REWARDS FOR
OVERCOMING…
I. “To him that overcometh
will I give to eat of the tree of life.”
(Rev.
2:7)
2. “He that overcometh
shall not be hurt of the second
death.”
(Rev. 2:11)4.
3."To
him that overcometh will I give to
eat of the hidden manna.”
(Rev. 2:17)
4. “He that overcometh…will
I give power over the nations” (Rev.
2:26)
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.” (Rev.
3:5)
6. “Him that overcometh
will I make a pillar in the temple of my God…”
(Rev. 3:12)
7. “To him that overcometh
will I
grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame.” (Rev. 3:21)
How different is this language from
anything in Paul’s epistles!!!
REASONS WHY ALL IN THESE SEVEN CHURCHES ARE NOT BELIEVERS:
1.
Some of them are of “the synagogue of -Satan.”
(Rev. 2:9; 3:9)
2.
IF all in these seven churches
were truly born again, the Lord would not be standing outside the door of
their hearts, saying, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man
hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with Me.” (Rev. 3:20).
3.
All true believers are already overcomers,
as seen in the following references:
I
John 5:5— “Who is he that overcometh
the world, but he that beheveth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
Yes,
every true believer today is an overcomer.
Romans 8:37— “Nay, in all these things, we are MORE than conquerors {overcomers)
through Him that loved us.”
The fact that every
true believer is an overcomer, makes it unmistakably clear that the seven
churches of Revelation are a mixed multitude of saved and unsaved people. This
clearly distinguishes these “churches” from the body of Christ, which is
composed only of saved souls,
This is so because the Lord Himself admits believers, and hypocrites are
shut out. (Acts 2:47)
IT
IS SIGNIFICANT
that the word “SAINTS,” used 12 times in the book of Revelation and 37 times in
Paul’s epistles, is conspicuously absent in the first three chapters of
Revelation that deal with the seven churches!
MORE EVIDENCE WHY THE SEVEN
CHURCHES OF REVELATION
ARE TOTALLY UNRELATED TO THE BODY OF CHRIST
ONLY CONTRASTS:
1.
The term designating Christ as “the Son of man” is used multiplied times
in the four gospels, and twice in Revelation (1:13 and 14:14).
Not once, however, can it be found in Paul’s epistles written for this
dispensation.
2.
We are told that there are seven angels of the seven churches in Asia,
each church with its own special angel (i.e. – messenger). Though angels in
heaven observe the Christian’s testimony (Eph. 3:10; 1 Cor. 11:10) we are
not informed that they play an active role in the body of Christ.
3.
A physical description of Christ, as it relates to His coming in power
and judgment, is given in Rev. 1:12-15 and 2:18; (compare with Matt. 17:1-2 and
2 Peter 1:16-18). A physical description
of the Person of Christ is not given in any of Paul’s epistles. Rather, He
is consistently referred to, in one way or another, as “Head over all things to
the church. (Eph. 1:22; Col. 1:18)
4.
“Seven golden candlesticks” are words the Holy Spirit uses to describe
the 7 churches of Asia. (reminiscent of the candlesticks of the tabernacle under
Moses). In contrast, the symbolic body of a man, (each Christian being a member
of that body) is used by our Lord to describe the church, the body of Christ, to
whom Paul wrote his epistles.
5.
Rev. 2:1 speaks of Christ as
walking among the seven churches,
while Paul writes of Christ as the
indwelling power within each believer,
e.g.: Col. 1:27-29.
6.
The seven churches of Asia are composed of saved and unsaved, as opposed
to the body which is made up entirely of born again believers, “sanctified in
Christ Jesus.”
NOTE:
Rev. 3:20 is an account of Christ seeking entrance into the hearts and
lives of those yet unsaved in the seven
churches!!
DIRE WARNINGS TO
THE SEVEN CHURCHES,
UNLIKE ANYTHING FOUND IN PAUL’S EPISTLES
To the church of Ephesus, John says, “Remember, therefore, from whence
thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come unto
thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou
repent.” (Rev.
2:5)
To Smyrna he writes, “These things saith
the first and the last,
(compare this with Isa. 41:4; 44:6 and 48:12), which was dead and is
alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I
know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the
synagogue of Satan. (Rev. 2:8-9).
To Pergamos: “I have a few things against thee..., repent or else I will come
unto thee quickly, and will fight against them” (speaking of unsaved enemies of
Christ who help make up the church of Pergamos). Rev. 2:14, 16.
To Thyatira: “These things, saith the Son of God, Who hath His eyes like unto a
flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass... I have a few things against
thee.” (Rev. 2:18, 20).
To Sardis: “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.” (Rev. 3:3).
To Philadelphia: These things, saith He.... that hath the key of David... behold
I will make them of the synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews, and are not,
but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to
know that I have loved thee.” (Rev. 3:7-9)
To Laodicea: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have
need of nothing;
and knowest not that thou art wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Rev. 3:17)
YOU ARE CHALLENGED TO FIND SUCH WARNINGS ANYWHERE
IN THE WRITINGS OF PAUL, JAMES,
PETER, JOHN OR JUDE!
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