Sign of Times (Part XIV 14)

By Moonings

EVIDENCE THAT MODERN APOSTASY IS A SIGN OF LAST DAYS

The Identity of Each Church

Ephesus is the prototype of all churches that adhere closely to the Pauline model: orthodox in doctrine, separated in practice, independent in polity, and evangelistic in priority. Most churches during the Apostolic era remained within the fold of Ephesus. In modern times, Ephesus takes in all churches that may be properly designated as fundamental and independent. We noted earlier that Christ threatens to remove the candlestick of Ephesus. He is intimating that the church most vigilant in opposing error will disappear in the days when leaven pervades the lump.

Smyrna represents all churches under intense persecution. Such churches tend to develop certain features that set them apart as a distinct type. Denominational lines may become blurred. Organizational structures may weaken or disappear. Ordinary rites and observances may be neglected. Believers may gather in private homes or secluded places out-of-doors rather than in church buildings. Although churches like Smyrna became common early in church history, apparently they will disappear before Christ returns. We infer that as the Last Days draw to a close, all governments will, to some extent, tolerate the private exercise of religion. Yet to be a genuine Christian will not necessarily be easy. Public opinion may be hostile to Christianity. Christians may be targets of hate crimes. Many governments may seek to curtail the right of Christians to conduct evangelism and to rear children apart from state supervision.

Pergamos is the forerunner of all churches that cultivate sensational religious experience, while they downgrade the authority of the Scriptures. The first major proliferation of these churches occurred as a result of the Montanist movement in the early third century. Modern allies of Pergamos include the charismatics and Pentecostals.

Thyatira stands for all churches that possess an episcopalian form of government. These began to flourish after Christianity won the patronage of the Roman Emperor. Modern offshoots of Thyatira include the Anglican Church, the Orthodox churches, the Lutheran churches, and the Methodist churches. The Roman Catholic Church is "that woman Jezebel" (Rev. 2:20). (Please understand that this interpretation does not support hatred of Catholics. We should love Catholics no less than we love others. Christ censures not the people in Catholic churches, but the religious system that enthralls them and keeps them from Biblical truth.)

Sardis is Christ's name for all Presbyterian and Reformed churches. Since these have an excessive respect for human learning and human tradition, they readily become intellectual, cold, and worldly. Also, they are characteristically blind to any new and fuller illumination of prophecy. Some Baptist denominations reside in this group.

Philadelphia, which signifies "community of brotherly love," is embodied in the various Moravian and Brethren churches, especially in the assemblies of the Plymouth Brethren. These churches are characterized by a leveling of leaders and laity. Since Philadelphia is now reduced to an anemic remnant that hardly merits the praise we find in Revelation 3:7-13, we infer that there will be a great revival in Philadelphia.

Laodicea embraces all churches in which power is concentrated in a single pastor. This form of government, allowing the pastor to pursue his own vision with virtually no internal review or external oversight, is conducive to the building of prosperous churches. The many large, independent, evangelical (or neoevangelical, or neofundamentalist) churches we see about us today fit the pattern of Laodicea.

Christ's message to each church deals with certain strengths and weaknesses that have been typical down through history. Yet His concern is less for each church as it existed in the past than for each church as it will exist on the eve of His return. The seven letters are His counsel to the seven churches in the forms they will assume in the Last Days.

Each letter has four parts: a salutation designed to remedy some deficiency in the Christology of that church, an acknowledgment of the service which that church has performed, an exhortation pointing out good things that should be shored up and bad things that should be eliminated, and a promise designed to satisfy the particular aspirations of that church. The exhortation has one or more of the following elements: criticism, warning, prediction, commendation, and assurance. When examined in detail, the contents of each letter demonstrate that we have correctly identified the intended recipient.