Looking At The Church In Smyrna: How It Teaches Us Today

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; 

These things saith the first and the last,

 which was dead, and is alive; I know 

thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, 

(but thou are rich) and I know the 

blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, 

and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Fear none of those things which thou 

shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast 

some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; 

and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be 

thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee 

a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him 

hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Revelation 2:8-11 

     Revisiting what we have studied and learned is important for us so that we understand certain things: i.e., seven is the number for completeness; therefore those seven Churches represent all of Christendom, and that Jesus sees all our works, and that those who overcome will inherit the blessings of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, we have come to know that we are soldiers, soldiers of Jesus Christ and that we are victorious soldiers. We as His soldiers are bound to fight the fight of Jesus Christ and that means to fight sin, the world, and the devil. If you are not fighting this fight you are tacitly renouncing your Christianity. God has given to us all the protection we need to fight this fight (Ephesians 6:13-17) so we do not have to fear for we are the conquerors and are overcomers. This is our distinguishing mark as Authentic Christians: we are numbered as a soldier in the ranks of Jesus' Christ' army. 

     Let this one thing be clear: If you have any right to any of the promises of Jesus Christ you must fight this good fight in the cause and for the cause of Jesus Christ, and in this fight you will be the conqueror. Victory is the evidence that you have Authentic Christianity Faith, a saving faith. This fight may include, and does, your time in reading the Bible, praying, and going to Church, which is all good: But, how goes the battle? Are you fighting the battle? Are overcoming the love of the world with all its delicate, euphoric and delicious invitation to be involved in what they offer and you overcoming the fear of man? What about your passions, tempers, and lusts of your own heart: are you fighting this fight and are you overcoming? Let us get this: you must either serve sin and the devil and the world, to rule over all that is offered to you or not. There is no middle ground, in fact, if you are walking the fence, in time, both sides will be throwing rotten eggs at you. You must either conquer or be lost.     

     The letter to the angel of the Church in Smyrna gives this warning and promise: "...He that ovecometh shall not be hurt or the second death" (Revelation 2:11b). The second death is Gehenna, not hell, Gehenna. Gehenna is the Greek word for the Valley of Hinnom where sulphur and brimstone, burned day and night and destroyed all that was thrown into it, even those vile people not deserving of a burial. As this letter reminds us; we have men and women who are blaspheming and are of the Devil. These vile men are drawing people away from the truth and causing them to not be Authentic Christians. Much trial and tribulations come to one who follow them due to those promises and speculations of these vile men and women not coming true. You must be faithful unto death. There are no shortcuts here as some seem to teach, those who rely on experiences rather than on the cross of Jesus Christ. It cost Jesus Christ His life on the horrible cross, a painful death: just for you. Jesus did not have to do this; He is God and is in need of nothing so His death was a vicarious death and what His death did was to destroy Satan's power and in time will destroy Satan. It is by way of the cross that you become an Authentic Christian, no other way. Sin, the world and the devil must be mortified in you, resisted by you and overcome by you. God will not do it for you: you must do it. 

     John wrote that those opposer will only last 10 days, and 10 is used for the world and that by stating a number then the world has a limit of time in which it will oppose and contradict and blaspheme God, and you. You must choose! Choose wisely! Either by an Authentic Christian or not! Either be an overcomer or not! Be one that will be thrown into Gehenna or not! He that hath an ear, let him/her hear!

And if it seem evil unto you

     to serve the LORD, choose you

this day whom ye will serve; whether

     the gods which your fathers served

that were on the other side of the flood, 

    or the gods of he Amorites, in whose

land ye dwell: but as for me and my house,

    we will serve the LORD.

                       Joshua 24:15

Gear up: The battle needs you

Richard L. Crumb

 

Learning To Follow Our Captian, Our General And That We Are HIs Soldiers

...write in a book; and send it

 unto the seven churches....

Revelation 1:11b

Write the things which thou sawest

 and the thing which are about to take 

place after these.

Revelation 1:19

     Yes, I am spending a great deal of time on these verses and this is by design. If we do not get what is being said and how to apply what is written then we will miss the greater point as to why the Holy Spirit had John write these letters. Those seven Churches represent complete Christianity so they apply to us and we must learn from them so we can become Authentic Christians. Too many people want to dwell on the "juicy" parts of Revelation, those things that have sprung many theories, and are only speculations, but they are "fun" to think about and to apply. We will get to them as soon as we learn from the beginning of this letter what we must know and understand and not just pass over them lightly. 

     Jesus said: "I know thy works," and He does and we should be humbled that He knows everything about me, and you, but He also makes a promise for all who will overcome. To each of the seven Churches Jesus give great promises, each different, but those promises give forth consolation and are always addressed to Christians who overcome. What does it mean to overcome? 

     When you come to the place where you are just sick of your life, those sins and blemishes and you feel that you are discouraged, well, we all are at times but there is great encouragement to be found in these letters to those seven Churches. To overcome something you must know what it is that needs to be overcome. The first thing is to recognize that you are a sinner and in need of a savior, that you cannot overcome your lack of ability to stop that which you know is contrary to the will of God. That must come first, that you know that you need help and you want that help. This is the point in time that your new life will begin, that is, you know your failures and by hearing the word of God faith has come to you (Romans 10:17) and you accept that Jesus is the One who can save you from what you cannot change, those sins and failures. Having then, accepted Jesus as Savior you begin your new life and it is not all "roses and cherries," but you begin, you study His word, you pray for strength and you take time to meditate upon His word. Let me encourage you! Jesus sees the beauty as well as the ugly, and no matter how little the beauty may be, He sees your beauty, your effort, and your conscientious desire to please Him. God sees your tears: "Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto Thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me" (Psalm 56:8-9). When you do good to others, when you care for your brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, Jesus sees this beautiful thing and He does not forget your labor of love. 

     Jesus will honor the work of His Spirit in you and will pass over your frailties and will chastise you back to repentance if need it. Jesus will see your faith, your faith in action, not just words, but active faith. Jesus sees your feeble efforts to please and serve Him and He will bless you in ways that you may not even know that you are being blessed. Active faith was outlined for us by Jesus when questioned: "Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee, or thirsty, and gave Thee drink: When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? Or naked, and clothed Thee? Or when saw we Thee sick or in prison, and come unto Thee" (Matthew 25:37-39)? Jesus sees your works! 

     So then, to be an overcome, first you repent of your sins and convert to Jesus Christ and that conversion is evidenced by your works and by your works you manifest that you are one who overcomes and then those promises are to you, one who overcomes. Notice that in these letters to those seven Churches the words: "to him that ovecometh," or "he that overcometh." 

     Who are you? What does it mean for you to be a Christian? You are a soldier for Jesus Christ to be used in His service and that service is to bring the Gospel to the world, to care for those in need starting at your home, you Church and to your neighbors. As a Christian you are bound to fight Christ's battle against sin and you when you were baptized stated that you are willing to be a soldier for Jesus Christ. This baptism was you outward manifestation or your vow to Him. You cannot break this vow and if you do you will receive from Jesus Christ chastisement and even more you will lose what you gained (Hebrews 10:26). This public recognition is that you are now a soldier for Jesus Christ and you want to be recognized as such. Paul stated that we are to put on the full armor of God: "Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.' "Above all, take the shield of faith' (Ephesians 6:13-17), and with your leader, your General who leads you you will be a conqueror for you have all the provisions you need to be the light of the world, the water of life, and glory of God. This is a great privilege to be a soldier of Jesus Christ and your works, no matter how big or small, they are seen by Jesus and you will be the recipient of those promises that we can read as we read about those seven Churches in Revelation. 

The fear of the LORD is to 

     hate evil: pride, and arrogance,

and the evil way, and the froward

    mouth, do I hate.

                   Proverbs 8:13

Today: fight the good fight

Richard L. Crumb

What Does It Mean To Have Works?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works,

 when he had offered Isaac his son upon

 the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought 

with his works, and by works was faith 

made perfect? And the scripture was 

fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, 

and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: 

and he was called the friend of God. Ye see 

then how that by works a man is justified,

 and not by faith only. Likewise also was 

not Rahab the harlot justified by works,

 when she had received the messengers, 

and had sent them out another way?

James 2:21-25

     As we study the seven Churches in Revelation it is noticed that in every epistle Jesus says, 'I know they works.' It is very striking that this expression is told about those seven Churches. Jesus does not say: 'I know your profession, your desires, your resolutions, your wishes,' but says: 'I know your works.' Therefore works is very important and if one is to be an Authentic Christian they will be manifested in your  life. Works cannot and does not justify you or wipe out your sins, or deliver you from the wrath of God. Just because they cannot save you does not diminish their importance. If you think that they do, then you are deceiving yourself. Each person claiming to be a Christian must earnestly contend for the faith and that contending is the evidence of a person's religion. This was certainly true of Abraham, and Rahab for by their faith came works, their faith was proved by their works. Many say that they know God, and by this profession they have come to believe that they are godly. They may be living a moral life but they are not manifesting their faith by this alone, their profession alone is not enough in fact they may be denying Jesus Christ: "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient,and unto every good work reprobate" (Titus 1:16). Jesus stated: "For every tree is known by his own fruit....." (Luke 6:16a).

     Whatever you are doing, saying, all things about you are known by Jesus Christ, therefore your works as a professing Christian are known by God. Jesus hears all, even your whispers, every letter you may have written, every thought you have had and will have: there is no secret with God about you that you have that He does not know, all things are manifest before Him. Jesus, as we will read and study later in Revelation, will judge the wicked when the books are opened and this 'according to their works.' Jesus knows the works of His people and will reward then and will weigh them, "Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed" (1Samuel 2:3). Your works will follow you: "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them" (Revelation 14:3). Paul wrote: "Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor" (1Corinthians 3:8). 

     Is this not a solemn warning? Yes! There is a warning to all worldly people, to all hypocrites, those professors of religion. Jesus says: 'I know they works.' You cannot deceive Jesus Christ and He will expose you on the last day: Unless: you REPENT! Oh how sorry it is to have the name Christian and to not have the reality. Remember: your sins will find you out. Yet by the mercy of God He send out a word of warning: 'I know thy works.' 

And it shall be said in that day,

    Lo, this is our God; we have

waited for Him, and He will save us:

    this is the LORD; we have waited

for Him, we will be glad and rejoice

    in His salvation.

                      Isaiah 25:9

What works will you do today for the Gospel?

Richard L. Crumb