Let me first state my agreement with Ptr. John MacArthur when he wrote "The seven churches addressed in chapters 2 and 3 were actual existing churches when John wrote. But while not precisely duplicated, they also represent the types of churches that are generally present throughout the entire church age." Therefore I invite you to try to evaluate your church's type following the seven categories:

1) Love-Grew-Cold (Ephesus)
Commended for (2:2–3, 6):

• deeds, toil, and perseverance
• healthy judgment againts false teachings and teachers
• hatred for antinomians

Rebuked for (2:4):

• diminishing passion for GOD

2) Persecuted (Smyrna)
Commended for (2:9):

• staying firm amidst tribulation, poverty and blasphemy

Rebuked for:

• nothing (Wow!)

3) Worldly (Pergamum)
Commended for (2:13):

• maintaining their faith despite difficult circumstances including death

Rebuked for (2:14–15):

• mixing Christianity with worldly systems (as paganism)
• some abuse liberty and embrace antinomianism (Nicolaitans)

4) Sin-Tolerating (Thyatira)
Commended for (2:19):

• growing deeds of love, faith, service, and perseverance

Rebuked for (2:20–23):

• tolerating a false teacher, a false teaching, and immoral practices inside

5) Dead (Sardis)
Commended for (3:4):

• some who maintain their purity

Rebuked for (3:1d, 2b):

• departing from the Source of spiritual life and from being a channel of spiritual life

6) Faithful (Philadelphia)
Commended for (3:8–11a):

• though small in numbers, they have a powerful impact in the community for being faithful to GOD and to His Word

Rebuked for:

• nothing (Wow! And wow!)

7) Lukewarm (Laodicea)
Commended for:

• nothing (What?)

Rebuked for (3:15–17):

• being lukewarm, neither are they genuinely saved (hot) nor are they rejecting the gospel (cold)
• being arrogant and proud
• being spiritually wretched, poor, and blind

How About the UMC?

Let me, then, diagnose my church, the United Methodist Church, as I observe its worship and practices here at our conference. I am confident yet sad to admit that my church does not fall on the unrebuked churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia. It is neither persecuted nor faithful. I can't even classify it under the passionless Ephesus. Never do I see a healthy discernment against false teachers and false teachings (false teachers are actually revered oftentimes). These, therefore, leave four feasible choices: Worldly, Sin-Tolerating, Dead, Lukewarm. Did I just describe my church with four adjectives?

Let me, therefore, proceed on exploring the commands given to these four churches. I assume that these are the same commands that my church ought to take heed to:

• Commandment to Pergamum (2:16)

    "repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war"

• Commandment to Thyatira (2:24–25)

    "the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this [false] teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come."

• Commandment to Sardis (3:2a, 3)

"Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die…. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent."

• Commandment to Laodicea (3:18–20)

"be zealous and repent"

Oh, GOD, please be merciful and gracious to the United Methodist Church. May You, in Your sovereignty, be pleased to send renewal, reformation, and revival.

I have borrowed a lot from MacArthur's New Testament Commentary: Revelation 1-11.

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