Thinking Thursday

[Rev 3:1-6 ESV] 1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

My first question is what are the 7 spirits of God?  We know that the number 7 represents perfection and completion and that usually the number is associated with God alone.  Gotquestions.org has this article which explains it well.  God's message starts off on the ominous side.  "Church, your reputation is good but I know the truth, you are dead."  Gulp!

 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

God commands this church to wake up and strengthen.  He also tells them a hard truth.  Their works are incomplete, meaning lacking and not up to par of His standards.

 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 

More commands:  remember, keep and repent.  If they don't, they will not know that God is against them until it is too late to do anything about it.

4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 

Even though the church is in trouble with God, there are individuals who have no part of the church's failures.  Once again, we can still be considered righteous even though our surroundings and environment are not.

5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Those who do their best in following God and holding to His teachings will receive eternal rewards:  white garments, no removal from the book of life and Jesus himself will say to the royal court, this is ______________!!!! 

6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

The Spirit speaks to us as individuals and to the bride, the churches even today; 2000 years since these words were penned by John as he received the message from Jesus.