As the saints of God, we can find ourselves becoming ineffective, lethargic, or distracted. We are called to change our minds and turn our focus to the Lord. We are called to cease viewing ourselves, others, and even our circumstances from a fleshly perspective and change our minds to view these things from a heavenly spiritual perspective.
Many of us are fortunate to live in countries where being thrown into prison for our beliefs is not a concern. Many others live in places where imprisonment is a constant risk. If you are interested in gaining perspective on this point, I recommend that you visit The Voice of the Martyrs at https://www.persecution.com.
Holy Spirit has told us through the Apostle John that God is Love. While He lived on earth, Jesus was often “moved with compassion.” He also called Holy Spirit “the Comforter” and “Helper.” None of these attributes of God is consistent with Him vomiting out His children because they fail to perform at an acceptable level—whatever that would be.
We find this situation throughout the various institutional churches today. There are many believers in such churches, but there are also many who rely upon religious self-effort. This sort of “virtue signaling” has no life in it.
One thing will be clear in the end. The Lord Jesus wants the very best for His bride. As we read in Ephesians 5:25–27, Christ “loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”
Sardis helps us see that the Lord sees everything as it is. He sees “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” Paradoxically, because this is true, we who are in Christ by faith can take great comfort. How so? Knowing that the Lord God is not faking Himself out, but sees everything as it truly is, we can trust Him when He calls us holy, blameless, and beyond reproach (Colossians 1:22, Philippians 2:15b).
REVELATION Number 32Chiasm In this study, and in my writing generally, when the word “church” is capitalized “Church” I am referring to the Church, the Body and Bride of Christ, as a whole. Exceptions are made when quoting another source. I may sometimes use the term, “the Church Catholic” or even “the Catholic Church.” I…
