Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus, write...
Revelation 2:1
As I reported in my journal entry for June 3rd…
Revelation 2:1
As I reported in my journal entry for June 3rd…
our weekday Bible studies have been permitted to resume after they were discontinued for almost three months. As I mentioned in my last entry, we are now doing a study based on chapters two and three of the New Testament's book of the Revelation.
In these chapters Christ is seen examining seven different churches which were in existence at the time. He was viewing them from heaven, where He then instructed John the apostle to share a particular message that was fitted for each of these churches, based on their good and bad points.
With this in mind, I challenged the men that if Christ was to examine our congregation, what would He say? What compliments would He give, and what criticisms? And would His criticisms outweigh the compliments? This led to some soul-searching, and an honest discussion.
But we're no different than the churches featured in Revelation, I said. Christ examines us, too. Even if He should find faults within our congregation, His purpose in bringing such shortcomings to light is so we could recognize them, and repent. His criticisms are not to hurt or discourage us, but for us to see where we may be falling short, and to allow for correction.
I also mentioned that even though Christ's letters were addressed to seven different church groups, they also call for self-examination concerning our own individual lives. We as believers need to allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts, having the willingness to repent from our own sins and failings, and to let the Lord correct our ways.
Christ's letters to the churches in the book of Revelation are just as applicable to the body of believers in Christ today, as they were almost two thousand years ago. Everyday should be a day for self-examination, and a good time to acknowledge our transgressions, as King David did (Psalm 51:3). To have the humility David had when he said to the Lord, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).
This, I believe, is the primary theme of the second and third chapters of the book of Revelation. The Lord Jesus reveals our sins and shortcomings so that we could recognize them, and repent. It's a message for today's churches, and for every one of His disciples, as well.
D. B.
In these chapters Christ is seen examining seven different churches which were in existence at the time. He was viewing them from heaven, where He then instructed John the apostle to share a particular message that was fitted for each of these churches, based on their good and bad points.
With this in mind, I challenged the men that if Christ was to examine our congregation, what would He say? What compliments would He give, and what criticisms? And would His criticisms outweigh the compliments? This led to some soul-searching, and an honest discussion.
But we're no different than the churches featured in Revelation, I said. Christ examines us, too. Even if He should find faults within our congregation, His purpose in bringing such shortcomings to light is so we could recognize them, and repent. His criticisms are not to hurt or discourage us, but for us to see where we may be falling short, and to allow for correction.
I also mentioned that even though Christ's letters were addressed to seven different church groups, they also call for self-examination concerning our own individual lives. We as believers need to allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts, having the willingness to repent from our own sins and failings, and to let the Lord correct our ways.
Christ's letters to the churches in the book of Revelation are just as applicable to the body of believers in Christ today, as they were almost two thousand years ago. Everyday should be a day for self-examination, and a good time to acknowledge our transgressions, as King David did (Psalm 51:3). To have the humility David had when he said to the Lord, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).
This, I believe, is the primary theme of the second and third chapters of the book of Revelation. The Lord Jesus reveals our sins and shortcomings so that we could recognize them, and repent. It's a message for today's churches, and for every one of His disciples, as well.
D. B.
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