V. To THE CHURCH In SARDIS (3:1-6)
V. To THE CHURCH In SARDIS (3:1-6)
A Destination
This letter was addressed to the church in Sardis, a city that flourished some five hundred years before John was born. Later the city was conquered by Cyrus of Persia, then by Alexander the Great. Through those conquests Sardis was reduced to ruins. In A.D. 17 a great earthquake turned the rebuilt city into a heap of refuse. However, Emperor Tiberius of Rome gave it new life. This city worshipped the goddess Cybele.
B. The Description of Jesus
Jesus appeared to the church in Sardis as One who had the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. The seven stars signify the servants of God, and the seven Spirits of God signify that God gives the fullness of the Holy Spirit to the servants whom He has restored. In the light of church history, the church in Sardis refers to the Protestant church founded by Luther on the biblical principle that we are justified by faith alone, not by good works and adherence to tradition.
C. Commendation
Jesus commended the few clothed in white robes in the church of Sardis. They were the ones who were justified before God by their faith, as were the leaders of the Reformation, who also retained pure faith. Because they believed in the precious blood of Jesus and His grace, He washed them clean and clothed them with white robes.
D. Rebuke
Jesus also rebuked the church in Sardis, saying, ‘Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” (3:1). He meant that in the past the church had been growing and was alive, but little by little their enthusiasm disappeared and their faith became cold. Only a memory of the past was left.
Historically, the church of this period launched the Reformation, breaking with sacrifices and rituals of the Roman church. Since the reform was linked with many political motives, however, it was not completely changed.
E. Exhortation
Jesus exhorted the church in Sardis to be awakened to life from its dead state, to remember His graces received, to hold fast to the faith and repent.
F. Promise
Jesus promised that He would clothe with white robes those who were thus quickened to life and record their names in the book of life, that they might live forever (see v. 5). He would also vouch for those names before God and His angels.
G. Interpretation of the Prophecy (1517-1750)
In terms of church history, the church in Sardis signifies the period from 1517 to 1750. The name Sardis means “those escaping” — the people who left what became the Roman Catholic church. The most prominent figure of this period was Martin Luther, a priest who led the Reformation beginning in 1517. Through much fasting and prayer, he tried to obtain assurance of his salvation, but he was unable to do so. Therefore he was in agony.
On one occasion Luther visited Rome, where he ascended the steps of Pilate, the same stairs that tradition said Jesus had walked up to be tried before Pilate. Each step was strewn with pieces of broken glass, and pilgrims would go up on their knees to participate in the same sufferings as Jesus. Also, a superstition held that if people ascended the stairs on their knees, they would receive remission for their sins.
In the middle of climbing the stairs, Luther received a clear revelation from God: ‘The just shall live by faith” (Heb. 10:38). Hearing these words in his heart and suddenly realising forgiveness comes not by deeds but by faith, he rose to his feet and descended the steps. It was considered sacrilegious to come down from the middle of those stairs, but Luther's heart was filled with the assurance of a firm biblical belief. Returning from Rome, Luther posted a written protest of ninety-five articles on the church gate in ‘Wittenberg, Germany, which firmly declared that indulgences were unbiblical. That written protest launched the Reformation, which freed the church from its dead state. Luther underwent numerous persecutions and was excommunicated, and his life was under constant threat. Fortunately, however, the king and the feudal lords of Germany protected him and saved his life. They had been struggling to free themselves from the rule of the pope and took advantage of the Reformation to revolt against Rome. The result was that even though the Reformation was achieved, it had political as well as spiritual motives behind it. The church was still bound by form and ritual. And the church was actually still in the state of death, even though it had the appearance of being alive.