According To The Scriptures:

THE BOOK OF REVELATION 

REVELATION 3

(Black: Scripture)
(Red: Jesus)
(Blue: E. L. Johns)
 
 
The message to the church at Sardis almost breaks my heart as I remember what church was like even 50 years ago and then go to one of the entertainment centers called a "church" today.  You can see and feel what God warns the Sardis church about.
1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.  (Rev. 3:1)
What a shame, that the blood-bought churches of our Lord (Eph. 5:25) could come down to a condition where God would say, "...thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."
 
Years ago a group of men from the Lord's churches that operate under the title of "Baptist" (having heaven's authority to baptize) made a covenant that the Lord's churches would abstain from the use and sale of alcohol as a beverage.  However, today all of the churches that I am familiar with allow the members to order, deliver, load and unload, and check alcohol out at cash registers.  At least one radio station that claims to be "Christian" has businesses that sell alcohol as their supporters -- "...a name that thou livest, and art dead."
 
WARNING:
2  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
 
3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
America has been blessed more than any nation on earth.  I believe it is because of the fundamental, conservative churches that existed in America, but watch out when the churches become "play" houses instead of "pray" houses!
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
 
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
What a blessed assurance!
 
There are two "books of life" mentioned in the book of Revelation.  Every person that is born in the flesh is in the book of life (book of the living) until they know to do good and do not do it (James 4:17).  When a person knows they are a sinner and that they cannot save themselves, they realize that they need someone to save them.  If they accept the saving blood of Jesus as a sacrifice for their sins, they are born again by the blood of Jesus.  At that point, their names are written in the book of life of the Lamb (Rev. 21:27).  Once a name is written in the book of life of the Lamb, that name can never be removed -- praise God!
 
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (I Pet. 1:18-19).
 
You reach Christ's blood by faith.  Romans Chapter 5 enumerates the blessings received by faith.
 
"Much more then, being now [present tense] justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Rom. 5:9).
 
Every sin we have committed or ever will commit is cleansed when we confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
 
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7).
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8).
 
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23).
 
You do not need a priest, preacher, or anyone else.
 
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13).
 
We begin the study of the sixth church of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3.  The name of this church is Philadelphia, which means "brotherly love".  The doctrines taught in these last two churches clear up a lot of things such as:
(1) The Bride of Christ.
(2) Will the true churches be taken out before the tribulation?
(3) How can all saved be in the first resurrection?
(4) Will the "rapture" (catching up) be "split"?
(5) What is the Holy City of New Jerusalem?
(6) Are we living in the last days according to prophecy?
Please don't become impatient as studying these last two churches will take time.
 
COMMENDATION
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
 
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
PROMISE
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
The mocked churches and pastors that refuse to compromise with the liberal world will rule the nations (Rev. 2:26-27) and judge the world and the fallen angels (I Cor. 6:2-3).
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
This verse lets us know that the overcomers in the Lord's true churches will not go into any part of the "great tribulation" (the faithful are delivered from the hour of temptation).  Also, John was caught up into heaven (Rev. 4:1-3).  As soon as John was caught up to where the faithful were in heaven, Rev. 4:5 discusses lightnings, thunderings, and voices.  Notice that this happened on earth after John was caught up to where the throne was. 
 
The five virgins that were ready when the Bridegroom came "went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut" (Matt. 25:10).  The five foolish virgins had obviously been saved because their "lamps are gone out [are going out]" (Matt. 25:8); i.e., their lamps had burned at one time.  A lost person cannot be a light for Jesus. 
 
The man traveling into a far country "called his own servants" -- not the devil's servants (Matt. 25:14-30).  The one servant that was "wicked and slothful" (Matt. 25:26) was cast into "outer darkness" (Matt. 25:30).  There shall be "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 25:30).  This is not hell.  It will be right here on earth while the "Great Tribulation" is taking place (read Rev. 16:10).
 
When people are said to be cast into a furnace of fire and there is wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:37-43), it is speaking of lost people. 
 
Preachers who have been placed over the Lord's household and have started "to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken" (Luke 12:45) will be given "his portion with the unbelievers" (Luke 12:46).  He is not an unbeliever but gets his portion with the unbelievers.  The unbeliever's portion, when Jesus comes, is to go into the "Great Tribulation" and many die.  More than half of the world's population will die in the seven years of tribulation.
 
"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36). 
 
What good would it do for a lost person to watch?  None!  So God is saying to those of us who are saved to watch and pray always.  Why?  So that we may be able to escape the conditions of things that are coming to pass on earth.  (Read Luke 21:34-36.)
 
It is very plain that all of the saved will not be caught up in what we call the "rapture".  Only the faithful saved will be caught up.  Why would God warn saved people of the need to be faithful to a true church?  God knows the end from the beginning, and God wants the best for His children.
11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

The question is often asked, "Are we living in the last days BEFORE Jesus comes and catches up His Bride?" There are two types of days used in the Bible. There is "the evening and the morning day" or, as we speak of it, the 24-hour day. "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day" (Gen. 1:5). Then there is the 1,000-year day. "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (II Peter 3:8). Both of these days were applied to Adam who became a lost sinner in the 24-hour day in which he ate the forbidden fruit. Adam died spiritually that day. (Read Gen. 3:1-13.)

"And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died" (Gen. 5:5).  Adam died spiritually the "day" he ate of the forbidden fruit, but he lived physically until he was 930 years old fleshly (just under 1,000 years). No one has or can live more than 1,000 years without dying. Decide for yourself if we are living in the very last days.

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of" (II Peter 2:1-2).

The way to judge a religion and see if it is a cult is to see if they deny the deity of Jesus Christ. Deity means that Jesus is God so, if a religion denies that Jesus is God, that religion is a cult.

The Jehovah's Witnesses "had been called Millennial Dawnists, International Bible Students, and earlier Russellites after the man who brought about their first incorporation in 1884. Pastor Charles Taze Russell..." (Handbook of Denominations in the United States, by Frank S. Mead, p. 115). They (Jehovah's Witnesses) believe that Jesus is a created angel. But what does their Bible teach?
 
"In [the] beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1, New World Translation).
 
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus is not God the Eternal One but that he is a created angel.
 
According to the Scriptures, is Jesus very God?

"And Isaac began to say to Abraham his father: "My father!" In turn he said: "Here I am, my son!" So he continued: "Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?" To this Abraham said: "God will provide himself the sheep for the burnt offering, my son." And both of them walked on together." (Gen. 22:7-8, NWT).

NOTICE: God provides Himself! God became "the Lamb of God" [Jesus] "that takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29, NWT).

"Look! The virgin will become pregnant and will give birth to a son, and they will call his name Im·manŽu·el," which means, when translated, "With Us Is God" (Matt. 1:23, NWT).

When Jesus was born, God was with us in the flesh of Jesus!

"Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed YOU overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own [Son]" (Acts 20:28, NWT).

NOTICE: The word [Son] is in brackets, indicating that it has been added. Leave out the added word and you will see that this verse says "congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own" -- i.e., purchased with God's own blood.

What will happen to those who do not believe that Jesus is God? The people of Christ's day asked a question of Jesus:

"Therefore they went on to say to him: "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered: "YOU know neither me nor my Father. If YOU did know me, YOU would know my Father also" (John 8:19, NWT).

"So he went on to say to them: "YOU are from the realms below; I am from the realms above. YOU are from this world; I am not from this world. Therefore I said to YOU, YOU will die in YOUR sins. For if YOU do not believe that I am [he], YOU will die in YOUR sins" (John 8:23-24, NWT).

"...let it be known to all of YOU...that in the name of Jesus Christ the Naz·a·rene, whom YOU impaled but whom God raised up from the dead, by this one does this man stand here sound in front of YOU. This is...the stone that was treated by YOU builders as of no account that has become the head of the corner.... Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved" (Acts 4:10-12, NWT).

It is so important that we bring out some more facts. There are no signs before Jesus comes and takes His Bride away. "But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas" (Matt. 12:39). We are given conditions that will be happening, but no signs except the sign of Jonas (three days and three nights).

After the catching away of the faithful church members (the "rapture"), signs will follow during the "great tribulation"; but the catching away of the Bride (the "rapture") will be as it was in Noah's day:

"For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matt. 24:38-39).

"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matt. 24:3)

WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE?

The answer to the first question is found in Matt. 24:1-2: "And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

Jesus told the disciples of the destruction of the buildings, including the temple. In A.D. 70 Titus destroyed the buildings and, when the temple burned, the gold ran among the rocks. The soldiers pried the rocks apart to get the gold and not one stone was left upon another. This Scripture has been fulfilled.

WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THY COMING?

The answer to the second question is found in Matt. 24:4-7. There will be a religious preparation: "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (Matt. 24:4-5).

There will be a political preparation: "And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" (Matt. 24:6-7).

There will be nature's preparation: "and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places" (Matt. 24:7).

The religious deceit is here. There will be a general preparation (II Pet. 3:1-9). There will be an educational preparation (Dan. 12:4). There will be a physical preparation (Luke 21:26).

But the end is not yet!

Matt. 24:8-13 is the great tribulation and ends when Jesus comes with His Bride to fight the battle of Armageddon.

The coming of Christ will be preceeded by a religious preparation. It amazes me that so many people think that they are going to heaven while their religious practices cannot be found in the New Testament.

Many teach that baptism is essential to salvation, but the Bible says that salvation is the gift of God. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). Everyone should search to see where the Bible says that baptism is a gift of God. It can't be found!

Some teach that water baptism is sprinkling. Ask your preacher to give the Scriptures that say baptism is by sprinkling. When you can't find sprinkling for baptism, read Rom. 6:4, Col. 2:12, Acts 8:38.

Some teach: "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy", but search the New Testament. When you can't find that statement, read Rom. 14:5, Col. 2:16, I Cor. 16:2.

Some teach that the lost will burn up and be no more, but read Luke 16:9, 19-31.

WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGN OF THE END OF THE WORLD?

When will the end of the world come? The answer to the third question is found in Matt. 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

At the present time, we do not preach the gospel of the kingdom -- we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16).

The gospel of the kingdom will begin once the church overcomers have been caught up (I Thess. 4:13-18, I Cor. 15:51-52). The 144,000 Israelite men will come to Christ under the preaching of those symbolized by the five foolish virgins who were saved but not faithful enough to be in the Bride (Matt. 25:1-13). The 144,000 Israelites cannot be killed until they have finished their testimony. They will not be limited for they cannot be killed.

"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14). Water has no holes in it, so there will not be one inch on earth where the knowledge of the Lord is not known.

AND THEN SHALL THE END COME!
 
"If a man die, shall he live again?..." (Job 14:14). 
 
Answer:  Job 19:23-27:
 
"Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me."
 
Even lost people live forever.  "And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations" (Luke 16:9).  Question:  How long is everlasting?  Remember, these words were spoken by Jesus.
 
There are just two resurrections:  The (singular) resurrection of life and the (singular) resurrection of damnation (John 5:28-29). 
 
The resurrection of life (the "first resurrection") will last 1,000 years:  "But the rest of the dead [lost people] lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:..." (Rev. 20:5-6).
 
The Holy Ghost inspired Paul to write that there is an order in which all men will be resurrected:  "But every man in his own order:..." (I Cor. 15:23).
 
The Bible Order of the First Resurrection
 
(1) The Bride is caught up to meet the Lord in the air and this will begin the 1,000-year "First Resurrection"  
 
     (I Thess. 4:13-18).  NOTICE:  Christ does not at this time come to the earth -- He stops up in the air.
 
(2) Near the end of the "Great Tribulation":
 
  The catching up of the "Two Witnesses": "And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves...And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them" (Rev. 11:9-12).
 
(3) At the end of the "Great Tribulation":
 
(a) The pre-flood saints (Jude 1:14-15);
 
(b) All Old Testament saints (Job 19:23-27); "But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days" (Dan. 12:13);

(c) All of the saved who died during the "Great Tribulation":  "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled" (Rev. 6:9-11).
 
After Jesus fights the battle of Armageddon, there will never be another war between men.  "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation,  neither shall they learn war any more" (Isa. 2:4).  No enemy of man shall exist in the millennium except death (I Cor. 15:25-26).  No one shall die as an infant and no one shall die less than 100 years old.
 
"There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed" (Isa. 65:20).
 
This means that if you have heard or read the gospel, and you refuse to repent and believe until death or until Jesus comes,  you will be forever lost.  I beg you to repent and trust Jesus right now. 
 
Those who live and die during the 1,000-year resurrection, if they are saved, will immediately be given their glorified bodies.  The saved who are alive at the end of the millennium will receive glorified bodies and be placed on the new earth, and they shall never die (Isa. 65:17-19). 
 
Once the church saints have been caught up to meet the Lord in the air, God grafts national Israel back in (Rom. 11:24) and deals with nations -- not churches.  It will be the "nations of them which are saved" (Rev. 21:24) that will walk in the light of the Holy City as they inherit the new earth.
 
What about the "rest of the dead" that lived not again until the 1,000 years were finished?  Their bodies will be resurrected and united with their souls (that have been in hell) and they shall be cast into hell fire where the worm (their bodies:  Job 25:6; Psa. 22:6; Isa. 41:14) dieth not and the fire shall never be quenched (Mark 9:43-48).  NOTICE:  It is their (personal) worm. 
 
Please don't wait too late -- trust Jesus and be saved!
 
When the battle is over, will you and I wear a crown?  Salvation is a gift and we do not get a crown at the point of salvation.  If any physical act is required to obtain salvation, it is not grace (the unmerited favor of God) that saves a person.  "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work" (Rom. 11:6).  Only saved people receive crowns, but in order to receive rewards and crowns, a saved person must earn them.  There are five crowns that saved people can earn:
 
AN INCORRUPTIBLE CROWN
 
This crown is for separated living.  It is given to those who dedicate their lives to the work of God and even buffet their bodies in order to run a good, clean race for God.
 
"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (I Cor. 9:24-27).
 
THE CROWN OF REJOICING
 
This is the soulwinner's crown. 
 
"For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy." (I Thess. 2:19-20). 
 
"...[H]e that winneth souls is wise" (Prov. 11:30).
 
The opposite would be "He that doesn't win souls is not wise".  How many souls have you personally won?
 
"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Psa. 126: 5-6).
 
It will be an unimaginable joy, when Jesus comes and resurrects the dead and changes the living saints, if some person there at the Judgment Seat of Christ, that you have never seen or met, shall come up to you and say, "Thanks!  If you had not supported that missionary that told me about  Christ I wouldn't be here" - or - "If you had not helped build that church, supported that radio or television program, or gone on visitation I wouldn't have been saved."
 
THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
 
This is the crown for the steadfast Christian.
 
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (II Tim. 4:6-8).
 
If Jesus should appear on Sunday during a church service, will people who are at ballgames, fishing, races, watching TV, or committing some sinful act love His appearing?  I think not!
 
THE CROWN OF LIFE
 
This is the martyr's crown.
 
"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Rev. 2:10). 
 
If we knew it meant death to openly serve Jesus, how many would serve Him?  I'm afraid that not many seats would be filled at the next church service time!
 
THE CROWN OF GLORY
 
This is the crown for the faithful preacher.  It is good to know that the God-called man that stays faithful will finally receive the crown of glory! 
 
"Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;  Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" (I Pet. 5:2-4).
 
THE LOST CROWN
 
This crown could be any of the five crowns that had been given to any of God's people; but, because we became weary in well doing, someone else had to finish the work we were supposed to do and so they take our crown.  May God help all of us to get busy in the Lord's work!
"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown" (Rev. 3:11). 
 
Only one life, 'twill soon be past;
Only what's done for Christ will last! 
 
The Place That Is Better Than Heaven
  12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name (Rev. 3:12).
Most preachers that I have heard preach about heaven call the Holy City of New Jerusalem "heaven".  The Holy City of New Jerusalem is never called "heaven".  Heaven is called a "country".
 
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country...16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city  (Heb. 11:14-16).
 
Notice the word "prepared".  Each time that the Bible refers to the City of New Jerusalem, it is for a special faithful group.  In Heb. 11:14-16, the Word is speaking about men and their families -- that some of them literally died for the sake of the Lord's work.
 
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Heb. 11:13).  
 
When first told about the "prepared" place,  the New Testament church consisted of the eleven disciples that had left every earthly possession to follow Christ.
 
27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?  (Matt. 19:27).  
 
These same eleven men were the first church of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  2 In my Father's house are [present tense] many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare [future tense] a place for you (John 14:1-2).
 
NOTICE:  "In my Father's house are many mansions."  The mansions were already there and, therefore, Jesus did not have to prepare them.  But He said He was going "to prepare [future tense] a place for you" (His church).  Keep in mind the words "to prepare" (future tense) in John 14:2. 
 
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven [the "Father's house" of John 14:2], prepared [the "to prepare" of John 14:2 is now complete -- the "place" has been "prepared"] as a bride adorned for her husband  (Rev. 21:2).
 
A very important thing to pay attention to each time the Holy City of New Jerusalem is mentioned in the book of Revelation:  It is to some form of the church.
1) To the church of Philadelphia (Rev. 3:12).
 
2) As "a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2).
    Everyone knows the Lord's churches are to be the bride of Christ.
 
3) "I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife."
    God is married to Israel (Jer. 3:8, 14).  But Jesus will present the true churches "to himself a
    glorious church" (Eph. 5:27).
The Holy City of New Jerusalem "coming down from God out of heaven" (Rev. 21:2).  Descending "out of heaven from God" (Rev. 21:10).  All saved people -- those that have accepted Christ by faith -- will go to heaven.  "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (I John 5:1).  But. to be a part of those who inherit New Jerusalem, we must be a faithful member of one of the Lord's churches.
 
To come down out of any place to another place requires a departure from the place you come down from.  An article published in the Lakeland Ledger stated:  "In one of his early crusades, evangelist Billy Graham spoke expansively about the nature of heaven.  It is 1,600 miles on each side, Graham said...."  I read one of Ripley's "Believe It or Not" articles and he said that if all of the people that think they are going to heaven make it to heaven they would have to be stacked up like cord wood.  Both were using the dimensions of the Holy City of New Jerusalem which is never called heaven -- not the dimensions of heaven!  Heaven is a country (Heb. 11:13-16).  The Holy City of New Jerusalem will rest upon its twelve foundations between heaven and the new earth and will cast its light down upon the saved nations of the new earth (Rev. 21:23-24). 
 
The Holy City of New Jerusalem is the capital city of heaven and the new earth.  It is a prepared place for a prepared people.  To have the privilege to inhabit that city a person must be saved and faithful. 
 
Our forefathers must have been students of God's Word.  To lay out a country so much like heaven and the Holy City of New Jerusalem very likely was not an accident.  The Holy City is not heaven, yet it is the capital of heaven.Washington, D.C., is not a state, yet it is the capital of the United States.  Praise God for His leadership in shaping the United States!
 

The Sad Truth About the Lord's Churches 

Jesus died for His churches, but the last church age is so sickening that the Lord vomits them up. 

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

INTRODUCTION 

In order to be a faithful and true witness of anything, you must see it happen. Jesus saw the beginning of the creation of God.  

"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:3). 

UNLIMITED KNOWLEDGE 
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

"Neither cold nor hot" = lukewarm (a sickening taste). The churches of today fit this picture so clearly in most cases. The Lord blesses churches today but, instead of the churches putting soulwinners out in the community on an adequate salary, they build new buildings, start sports, buy tour buses, and let the people go to hell who could have been reached by soulwinning couples. Instead of building more buildings, why not have more services in the building(s) you have? 

REBUKE 

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue [vomit] thee out of my mouth.

This needs no explanation. 

THE SOLUTION: REPENT 

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

This (to repent) is the only solution. 

20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

What a sad picture! Up until this time, Jesus has worked through the church. Now He stands at the door of the church and the churches won't let Him in. He then turns to the faithful few and spues out the church. The church will go into the great tribulation and the faithful few will go up to be the Bride of Christ. 

21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

Some church members do not approve of worldly entertainment in the church such as idols, crosses, flags, puppets, pictures of Christ, gymnasiums, ball games, shuffle boards, boxing equipment, kitchens, prize seats, prize parking places, and shaking hands with everyone during the worship service. It is good to greet everyone before and after the worship service, but not during the service because it detracts from the worship of God. Probably the church members that object to these practices are called "trouble makers" in the churches. These "trouble makers" are also against the use of Bibles that leave out the words "only begotten" from John 3:16, and those that leave out the words "virgin birth". But these "trouble makers" are probably the ones God calls the overcomers and they make up the Bride of Christ. Salvation is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9), but brideship is earned. 

 To all seven of the churches in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, the overcomers are promised something special. If Christ comes during our lifetime, will He find us overcomers or having been overcome by the liberal preachers of today? If you have become liberal, you or I can repent and God will restore us to the position of brideship if we then stay faithful until death or until Jesus comes and catches us up. When we assemble to worship God and study His Word but hear more about race cars, ball games, etc., than about God's Word, we should look for a church that preaches God's Word. Hell is still hell and all the lost will end up there. God help all of us to wake up and get busy for God. 

SUMMARY

A promise is made seven times to the overcomer. Seven times the churches are warned: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Five times the churches are warned to repent. The two churches that are not told to repent are Smyrna and Philadelphia.