The seven churches

The seven churches are summarized relatively simply but effectively below. Christ has something good to say about all but the last, and a rebuke of some sort for all. Those who are actually Christ's need to examine which 'church' best fits their mentality (not necessarily their place of attendance) and heed the admonishment. I don't believe that anyone would like to hear Christ rebuke them personally, so it is best for us all to heed our own rebukes and address them now while we still can.

Ephesus- Represented by the Independent Fundamental churches- Can find error well, but have little or lost their love for Christ.

Smyrna- Represented by the church in Communist and other like Countries- Persecuted unto death, need to hold fast the faith unto death

Pergamos-Represented by the Pentecostal/Charismatic churches- Bold, but not discerning and generally relish error

Thyatira-Represented by Episcopal type churches (United, Anglican, Methodist Etc.)-Good human works, but not for Christ and friendly with Rome (Note: I don't consider Rome to be part of this church, Rome is Jezebel, not Thyatira)

Sardis- Represented by the Reformed churches-Have the truth, but pride in the having of it keeps it from their hearts and most are yet dead

Philidelphia- Represented by brethren wherever they may be-Well done, but need to hold fast the faith

Laodicea- Represented by the New Evangelical (EG Purpose Driven et al) type churches-Nothing good to say about it, the lukewarmness is putrid to Christ.

Each of them has Christ surrounded, but none of them have a lock on the 100% pure doctrine of Christ. Some of the bride can be found in each one, but there will not be many in any of them.

Mentally speaking, I have spent at least a little bit of time in each of them, and heed each of the rebukes while examining myself for the fruit of what is commended.



BGTF

 

There is at least a 3-fold meaning to the 7 churches:
1) Rev 2-3 were addressed to 7 specific churches in Asia.
2) They represent 7 specific periods of church history that will take place before the Lord's return.
3) They represent 7 generalized church types that have existed in each period of time, though the majority visible church in each time is characterized by the particular period. (IE Smyrna still exists today in places like North Korea, but we are in the latter part of the Laodicean period).

I didn't invent the idea, there are others long before me who know this as well.

Read the introduction to this book, the whole book gives all of the details (it is long though)
http://www.stempublishing.com/history/

A shorter summary
http://www.themoorings.org/prophecy/evidence/apostasy/apos7.html

He won't wait 2000 years, the 7th thousand of years is to be the millennial reign of Christ on earth. Since we are approx 6013 years (+/-25 years) since creation, the only question is when exactly is the reign of Christ going to start? That will be after the Great Tribulation, which will be after the rapture of the saints.

FYI: This site shows where the calculation is derived from God's word.
http://www.independencebaptist.org/6,000 Year Old Earth/6,000_year_old_earth.htm


BGTF

 

Whoa, hold your accusations there friend. I am not sure where exactly you read a calculation for the date of the coming of Christ. That site merely had it documented in one place of how/where the Bible tells how old the earth is. It does not even pretend to calculate the date when Christ is coming, but merely how old the earth is.

From the signs given to us, it is obvious that Christ's coming is near, it will happen just shortly after the last kernel of wheat is found. I'm not sure when that day will be but from everything else in scripture, we can know that it is very near, even knocking at the door.


BGTF

 

I am not sure you intended it, but your argument sounds too much like this...

2 Peter 3:3-4
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.


Just look up and make sure you are ready because all indications are that 'the coming of the Lord draweth nigh'.


BGTF

 

Again, what I have stated is not new, it has been around for a long time.
Read the introduction of this book, which is further developed throughout the whole book, and was written in the mid 1800's.

http://www.stempublishing.com/history/

Or the same teaching more simplistically spelled out here.
http://www.themoorings.org/prophecy/evidence/apostasy/apos7.html


BGTF

 

Since there are 6.6 billion people and only seven churches to fit them in, things may seem over-simplified, but there are also many shades an mixtures of each color, and yet really only three of them.

The generalizations are applied based on the susceptibility of each group to a particular sin through an inherent weakness. Not every IFB can't or doesn't love, but if you ask them to speak honestly about their weakness towards sin, the major majority will espouse the greatest weakness towards truly loving both Christ and others. Likewise with the Pentecostal types at Pergamos, love comes much easier to them, but they tend to fall in to every type of heresy there is. The denomination a person attends does not necessarily coincide with where their mindset is. I know of several who attend a Baptist church and hold a Laodicean mindset, while I know of an elder in a Pentecostal church that holds a Reformed type of perspective. He says he stays there because the Pentecostals tend more towards life in the Spirit and help him to stay alive in Spirit AND in truth.

The idea is for each of us to take the teaching and examine ourselves by it before Christ does the examination for us.

1 Cor 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.


BGTF

 

I remember you telling me that you believed these were 7 specific churches that existed at the time of the apostles. They would be the first of all of these.

I merely supplied the modern names so people might understand, but Churches throughout history believed these things and yet had different names for them. For example, I am sure you have heard of the Montanists in the second century, they were the second 'Pentecostals' if you will, the first were in 'Pergamos'. Likewise, I am sure you have heard of Antinomians (I realise it is a term coined by Luther), they would be the Nicolaitans whom Ephesus despised back in the first century. The antinomians are the forerunner of the New Evangelicals and birthed out of Laodicea. These days Smyrna is persecuted by Communists and Muslims et al, early on they were killed by Nero and friends, etc. etc.


Perhaps a study of the names of them may convince you

Ephesus-First, Desirable, chief or only---------Independent
Smyrna-Myrrh-Embalming for the Dead--------Martyrs
Pergamos-Marriage to the world---------------Syncretism
Thyatira-Continual Sacrifice-------------------Works based salvation
Sardis-Remnant-------------------------------Few actually alive
Philadelphia-Brotherly Love--------------------Loving Brethren
Laodicea-Voice of the people------------------Compromise/Majority rule

All this is not meant to be the point here though

The point is to look for any of these errors in ourselves, so we can get dealing with them now.


BGTF

 

Both of those views as you have expressed them are leaning a little too much towards antinomian viewpoint, and yet we have to be careful not to overcorrect into a legalistic point of view. A genuine Christian knows that Christ bore their sin, and because they love Him they do everything within their means not to heap any more on Him, not because of fear of retribution, but because of genuine love for the Saviour.

I like Spurgeon's take on the matter paraphrased here:
'Both a pig and a cat can find themselves in the mud, take them both out, and the cat does what he can to clean it off, whereas the pig wants back in'

'Both a non-Christian and a Christian can find themselves in sin, take them both out of it, and the Christian tries desperately to stay out, whereas the non-Christian wants back in'


BGTF

 

That statement has been true for many centuries. In case of discrepancy, the problem lies not with the statement, but with the "claims".

I remember what it was like being a newborn, much desire against sin for sin's sake, with just a little power over it. As a person grows in Christ, these things don't change in kind, what changes is that these things which have been planted new, GROW.

It is much easier for the carnal man to hate the sin in another man, than it is for the man to hate the sin in himself. Once one fixes their eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ to see perfection, a look away unto the imperfection in ourselves should be extremely humbling. Those who justify themselves in any action have never really looked at Christ. Having experienced the sting of sin, I can tell you much about the evils of sin, about how I look for it's early rising in myself, fight it and slay it daily. I have seen a lot of things on this board this week, and could have easily jumped into the mud in many of the discussions. However, I am not here to jump into the mud, like the cat I very much hate it; I am here to show that there is life outside the mud, and beckon others in that direction.

As an itinerant gospel preacher, I can tell someone they are wrong all day and it will only cause them to fortify themselves in their error, or I can tell someone Who/what is right all day, that they may compare that to what they believe. The finishing tounch on the gospel message though is not what the preacher tells the people, but what the preacher demonstrates for them. Even the heathen respond to that.

1 Cor 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.


BGTF