The letter to Sardis is for a church with a living name and a dead reality.
I know your works.
You have the reputation of being alive,
but you are dead.
Wake up,
and strengthen what remains and is about to die.
Yet you have still a few names in Sardis,
people who have not soiled their garments.
Jesus has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. Sardis has a name of life. He says it is dead. The works are not complete before God. Wake up. Strengthen what remains and is about to die. Remember what they received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If they will not, He will come like a thief, and they will not know the hour. A few names have not soiled their garments. They will walk with Him in white.
This is one of the seven letters. The Spirit says it to the churches. A living reputation is the easiest lie a congregation can believe about itself.
A name of life.
Dead before Him.
Wake up.
Strengthen what remains.
Full text from Revelation 3, as on the chapter page.
Rev 3:1 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 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Rev 3:3 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.
Rev 3:4 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.
Rev 3:5 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.
Rev 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die.
I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Yet you have still a few names in Sardis who have not soiled their garments.
The one who conquers will be clothed in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life.
Do not trust the name the city gives the church. He knows the works. Wake up. Strengthen what remains. A few have not soiled their garments. Walk with Him in white.
Entry compiled for the JESUSaves.com Bible Glossary. Optimized for wiki.js Visual Editor.