“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.’”Revelation 3:1 (ESV)
The ancient city of Sardis was the capitol of the Lydian kingdom. It was a wealthy city mainly due to the gold that flowed in its river. However, it lost its wealth and power after being defeated in war by Cyrus the Great of Persia. Sardis was sieged again 200 years later by a general of Alexander the Great.
Sardis was known as “the city of a thousand hills” because of the large necropolis (a very large cemetery) that donned the city’s skyline. Jesus could have had this necropolis in mind when he addressed the church in Sardis. “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” It seems that Jesus was saying that the professing Christians in Sardis were “a church of a thousand hills.” Perhaps they were a very affluent church having access to the wealth of Sardis’s river. Maybe they had successful programs that were a benefit to the community and drew praise from government officials. There is no mention of persecution toward the church in Sardis, so it may have fit well into the surrounding culture. Whatever the case the church looked alive and had a reputation of being alive, but Jesus said it was dead and its works were not complete. Richard Phillips writes: “Sardis was what we refer to today as a “nominal” church. It was Christian in name, but name only. The members professed faith in Jesus, but in reality their hearts were turned from him.”
There are numerous “churches” in our world today that resemble the church in Sardis. Some of these churches are mega affluent churches that look alive, but the true gospel is not proclaimed from the pulpit, rather a false gospel of health, wealth and prosperity. So many churches and Christians today use the name of Jesus to get to their treasure, never realizing nor acknowledging that Jesus is the treasure.
Regardless of how a church looks on the outside it is spiritually dead on the inside if the true gospel is not at the center of their agendas. And where the true gospel is not presented a church’s works are not complete. Where the true gospel is not preached there is no true power, for the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for those who believe (Romans 1:16).
In Sardis the church had the appearance of godliness with all of its religious activity but denied the gospel’s power (2 Timothy 3:1-8). Like Sardis, unless the sleeping believers in today’s churches repent, wake up and begin to keep and proclaim the true gospel, that is, strengthen what is about to die, Jesus will come against them in judgment when they least expect it.
However, as in Elijah’s day when God had set apart 7000 for himself that had not bowed their knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18), there are believers like those in Sardis who have not spoiled their garments. In other words, they have been clothed (justified) in the imputed righteousness of Christ and have not sought to be clothed (justified) by their own righteousness of good works. They have been found worthy of their calling and their reward will be to walk (commune) with Jesus having been made spotless by his atoning blood. Eternal security will be theirs in heaven having their names forever written in the book of life and confessed before God and the angels (Revelation 3:4-5).
In which group of people do you belong, the dead or the living? What about the church you attend?
Scriptures for meditation:
1 Peter 4:17
Revelation 7:14