We all want to believe that the church that we go to is alive. I'm not saying that your church isn't alive, but in Revelation 3:1 the church in the city of Sardis had the name of being alive but God said that this church was at the point of death. I would hate it if God said that the church that I was a member of was almost dead. This passage also shows that we can be deceived and think that we are on the right path but be totally wrong.
The interesting thought is that Revelation 3:2 says that those who are in this state have a choice whether they stay this way. The Holy Spirit first tells them to be watchful. The Greek word for watchful is "grēgoreuō" and it basically means to become aware of what is going on. This is not only in the natural world but the spiritual world. In other words, don't walk around in a spiritual stupor.
The second thing the Holy Spirit tells the church is to strengthen the things that remain. While the book of Revelation was being written, all the other scrolls that became the Bible had already been written. In passages like Colossians 4:16 Paul told churches his team had planted, that they should pass his letters around to each other. Hebrews 6:10-15 says that they already had a history of mature believers that they were supposed to imitate. The church did not have any reason not to know how to live the Christian life. They needed to start living the Christian life, instead of just going to church and pretending to be Christians.
So what is it that makes a church alive? In Revelation, it says that the church should have listened to the instruction that had been given to it. The church in Sardis already knew what they should be doing. It is easy to go to church and be passive. I have gone to church, heard amazing sermons, walked out the door and nothing changed in my life. It is too easy to become a spectator when we go to church. When we receive instruction there is supposed to be a continuing response to the words we hear in the life we live and everything we do. God wants His heart to transform our hearts so that He becomes a natural part of who we are.
Revelation 3:2 says that their works were not perfect before God. The Greek word "plēroō" that is translated "perfect" means complete. Ephesians 2:10 says we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, works that God has planned beforehand for us to accomplish.
- There are things in our life that God has especially planned for just us and only us and there is no one else that can fulfill those things. Even if you are part of a team to accomplish those things you are still the one on that team that is needed to fulfill that part that only you can do in the way that you do it.
- God doesn't want us to be just content to be a "good person" -- He doesn't want us just to be nice to people at work, be good parents, give money to ministries, or be the best friend. On the other hand, I'm not saying that those things are not included in the list that God has for us. He has a much bigger plan for us than what we can imagine.
Revelation 3:3 says that it is important to God that we obey Him and fulfill what He has planned for us. It is important that we remember those things that God has burned into our hearts. He doesn't give us a vision or Godly desires just have us bury them and not do anything about them.
In Revelation 3:5 there is an important statement with conditions. If we overcome then our name will not be blotted out from the "Book of Life" and Jesus will confess our name before our Father and His angels. How we live our lives does make a big difference to God and maybe even our salvation. Jesus is saying that having an active faith is part of showing that we believe in Him. If you really believe in God it will show in how you live your life.
Bruce Isom
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