Understanding God’s Word Ministry

The Laodicean Church - God Chastens Those Whom He Loves

The Laodicean Church - Revelation 3 pt. 2

Church in Laodicea - Rich, Increased with Goods and Have Need of Nothing

LAODICEA
14 And unto the Angel (Pastor) of the Church of the Laodiceans write (this is the “Apostate Church”; we do not know when it began, but we do know it has begun; it is the last Church addressed by Christ, so that means the Rapture will take place very shortly); These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness (by contrast to His Church, which is not faithful and true), the beginning of the Creation of God (Jesus is the Creator of all things);
15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot (characterizes that which is prevalent at this present time): I would you were cold or hot (half measures won’t do).
16 So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot (if a person is lukewarm towards something, it means he hasn’t rejected it, but at the same time he has by no means accepted it; in the Mind of God, a tepid response is equal to a negative response), I will spue you out of My mouth. (There is no prospect of Repentance here on the part of this Church, or Restoration. In fact, there is Divine rejection.)
17 Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing (they equated the increase in material goods with spiritual Blessings, which they were not); and knowest not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked (the tragedy lay in the fact that while this Church gloated over material wealth, she was unconscious of her spiritual poverty; again indicative of the modern Church!):
18 I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich (what they needed to “buy” could not be purchased with money, but only with the precious Blood of Christ, which price has already been paid; but the modern Church is not interested!); and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear (refers to Righteousness which is exclusively of Christ, and is gained only by Faith in Christ and the Cross; this tells us that the Laodicean Church is extremely self-righteous; not having the Righteousness of Christ, they are “naked” to the Judgment of God); and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you may see. (The modern Church is also spiritually blind.)
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten (implies a remnant): be zealous therefore, and repent. (The modern Church desperately needs to repent for its rebellion against God’s Divine Order [Christ and the Cross] and for following cunningly devised fables [2 Pet. 1:16].)
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock (presents Christ outside the Church): if any man hear My voice (so much religious racket is going on that it is difficult to “hear His Voice”), and open the door (Christ is the True Door, which means the Church has erected another door), I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. (Having been rejected by the Church, our Lord now appeals to individuals, and He is still doing so presently.)
21 To him who overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne (the overcomer will gain the prize of the Throne, which can only be done by one ever making the Cross the Object of His Faith), even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His Throne. (This presents Christ as our Substitute, going before us, and doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.)
22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the Churches. (In plain language, the Holy Spirit is saying, “come back to Christ and the Cross!”)
 
Swaggart, J. (2005). The Expositor’s Study Bible (pp. 2187–2188). Baton Rouge, LA: Jimmy Swaggart Ministries.

The Church at Philadelphia - The Opened Door to Evangelism

PHILADELPHIA
7 And to the Angel (Pastor) of the Church in Philadelphia write (is referred to as the Missionary Church, and had its beginning in about the year 1800, and continues unto this hour); These things says He Who is Holy, He Who is true, He Who has the key of David, He Who opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens (refers to the fact that Christ has total authority);
8 I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it (this “open door” refers to the way being made for the Gospel to be sent to the entirety of the world): for you have a little strength, and have kept my Word, and have not denied My Name. (“Little strength” is not an indication of spiritual infirmity, but of few in number. However, these few [speaking of those who truly know the Lord] have touched the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.)
9 Behold, I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie (proclaims the fact that God doesn’t recognize the spiritual claims of national Israel); behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. (This refers to the coming Kingdom Age, when Christ will rule Personally over the entirety of the Earth, with Israel restored. Israel will then bow at the feet of Christ, Whom the Gentiles accepted.)
10 Because you have kept the Word of My patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them who dwell upon the earth. (The Church will be Raptured out before the Great Tribulation.)
11 Behold, I come quickly (again refers to the Rapture): hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown. (The Devil will use religious men to try to move us away from our Faith in Christ and the Cross.)
12 Him who overcomes will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God (the “overcomer” is the one who trusts explicitly in Christ and what He did for us at the Cross), and he shall go no more out (refers to a constant position in the presence of God): and I will write upon him the Name of My God, and the Name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new Name. (At the Cross, Christ identified with our sin by suffering its penalty. Now he identifies with our most excellent Blessing, as He is the Source of all.)
13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the Churches. (The Spirit is saying we must be ready for the Rapture, which can only be done by Faith constantly exhibited in Christ and His Finished Work.)
 
 

The Church in Sardis - Watchfulness pt. 3

CHAPTER 3
(A.D. 96)
SARDIS
AND unto the Angel (Pastor) of the Church in Sardis write (the Sardis Church is referred to as the “Reformation Church,” which began about A.D. 1500, and continues more or less unto this hour); These things saith He Who has the Seven Spirits of God (represents the Holy Spirit in all His fullness and capacity), and the Seven stars (refers to the Pastors of these Seven Churches); I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead. (Our Lord begins with words of censure, i.e., “dead spiritually.”)
2 Be watchful (this Church is exhorted to look into its real condition), and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die (they need to come back to the Cross, or they will lose their way completely): for I have not found your works perfect before God. (Their works were based on a dead Faith, which always produces bad works.)
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent (go back to the Cross). If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you. (Judgment will come, but Sardis will not see or hear due to spiritual deafness and spiritual blindness.)
4 You have a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments (the Lord always has a few); and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy. (We are made worthy only by our Faith in Christ and the Cross.)
5 He who overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment (the Righteousness of Christ, gained only by Faith in Christ and the Cross); and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life (proving that names can be blotted out), but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His Angels. (The key to this great “confession” is Faith in Christ and His great Sacrifice.)
6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the Churches. (The Spirit is saying that Righteousness cannot be obtained without Faith in a spotless Sacrifice.)
 
 

Church at Sardis - Awake Thou that Sleep! pt. 2

Revelation
CHAPTER 3
(A.D. 96)
SARDIS
AND unto the Angel (Pastor) of the Church in Sardis write (the Sardis Church is referred to as the “Reformation Church,” which began about A.D. 1500, and continues more or less unto this hour); These things saith He Who has the Seven Spirits of God (represents the Holy Spirit in all His fullness and capacity), and the Seven stars (refers to the Pastors of these Seven Churches); I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead. (Our Lord begins with words of censure, i.e., “dead spiritually.”)
2 Be watchful (this Church is exhorted to look into its real condition), and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die (they need to come back to the Cross, or they will lose their way completely): for I have not found your works perfect before God. (Their works were based on a dead Faith, which always produces bad works.)
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent (go back to the Cross). If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you. (Judgment will come, but Sardis will not see or hear due to spiritual deafness and spiritual blindness.)
4 You have a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments (the Lord always has a few); and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy. (We are made worthy only by our Faith in Christ and the Cross.)
5 He who overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment (the Righteousness of Christ, gained only by Faith in Christ and the Cross); and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life (proving that names can be blotted out), but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His Angels. (The key to this great “confession” is Faith in Christ and His great Sacrifice.)
6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the Churches. (The Spirit is saying that Righteousness cannot be obtained without Faith in a spotless Sacrifice.)

Revelation 3 - Sardis - Having A Name that You are Alive but in Reality Dead

CHAPTER 3
(A.D. 96)
SARDIS
AND unto the Angel (Pastor) of the Church in Sardis write (the Sardis Church is referred to as the “Reformation Church,” which began about A.D. 1500, and continues more or less unto this hour); These things saith He Who has the Seven Spirits of God (represents the Holy Spirit in all His fullness and capacity), and the Seven stars (refers to the Pastors of these Seven Churches); I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead. (Our Lord begins with words of censure, i.e., “dead spiritually.”)
2 Be watchful (this Church is exhorted to look into its real condition), and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die (they need to come back to the Cross, or they will lose their way completely): for I have not found your works perfect before God. (Their works were based on a dead Faith, which always produces bad works.)
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent (go back to the Cross). If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you. (Judgment will come, but Sardis will not see or hear due to spiritual deafness and spiritual blindness.)
4 You have a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments (the Lord always has a few); and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy. (We are made worthy only by our Faith in Christ and the Cross.)
5 He who overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment (the Righteousness of Christ, gained only by Faith in Christ and the Cross); and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life (proving that names can be blotted out), but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His Angels. (The key to this great “confession” is Faith in Christ and His great Sacrifice.)
6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the Churches. (The Spirit is saying that Righteousness cannot be obtained without Faith in a spotless Sacrifice.)

Church in Thyatira - Facing Fear, False Doctrine (Jezebel)