The deeds of the believers at Philadelphia were known by the risen Lord, and He was pleased.
CHRIST’S WARNING AND THREAT TO HIS ENEMIES 3:9
Philadelphia was a church comprised mostly of gentile believers provoking unbelieving Jews to jealousy and slander. Jesus refers to these Jews as “the synagogue of Satan.”
CHRIST’S PROMISE TO THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA 3:10
Because the believers at Philadelphia had not yielded to the temptations of false teachers and the sinful world around them, Jesus promised to spare them from more severe temptations in the future.
1. CHRIST’S COMMAND TO THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA 3:11b
Because of the Lord’s imminent return for His church, believers must hold fast to their faith in Christ.
Those who persevere to the end thereby prove the genuineness of their salvation.
1 John 5:4;Matthew 10:2;Colossians 1:22-23
It is true that believers are eternally secure because of the power of God, “He who began a good work in you will complete it” (Philippians 1:6). Yet He secures them by working in them by His Spirit a faith that endures to the end.
Those who abandon the faith reveal that they were never truly saved to begin with. 1 John 2:19
Jesus says to professing believers who endure to the end: no one will take your crown.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 defines this crown as the “crown of righteousness.” Paul says: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
James 1:12describes this crown as the “crown of life.” James says: Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
1 Peter 5:4 defines this crown as the “crown of glory.” Peter says: And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
Jesus said early in Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
The crown was the trophy awarded to the victor at the stadium games. Here, the believer who remains faithful to the end will receive the victory trophy, the crown of righteousness, the crown of life, the crown of glory.
Those whose faithful perseverance marks them as true children of God never need to fear losing their salvation.
2. CHRIST’S COUNSEL TO THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA 3:12
Christ encourages the faithful church at Philadelphia to overcome. In overcoming, four things will happen:
1. Those who overcome will be made by Christ a pillar in the temple of God forever. A pillar represents stability and permanence. Pillars can also represent honor. Those who overcome will have an eternal place of honor in the temple of God.
2. Those who overcome will have the name of God written on them. That depicts ownership, signifying that all true Christians belong to God. It also speaks of the ultimate personal relationship we have with Him forever.
3.Those who overcome will have the name of the city of God written on them, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven. Revelation 21:1-8
4. Those who overcome will receive Christ’s “new name.” Christ’s name represents the fullness of His person. In heaven, believers will “see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2).
All that we have known about Christ while living on earth will not compare to the reality of what we will know of Christ in heaven when we see Him face to face.
3. CHRIST’S CONCLUDING ADMONITION 3:13
Believers in all ages since must hear and act upon what Christ has said in His letters to the churches.
In order to hear what the Spirit says, one must have spiritual ears.
Spiritual ears are given at the new birth, where God sovereignly and powerfully raises spiritually dead sinners to life, giving them ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to believe.
Do you, by God’s grace and enablement, hear and act upon what Spirit has said in His word? If you don’t, you are like the fool, who has built his house upon sand instead of solid rock.
Only those who, by grace and God’s enablement, hear and act upon what the Spirit has said will survive judgment day; because they have built their spiritual house upon the rock, Jesus Christ.
Audio of Lesson
