ineffective because we are not obedient to God’s Word? Do too many of us practice what might be called “spasmodic Christianity,” living one day like a Christian but the next day behaving differently? The expectation of our Lord and Savior is that we consistently and continuously, day in and day out, keep and observe the teachings of the Bible.

Repent

In the Greek language the word for repent literally means ‘to change one’s mind.’ Genuine repentance is more than a superficial intellectual decision, however. There must also be a resolve to turn away from self and sin while turning toward God. That was what the Lord wanted the saints in Sardis to do, and He associated their repentance with watchfulness. If they refused to repent they would also fail to watch, and such failure would result in certain judgment. The divine warning “I will come on thee as a thief” was not a reference to the second coming; rather, it was an announcement that Christ would visit His church in judgment. Such judgment will vary depending on the circumstances. For those who have never placed their trust in Jesus it will mean eternal condemnation; for believers there will be chastisement; for apathetic churches the ultimate judgment will be the removal of a congregation’s candlestick as described in Revelation 2:5.

Walking with Jesus (Revelation 3:4)

4 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.

Even though the church as a congregation at Sardis had been pronounced dead by the Christ of the candlesticks, some of its members had remained faithful to Him. The faithful few in Sardis corresponded to the devoted remnant in Thyatira who had rejected the teachings of Jezebel. Such fidelity would be and will be properly rewarded and acknowledged by the One who is always faithful.

Undefiled Garments

That some members of the Sardis church had “not defiled their garments” referred to the purity of their Christian lives. The word defiled was translated from a Greek word that essentially meant ‘to make filthy.’ In 2 Corinthians 7:1 the apostle Paul wrote of the need to be cleansed “…from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit…” The word filthiness in this reference was from the same root term as defiled in Revelation 3:4. In English usage the word defile implies pollution or desecration of that which should be held sacred, while filthy denotes something that is disgustingly dirty. Concerning believers Paul writes that we “…are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

In the Bible clothing is often symbolic of one’s standing with the Lord. When Adam and Eve sinned they became aware of and ashamed of their nakedness, and tried to cover themselves with garments made of fig leaves. However, that was not acceptable to God, so He made “coats of skins” for them, as found in Genesis 3:21. In Isaiah 61:10 we find references to the “garments of salvation” and “the robe of righteousness.” In addition to those items of symbolic clothing, there is the “fine linen, clean and white,” which is “the righteousness (the righteous acts or deeds) of saints,” in which the Bride of Christ will be clad when the marriage of the Lamb occurs, as described later in Revelation 19:7 and 8.

Walking with Jesus

Jesus commended the saints in Sardis because they had not defiled their garments and had maintained separate from the evil the Lord deplored. They “walk(ed)” apart from it, and in so doing walked with Jesus. The figurative use of the word walk in the Bible speaks of one’s lifestyle or way of life. In the second chapter of Ephesians, verse 2, Paul contrasted the “walks” of a believer before and after salvation. Before salvation we “…walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” After salvation we are to be involved in good works “which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

In order to walk with Jesus we must be going in the same direction He’s headed, and our purposes must be the same as His. To walk with Jesus means that we walk in love (Ephesians 5:2) and as children of light (Ephesians 5:8). It means we should walk so as to please God (1 Thessalonians 4:1) and also walk “honestly toward them that are without [the unsaved]” (1 Thessalonians 4:12). Moreover, it means that we should not walk with disorderly people, even if they claim to be brethren (2 Thessalonians 3:6, 11), nor are we to walk “in the counsel of the ungodly” (Psalm 1:1).

Worthy of Acclaim

Jesus Christ acclaimed the faithful saints in Sardis as worthy to walk with Him in white. Because they walked with Him in faithful, obedient service they were entitled to be arrayed in garments befitting their fidelity. Throughout the centuries and in practically every culture white has denoted purity, acceptance and victory. The purity of those saints was in regard to their morals, doctrinal conduct and practices. They shunned the wrong and embraced the right. Consequently, they were assured of the Lord’s acceptance. The victories they won were achieved through Christ, so it was certainly fitting for them to walk with Him in white.

The word worthy was translated form a Greek term that was associated with the idea of weights used with a set of scales or balances. The apostle Paul used the same basic word in Ephesians 4:1 where he exhorted us to “walk worthy” of our calling. In biblical days balances were used in the marketplace to determine the value – or worth – of items bought, sold or bartered. To “walk worthy” essentially means to practice what one preaches. If our life is balanced with what the Bible teaches then our walk will match our talk and what we do will be an accurate reflection of what we say we believe.

Garments of White (Revelation 3:5)

5 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.

In the message to the church at Sardis the Lord made a three-fold promise. Let’s considered the first part of that promise in this section. The assurance that overcomers will be dressed in white is a logical follow-up to the statement in verse 4 that the Sardis saints who had maintained moral and doctrinal purity would be deemed worthy of walking with Jesus in white garments. That promise, which embraces all followers of Jesus who overcome sin and the temptations of this world, sets forth the hope of our appearing with our Savior in robes expressive of righteousness and victory.

Near the end of His earthly ministry Jesus said of the righteous that they shall “…shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43). On one occasion the psalmist spoke of the garments of God in ascribing praises to the Lord: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my God, thou are very great; thou art clothed with honor and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment…” (Palm 104: 1, 2). The saint’s garments of white can be associated with three possible meanings as to their significance. However, it probably isn’t necessary to choose among these explanations, as they can all be related.

Festivity

In the ancient world white robes stood for festivity. The preacher said in Ecclesiastes 9:8 “Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.” One event which will be especially joyous will be the marriage of the Lamb about which we will later study, so the white robes may speak of the fine linen in which the bride will be clad, as described in Revelation 19:7 and 8. While the fine linen is said to be the righteous deeds or acts of the saints, that occasion will definitely be a time to “be glad and rejoice.”

Victory

In olden times white robes also denoted victory. When conquering generals returned to Rome, a celebration was held in which all the citizens were expected to dress themselves in white. The general himself would ride a white horse in the victory parade. On such occasions the city of Rome was called the ‘City in White.’ The white robes of Revelation 3:5 could stand for the recognition God shall give to those who are victorious in the Christian life, and may likely also be a part of the reward the Lord will bestow. When Jesus returns in power and glory He will ride a white horse, and those who follow Him will also ride white horses and be dressed in “fine linen, white and clean” (Revelation 19:11-14).

Purity

In practically every place and time white is the symbol of purity. Accordingly, the white robes might also denote the purity of those whose reward it will be to ‘see’ God in a special way or relationship. As recorded in Matthew 5:8, Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Every believer will see God after this earthly life has ended, but the promise of the cited Beatitude seems to be reserved especially for those of His children whose lives are characterized by purity of deed, purpose and motive. The lives of such individuals will be a reflection of the purity of their hearts.

The Book of Life (Revelation 3:5,6)

5 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.

6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

To continue His promise to the overcomers in Sardis, Jesus assured them that their names would not be blotted out of the book of life and that He would confess their names before the heavenly Father and His angels.

The Book of Life

There are about a half dozen references in the Bible to a register of names which could be designated as some kind of book of life. In Exodus 32:32 and 33 Moses was willing to have his name expunged from the book which God had inscribed if by such a sacrifice he could deliver his people from the consequence of their sin. The psalmist expressed his hope that the wicked would be blotted out of “the book of the living” in Psalm 69:28. The Lord assured the prophet Daniel that everyone recorded in “the book” will be delivered (Daniel 12:1). In Philippians 4:3 Paul referred to “the book of life” in which the names of his co-laborers were recorded. Those not listed in “the book of life” will be cast into the lake of fire, as we shall see when we consider Revelation 20:15. Finally, there is the “Lamb’s book of life,” a record of those who shall be admitted to the New Jerusalem as we will see when considering Revelation 21:27 as well as Revelation 13:8.

It is rather difficult to determine the exact meaning of the phrase “the book of life.” In some instances it seems to be a roll of all the saved of all ages, but some Scriptures – Psalm 69:28, Revelation 3:5 and 22:19 among them – indicate that names can be blotted out of the book of life. Since it is impossible for one to lose his eternally secure salvation, what is the explanation of this? The key may be found in Psalm 69:28. It appears that two sets of books exist, “the book of the living” and a registry of the righteous. The book of the living would contain the name of everyone who has received physical life. When an individual dies without having trusted Christ as Savior, his or her name is blotted out of the book. The other register, which is likely the Lamb’s book of life, consists of the names of individuals who are eternally secure in Christ and saved from eternal damnation. At the end of time the two rolls will be identical. One will then become an extremely long list with many names blotted out, while the other will be a much shorter list but with no erasures.

“Not” in the text is actually a double negative (Greek ou me), the strongest possible expression, meaning ‘No, not under any circumstances.’ The “book of life” is the “book of the living,” and is referred to seven times in the New Testament, first in Philippians 4:3, followed by six more occasions in Revelation 3:5, 13:8; 17:8, 20:12 and 15, and 22:19. It likely contains the names of all the living, and will be opened at the Great White Throne Judgment to confirm that the names of those before the throne are no longer included. The expression “Lamb’s book of life” occurs in Revelation 21:17 and refers to those who have the right to enter the New Jerusalem. This book is not, then, the same as the “book of life.”

Presented to the Father

Some Bible scholars believe one of the things that shall occur in the eternal age will be a presentation by Jesus Christ of the faithful saints of all times and places to the Father. They have confessed Christ before men, so He will confess them before the Father. What a wonderful acceptance that will be! Those who did not shrink from confessing the name of Christ even in the face of ridicule, slander or persecution will be singled out in the glorious presence of the heavenly Father and all His holy angels, and will have their names confessed before that august assembly by Jesus. Unbelievers who have denied Christ will have already stood before God at the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15, and Jesus will have already publicly denied them because they refused to confess Him as their Savior and Lord during their earthly lives.

Summary (Revelation 3:1-6)

The Sardis Congregation

Like most of the seven churches of Asia, this one was a congregation with both positive and negative qualities. Unfortunately, the negative seems to have predominated, as the church had failed to live up to its name and was even declared “dead” by Christ. Moreover, the works of this church were incomplete and unfinished. However, on the positive side, there were a faithful few who had not succumbed to the temptation to compromise themselves or their testimony either morally or doctrinally, and in fact the Lord highly commended those saints, calling them “worthy” and assuring them a place at His side in white garments, a place in the book of life and a place before the Father and His angels.

The Sardis Church Period

The Protestant Reformation began when Martin Luther broke with the Roman Catholic Church in 1517, and in short order John Calvin, Huldreich Zwingli and King Henry VIII led in the establishment of other religious bodies. Unfortunately the resulting denominations – Lutheran, Presbyterian, Church of England (Episcopalian) and others – retained many of the errors of prior movements such as infant baptism, sprinkling rather than immersion, a sacramental view of communion, a church-state relationship, and the persecution or ostracizing of those refusing to conform to their teachings. In failing to make a clean break with Rome, those ‘reformers’ failed to fully live up to their ascribed titles and their works were therefore incomplete. However, there were some faithful witnesses during this period, just as there are today.

To this point we have looked at what Jesus had to say to and about five of His churches in Asia, but two others are mentioned in the Revelation. In the next article we’ll look into what was going on in the church at Philadelphia. Until then stand steadfastly and be blessed.

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