Revelation 3:1-6 To Sardis: Do living deeds born of the Spirit of God

Revelation 3:1-6 Jesus identifies Himself with seven spirits of God and seven stars. The stars represent the messengers to the churches. (Revelation 1:20) There might be some confusion about the Holy Spirit and the seven spirits of God.  (See also Revelation 4:5 & 5:6) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and God is one. But the manifestation of the spirit takes many dimensions. Most likely this symbolism should be interpreted in light of Isaiah 11:2: "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." In Isaiah 11, this is spoken prophetically of Christ. Therefore, what Jesus says to this church is bound up with these attributes: wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of The Lord.

          The Sardis church had many deeds, whether good or bad Jesus didn't say, but that they were incomplete before God suggests that they were godly deeds. However, they were dead, even though they bore the name of the living Jesus. There are some things that remain but are about to die, that Jesus tells them to strengthen. They are directed to repent and remember the things they heard. In view of Rev. 2:4-5, we might infer that this is a similar shortcoming and that they should remember the good news and keep and strengthen their love for Christ, and repent of allowing their love to grow cold. Works are good and are evidence of faith (James 2:14-26) but they must not be allowed to supplant our love-relationship with Christ as the basis of our life and salvation.

          Jesus warns that He will come like a thief. This metaphor was used in several New Testament passages: Matt 24:43-44, Luke 12:39-40, I Thessalonians 5:2-4, II Peter 3:10. The day of The Lord, the day the Master of the household will return, will come without warning to those who are not watching and waiting for Him. Clearly, since Jesus gives this warning, it is possible for those who receive this letter to repent, and Jesus gives them a promise, in fact three promises: white, unsoiled garments in which to walk with Him; their name not to be erased from the Lamb's book of life (Rev. 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 20:15, 21:27); and that Jesus will own his name before the Father and the angels.

          Jesus says that the hearing ear will hear the Spirit's voice. This implies effort on the part of the church members to hear; what might this mean? Implicitly, it means that the deeds they are doing are not enough. They need to do deeds that are imbued with wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of The Lord: traits of the sevenfold Spirit of God. Perhaps this really means they need to spend time waiting on The Lord, to hear His voice and to receive of His nature and character, so that their deeds will not be dead works, but born of the Spirit.