The Touch

Read : Matthew 9:21

The faith of this woman, mentioned in the quoted verse really needs to be commended. She knew that a simple physical touch of His garment would heal her.

Today while Jesus does not walk this earth in His physical form, He did leave behind the Holy Spirit for us, to touch, to be filled and to help us understand His word and connect.

In Christianity, "touching" the Holy Spirit isn't a physical act in the way you might touch an object. Rather, it refers to experiencing the presence, guidance, and transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our life. This experience is often described through various spiritual and emotional sensations, as well as by observable changes in a person's character and actions and the various activities around us.

Here's how we can be "touching" the Holy Spirit:

1. Receiving the Holy Spirit:

Acceptance of Jesus Christ: The foundational step is often believed to be accepting Jesus Christ as your Saviour and asking for God's forgiveness. This is seen as the point where the Holy Spirit begins to indwell a believer. It need not manifest in speaking in “tongues” but in the exhibiting of the “fruits of the Spirit”. Persistent and sincere prayer is considered key.

2. Experiencing the Holy Spirit:

Inner Peace and Joy: A common experience is a deep sense of peace, comfort, and joy that transcends circumstances.

Conviction and Guidance: The Holy Spirit often brings conviction of sin, guiding individuals towards repentance and righteousness. He also provides discernment and direction in decision-making.

Spiritual Awakening: This can manifest as a heightened awareness of God, a deeper understanding of scripture, and a renewed desire for spiritual things.

Physical Sensations (for some): While not universal or the primary focus, some people report feeling sensations like warmth, tingling, or a sense of electricity in their bodies when they experience the Holy Spirit's presence.

3. Evidencing the "Touch": How do we know when we are touched? 

Obedience to God's Word & Will: The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live in obedience to God's commands and to resist sin. We place Gods desire above our own. 

Bearing the Fruit of the Spirit: The Bible describes the "fruit of the Spirit" as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). As you "touch" the Holy Spirit more, these qualities are increasingly evident in your life.

Desire for Fellowship and Worship: A genuine desire to connect with other believers and to worship God is often a sign of the Spirit's work. Connecting with other Christians provides encouragement, accountability, and opportunities to grow together in the Spirit.

Living for Others: The Holy Spirit prompts believers to live selflessly and to have compassion for the lost and needy.

It's important to remember that experiencing the Holy Spirit is a journey, not a one-time event. It involves a continuous relationship of seeking, surrendering, and living in obedience to God. While feelings can be part of the experience, the true measure of "touching" the Holy Spirit is the transformation of our character and our increasing alignment with God's will.

Stand Up For Jesus!

(References of sermons by Pastor Jolly Raj of Bethel Church Noida, India and Pastor Rajiv)

Christians all over the world are a mixed lot. Some are fiery, some lukewarm, some extremely committed and some very regular church goers. But we all love our Hymns for sure.

We all sing our Hymns and pray every Sunday and wonder and discuss what's it's like up there. Once such Hymn is "Stand Up for Jesus". How do you do that? How do you stand up for Jesus? Or are they just empty words?

To understand this question, we need to delve into what is "not standing up for Jesus."

Pastor Jolly Raj, in his sermon of the 22nd of June, 2025, talked about how the environment we live in, can slowly and innocuously creep into us and slide us into a situation where we compromise basic principles of Christianity. Such a compromise can end up even in us breaking core commandments and tenets of our faith and justifying it to ourselves in the name of humanity or integration or, as the modern folk call it, diversity. We can even justify it by the love commands Jesus gave. Such actions slowly help us to turn a blind eye to actions which corrode our faith and our loyalty. It could be the economic environment, cultural environment as well as the social environment we frequent. It could also be sheer desperation, when our individual faith is not strong enough.

To be sure, there is nothing wrong with diversity and respect for one another, but the danger is we could be integrating with alien customs and beliefs which actually contradict what God wants from us.

But we question: is God happy? Is that standing up for Jesus? No. Such actions shut the gate to God.

Pastor Rajiv in his sermons on the 7 Churches in Revelations pointed out Churches which had the same issues we face today as individuals.

Pergamum – This church was located in a city known for emperor worship and pagan practices and worship. Revelation accuses it of holding to the “teaching of Balaam,” References to Balaam's sins and malpractices can be found in 2 Peter 2:15, Revelation 2:14 and Jude 1:11 in the New Testament.

Thyatira – The church tolerated a figure called “Jezebel,” (maybe symbolic) who led believers into immoral practices and other pagan practices. This likely reflects the influence of trade and business in the Thytira, involving feasts and rituals dedicated to pagan deities (Sounds familiar isn't it?) For a detailed understanding of these seven churches please refer to posts by Pastor Rajiv on “The Church That Should Be” in this blog.

Coming back to the question – How can we stand up for Jesus:

Standing up for Jesus today means living boldly and authentically in a world that often pulls in all different directions. It’s not always about grand gestures, or sermons or bold statements—it’s about daily choices that reflect His love, truth, and grace and above all, obedience and following His commands, in the face of adversity, public opinion and public advice. Let us not be ashamed to be who we are but acknowledge our identity and our loyalty to Him, overtly as well as in practice. By bending over and compromising we are actually denying Him.

Remember….

Jesus said, “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). "Acknowledges" means not denying and not compromising Him.

That’s not just a promise—it’s a call to action.

Pastor Rajiv: The Church That Should Be

 

The Bunker of God

As we hear / see the news about the Iran Isarael conflict and other conflicts around the world, there are so many stories of missile attacks and bombings. We hear and see people running to bunkers to keep safe. Cars get into tunnels to escape the bombs. Everyone runs for the cover of safety - a good man, rich man, poor man, rebel, criminal, murderer, they all try and get to safety in  the bunkers. 

There is also a war which is going on around us, against us waged by satanic forces, luring us, tempting us, scaring us, threatening us with even death. But human bunkers cannot protect us from those attacks.

Yet, There is another bunker which is available for all those who are afflicted, to run to. People who are suffering not only in physical war but from pain, sickness, pestilence, emotional trauma, loneliness and any kind of danger - even the war or attacks of Satan and his cohort of spirits. That is the bunker of God. The secret place where God keeps everyone who comes there , keeps them and provides for them.

God makes a promise through Isiaah in Chapter 44 verse 3 and 4

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.

The way to the bunker is free, no tolls or tax and certainly no barricades saying it is full. There is always space.

How does one get there? The way is through Jesus. Believe in Him. Ask Him and let Him guide you. Let Him show the way.

What It does need is for us to trust Him completely. Make no others' God's and idols; not money not man nor nature, nor fortunetellers or stones or diamonds. He alone is God, the Almighty and who knows us from when we were formed in the womb. Who designed us. Who created us. We need to, humbly, depend on Him alone. He will protect us. There is no situation so bad that He cannot solve, so ask Him. 

As the world around us erupts in violence and tragedy, or maybe we ourselves are going though a period of need, or are suffering from the wiles and attacks of Satan, let us go the  Bunker of God and find refuge, healing and peace.

Pastor Rajiv: The Church That Should Be

 

Pastor Rajiv's last Message on the 7 Churches in Revelations. 

The Dying Church: Pastor Rajiv's Message

What causes the death of a church? For example, the Church at Sardis? In this 5th letter, today we will explore the history and outcome of the Church at Sardis and the parallels we see today.

I want to share with you a quote from William Ramsay, a renowned historian, and biblical scholar. He explored the decline and death of churches particularly in his work on the "letters to the seven churches of Asia". This is what he wrote -

‘A church is in danger of death when it begins to worship its own past….when it is more concerned with forms than with life….when it loves systems more than it loves Jesus Christ….when it is more concerned with material than spiritual things’.

This sounds so familiar when we look at the churches around us. Today we will study the 5th Letter to the Church at Sardis and what we can learn from them, to NOT do. 

A Wake-Up Call - Pastor Rajiv

Why Revelations Still Matter - Pastor Rajiv 

Read Revelations Chapter 2 

Today as part of Pastor Rajiv's series of the letters to the 7 churches mentioned in Revelations, we expand on the 3rd letter because it is important for us. Why?

Rev chapter 2 verses 6 and 15, talks about Jesus hating the works of a section called Nicolaitans. Hate is a strong word and coming from the Lord it assumes the form of a judgement.

So, first let's understand who the Nicolaitans were and what did they do. 

The Nicolaitans were a heretical sect in the early Christian church, specifically mentioned in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 2:6, 15). Jesus strongly condemned their "works" and "doctrine." While the Bible doesn't give a detailed theological treatise on their beliefs, the general consensus among scholars and early church fathers points to the following aspects of their doctrine:

1. Antinomianism and Moral Compromise: This is the most consistently identified characteristic. The Nicolaitans likely taught a form of antinomianism, the belief that Christians, being saved by grace, are no longer bound by moral laws. This led them to believe they could indulge in sinful practices without spiritual consequence. They likely twisted the concept of "freedom in Christ" into a license for sin.

2. Sexual Immorality: enticing Israelites to commit sexual immorality and idolatry.

3. Eating Meat Sacrificed to Idols: This was another practice associated with them, as it was with the followers of Balaam. In the Greco-Roman world, much of the meat sold in the markets had been offered to pagan idols. While some early Christians grappled with this issue, the Nicolaitans likely taught that it was acceptable, perhaps viewing it as harmless or a way to avoid persecution by compromising with the surrounding pagan culture.

4. Compromise with Paganism: Their teachings encouraged a blend of Christian faith with pagan practices, blurring the lines between the two. This syncretism was a significant concern for the early church, which emphasized separation from the world's ungodly ways.

In short, the Nicolaitans were persuading the believers that there was nothing wrong with conforming to the world’s standard.

Sounds familiar? It should because we are today constantly bombarded with persuasive communication to conform to today’s world standards, ways and practices and many don't find it a problem at all. 

But as Christians we are instructed to be Holy in all aspects of our lives because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

The other negative influence was that of Balaam's philosophy- if you can't curse them then corrupt them. This theory is as valid today as it was then. When Satan can't hurt us due to God's protection, he fills our lives with temptations to try and corrupt us in our day to day lives thereby hurting ourselves. 

When we look around, we can see churches and preachers and people who have diluted the essence of religion to suit themselves in this world today. We all do it, in varying degrees.

But Jesus explicitly states that He "hates the works of the Nicolaitans" (Revelation 2:6) and that some in the church at Pergamum held to their teaching, which He also hated (Revelation 2:15). Jesus strong condemnation (“I hate the works of the Nicolaitans") highlights the grave danger these teachings posed to the spiritual purity and faithfulness of the early church and even today to ourselves as well. 

Jesus, therefore, goes on to encourage the Church to persevere and not get swayed by such influences, as He does today as well. The stated rewards of such perseverance indicate how important and critical it is.  

Verse 17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat (hidden manna is the manna God gave the Israelites in the wilderness which brought physical blessing. The manna that Christ gives is the manna of eternal life). And I will give him a white stone (white stone is a widely used symbol for victory or special privilege for those whose faith is steadfast), and on the stone a new name written (new name is the new glorified existence in the age to come) which no one knows except him who receives it.”

Therefore, to summarize - “Three things marked the heresy of Pergamos: idolatry, immorality and infidelity. The overcomer kept himself from all three, and the reward was commensurate with his conduct. 

To those who kept themselves from idolatry and refused to eat things offered to idols, the Lord gave hidden manna to eat. 

To those who kept themselves from immorality the Lord gave a white stone, a symbol of changeless purity.

And to those who kept themselves from infidelity, the Lord gave a new name – knowledge of Himself that no one else can share” a unique part to play in god’s eternal kingdom.

The Church That Should Be - III: Pastor Rajiv Kumar

Today we continue with our series on the church that should be based on the seven letters dictated by our lord to john the revelator in the book of revelation.
So far, we have looked at two churches the church at Ephesus whom Christ called the loveless church because they had lost their first love that fervent personal uninhibited and openly displayed devotion to Christ.

In my last message we looked at the church at Smyrna whom Jesus called the persecuted church. This was one of the two churches with whom Jesus found no complaint the other one being the church of Philadelphia which we will be looking at in a later message.

Living Epistles

                                                  

What would you do if you received a letter from Jesus? Sounds far-fetched doesn't it? But is it?

Today, Jesus still writes letters but now He writes them on our hearts and not on tablets or scrolls. We become a living Testament to Jesus. When we do become a living Testament, we attract people because they get curious about what is it that makes us peaceful, joyous, trustworthy, honest and in short, when we exhibit those famous 9 traits called the fruits of the Spirit. And when they find out the source, they find Jesus and we become a light to the world and salt of the earth as Jesus wanted us to be. (2 Corinthians 3 verses 1-3)

But what is the objective in being an epistle or salt or a light?

Research has discovered that more people are drawn to a faith by the witness of the lives of people than by doctrine. What our research tells us today is what Jesus and later Paul knew then.

What is quite clear is that while sermons and preaching maybe good to maintain a faith, it is the living of a Christian life that attracts people to the faith.

Therefore, our responsibility is to live a life, which is a life based on what Christ has said, as an example of the Christian way - and become a living Testament to our Lord and God.

Our job is to bring hope, kindness, love and grace into this world. Every person we meet is carrying heavy loads and burdens in life. And being followers of Christ, it is truly a blessing for Him to use us to bring hope, encouragement, and peace to such people through our words and kind gestures.

And that is how we become a living epistle of Jesus Christ.

Francis Taylor says - "Until we meet him (Jesus), we aren't interested in learning about him. The best way to meet him is in the lives of those who follow him. Living epistles!"

Does Everything Happen for Good?

Yesterday, Pastor Rajiv talked bout the second letter John sent to the Church at Smyrna where the roman emperor Caesar was worshipped.

We heard about when John wrote revelation the worship of the emperor was compulsory, and churches were persecuted because they did not bow down to Caesar and burn incense at the temple dedicated to Caesar. It was called “kaiser curios” which means Caesar is lord. Persecution of Christians was a rampant order of the day. Some were strapped to racks which was a wheel and every time they refused to deny Christ the wheel was turned which stretched every limb to breaking point till, they finally died. Others boiled alive in hot oil. 

So, it makes one wonder what good came out of it? When we say or think everything happens for the good, is it a contradiction, because when we read about Smyrna, Job, or even look at the problems that surround us, it does seem that way. And when we think that we cease to really believe in it. So today, as a corollary to Pastor Rajiv’s message we thought we would “unbox” this.

The idea that "everything happens for the good" is often associated with the verse Romans 8:28, which states:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (New International Version)

However, it's important to understand the nuances of this verse and the broader biblical context:

A. It's specifically for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. This promise is not presented as a universal truth for everyone, but rather for those who have a relationship with God through faith, which in itself will attract the attention of Satan and his cohort to destroy that relationship by creating a shift in that confidence. 

B. "Good" in this context doesn't necessarily mean comfort or the absence of hardship. Instead, it often refers to a greater spiritual good, such as growth in character, a deeper relationship with God, and the furthering of His purposes. Difficult circumstances can be used by God to shape and refine believers.

C. Most importantly, God is the active agent. The verse emphasizes that God is the one working in "all things" to bring about this “good”. It suggests divine sovereignty and involvement in the lives of believers. He knows!

D. Remember, the Bible doesn't shy away from acknowledging suffering and evil. While Romans 8:28 offers hope, other parts of the Bible recognize the reality of pain, injustice, and hardship in the world. These are not necessarily seen as "good" in themselves, but God can work through them.

Now read Psalm 91 verses 13 and 14. What they say is that while evil will exist, we will be protected by God. His fence of provision and protection will surround us.

How can we be sure of this? Remember Job? Satan said as long as Job is protected by God's fence, he can overcome the evil of Satan and therefore remain loyal to God. Remove that fence and Job's faith and belief would crumble. This is true - when in trouble the first thing that may come to mind is - where is God? How could He let this happen? 

But remember - Psalms 91:14-15 says - “Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him”.

Now it starts to make sense.

So bad things will happen. People will lose jobs, suffer losses, get sick, some may succumb to serious illnesses etc. But God's help and power and grace will see us through.

But, there is an underlying condition. One must be a believer.

Is it that simple? No.

A believer in Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit will have His spirit in Him which means that the fruits of the Spirit will be in him or her. Refer Galatians 5:22-23.

Therefore, while the Bible, particularly Romans 8:28, offers a powerful promise that God can bring good even out of difficult situations for those who love Him, it doesn't mean that every single event is inherently good or that believers will be exempt from suffering. Instead, it provides assurance that God is at work, even in the midst of challenges, protecting and providing, negating the negative for a greater positive purpose and ultimate good in the lives of His followers.

As Pastor Rajiv said, quoting from the story of Corrie Ten Boom (you can read about her story here) her father told her that if and when the time would come to die she would find the strength that she needed at the right and precise time.

Rest assured, God knows what we go through too. And He protects us and provides what we need at the right time and the right place, building on the bad to create the good. The verses from Psalm 91 promise us that. 

The Church that Should be - II: Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message:

 

Today Pastor Rajiv continues his series on the church that is and the church that should be from the seven letters that Jesus Christ dictated to the apostle John addressing seven churches of that day. Today Pastor Rajiv talks about the second letter, addressed to the Church at Smyrna and what we can learn from it.

Pastor Rajiv's Mid- Week Message on the Church that Should be

 

Pastor Rajiv: The Church That Should Be

                           

                  BIBLE READING – REVELATION 2:1-7

A few Sundays back I commenced a series with a message about the church that was. In my first message in the series we looked at the how the early church was established and the principles on which the early church was based.

Today we will look at the church that is and the church that should be.

So, today, we are going to look at one of the seven letters to the seven churches in the book of revelation. These were dictated by the risen and glorified lord Jesus Christ to the apostle John.

I also mentioned what people look for in a church: where some prefer a church with a large membership role, some look for a church with a large choir with the works - guitars, drums, and all that goes with it and some look for a dynamic smart pastor preaching sermons that people "want to hear".

But if you recall I had also mentioned that there is one common line of instruction and advice that runs through all these seven letters. And à that instruction was "love".

In a book that I am reading, Dr David Jeremiah quotes the result of a survey conducted by the institute of American church growth and the report of this survey was striking.

This survey covered 8600 people from 39 different Christian denominations to measure what they called their ‘love care quotient’. Their findings? Members of growing churches are more loving towards one another and to their visitors.

Loving churches, irrespective of their denomination and their theology or their location attracted more people.

With that background, let us look at the very first letter and delve into it today: The Letter to the church of Ephesus.

But before we go into this message and this study want to make a point here. We are embarking into a study of a subject that is extremely relevant and crucial for us which is the church of today. And because this is a subject of such criticality and of crucial importance, I will be delving deep into God’s word and the reason for this is that I believe all of us are mature believers not ‘babes in Christ’ as Paul described the Corinthian church - and will be able to understand correction, accept it and implement it. 

Ephesus was the most prominent city in the roman empire in fact it was the religious and commercial Centre of Asia minor of that day. Paul founded the church at Ephesus before he established Timothy as the Pastor. Bible scholars believe that John took over the church as its pastor after Timothy.

It is possible John was living in Ephesus when he was taken captive and exiled to the island of Patmos where he saw the risen and glorified lord Jesus Christ and was dictated this letter.

The bible passage opens with the heading à ‘the loveless church’ Why? Because the Ephesian church had some very serious love problems. However the letter opens on a positive note - Jesus reminds the church that he is always with them and even though they have all these problems His right hand of authority has the power to meet their needs.

"These things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands"- verse 1.

Jesus’ presence is in the midst of the churches - these are the seven golden lampstands. And because he is present in their midst it means he knows their shortcomings. But before he deals with their faults He praises them for what they are doing right, where He says in verses 2& 3 à 2

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. and you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for my name’s sake and have not become weary".

The Ephesian church was a busy church and they were firm believers in the fact that while salvation came through the grace of God and our lord Jesus Christ - works were an important outcome of being saved through grace.

Jesus also described the Ephesian church as à patient and He used the word "patience" not once but twice in these two verses. Dr David Jeremiah in the Jeremiah study bible notes that this church could be described as a three ‘d’ church - determined, disciplined and discerning. Remember - they had ‘tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;’

They were patient as far as service and suffering were concerned but were not when it came to sin and acceptance of false teachers. These false teachers could have been enticing these believers to worship the Roman Emperor and not Christ.

Every things seems to be perfect isn’t it? But then Jesus makes an extremely harsh statement in verse 4 "nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love".

These two words - first and love are extremely critical and crucial and carry the weight of the whole message of this letter on them.

Why did Jesus use this phrase - first love?

Because à fervent, personal, uninhibited and an openly displayed devotion to Christ is and should be a Church’s first love.

And how is this Characterized in a church?

It is manifested in relationships with fellow believers and with those who are lost.

How shocking for a believing church to be told that they had lost their first love. And à Jesus did not just stop there. He went further as he reminded them from where they had fallen- verse 5 "remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent".

Jesus is saying to the Ephesian church just think back and remember from what level of belief you have fallen and you started off so well, full of love, but today you have lost that love.

And then à Jesus gives them an extremely serious warning and an even more serious consequence. "Repent ,go back and return to where you have fallen from and inculcate into yourselves the very first à and foremost condition of being a follower of Christ - love. And if not? I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent".

Christ gave them three commands - 1. Remember 2. Repent 3. Return to your first love - the first love that every church should have firstly for the lord Jesus Christ and then for fellow believers and for the lost.

The consequence for not doing this was serious. Jesus warned the church that they would lose their light and their testimony in the community unless they remembered and repented and returned to the point from which they had started.

And this is what happened years later as Ephesus declined as a city and today it is uninhabited and is just a heap of ruins.

You know even though John recorded these words more than 2000 years ago, these words hold that same warning for the church that is the church of today.

In Melbourne where I live, driving through the heart of the city, are 7 old church buildings, beautiful, ancient churches with lovely gardens surrounding them.

The last time I drove past those churches 5 had been converted into B&Bs and another one had a "for sale" sign outside it.

It is evident that these churches had lost their first love and their light and testimony to the community had been removed.

Just as Jesus had warned the Ephesian church. On the outside the Ephesian church was a model church and were passionate about works only because of a sense of duty. But inside their first love had grown cold and this is what Christ pointed out was their problem. The church died a tragic death after 67 years.

Like this letter Jesus ends every one of his seven letters to the churches with 7 “he who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

You know readers, as I mentioned in the introductory message of this series these letters even though written nearly a 2000 years ago are as current and as relevant as today’s calendar.

Keeping that in mind are we really hearing heeding the warning signs to see if our church is losing its first love? Do we still experience the excitement of new believers?

We live in a busy and fast moving world today and it is easy to be swept up into the frenzy of life and this may allow our love relationship with our lord to grow weak. So that we do not go down this path this letter to the Ephesian church is a crucial message to all of us.

The lord Jesus Christ is to have priority in our lives.

Our first priority as a church is to hold on to our first love - the fervent personal uninhibited and openly displayed devotion to Christ which will lead to our relationship of love with our fellow believers and with those who are lost.

Let us remember these words and write them firmly on the tablet of our hearts.

Just as Jesus was walking in the midst of the 7 churches of that time he is walking in the midst of every church in the world today.

This means that He knows each and every favorable aspect as well as each and every fault of every church today.

We will do well to heed the warnings in each of these seven letters so that we do not lose our light and our testimony as the Ephesian church did.

Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message

 

Two Ways to Play the Game: Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message

 

Play to Win or Play Not to Lose! 

The 7 Christians

As we read Revelations, trying to understand, one thing stands out: the significance of the 7 churches to our lives today, with 7 different types of Christians in the world. Let's take a look:

The Loveless Christian:

First, we have Ephesus, a prominent city with a church mentored by Paul and pastored by Timothy. They are doings things right and yet do have their faults, primary among them is that their devotion to Christ had declined.

What can we learn from this church? Like the Ephesian church, we can easily fall prey to a cold, mechanical observance of religion. Like the Ephesians, many tend to focus solely on doctrinal purity and hard work, to the exclusion of true love for Christ. As this letter shows, no amount of zeal for the truth or moral rectitude can replace a heart full of love for Jesus.

Persecuted Christians: 

Then we have Smyrna. Persecuted Christians. Jesus encourages them to remain faithful, for more persecution is to come. Like the people at Smryna, many today face persecutions of different kinds. They may face satanic persecution like Job or Maybe at work, or in society or in some nations. However, They are blessed because they remain faithful to Jesus.

The Compromising Christian: 

At Pergamos the church is question on its "purity". While they were commended on the fact that believers lived in a difficult place, surrounded by pagan influences, yet they held fast to Christ’s name and did not deny Him during difficult times. Yet they were compromising with "those in the church who contradicted the ethical implications of the very gospel they followed" (Jeremiah Study Bible). Do we, as a church or as individuals, also compromise in such matters?

The Corrupt Christian

The Church at Thytira were an active, flourishing, busy, growing church yet Their problem was that they were tolerating sin. They had a false teacher who was corrupting some of them yet The church leadership failed to rebuke or remove this false teacher from their midst. This situation is seen as a symbol of the danger of allowing worldly influences to creep into the church, our families or ourselves, and compromise Christian values.

Do we do the same with people or the world around us?

The Hypocritical Christian: 

Church at Sardis. The Sardinian Believers had effectively built a winning brand for themselves in their community. By all appearances, the church in Sardis was a vibrant, effective powerhouse. But inside they were lifeless. Spiritually dead. When a church attempts to operate from any other power source than Christ, that church can officially be identified as dead. The problem with a deceased church is that it rarely recognizes the condition. A dead church will often continue to function in its own power, programs, and pomp and attribute the momentum to Christ—celebrating every temporal victory as if it had eternal merit.

This applies to us as well - when we are separated from God, we rarely recognize it and continue as before. Therefore We do not regenerate our relationship with Him because we don't know it's broken in the first place.

The faithful Christian: 

Philadelphia

Unlike other churches mentioned in Revelation, Jesus did not criticize or condemn the church at Philadelphia. Why? because they remained faithful to Jesus despite facing persecution and having little strength, holding fast to His word and not denying His name, even when under pressure; essentially, they demonstrated unwavering loyalty in difficult circumstances.

This is what we all should strive for.

The Lukewarm Christian

Finally the Chruch at Laodicia. A church who thought they needed nothing more. The Christians of this city had permitted wealth to dull them spiritually; they became prideful and independent. In fact, they behaved as though they did not need God. The land provided for them; they had enough water. They imagined they were safe because they believed Jesus was the Risen Lord, even though they did not act as though Christ’s life, death, and resurrection had impacted their hearts. They allowed God to exist but did not let Him live in them.

They lived as though they had one foot in the world and one foot in heaven, but they were foolish if they thought He would permit such wavering.

Does that sound familiar?

Those seven churches tell us what not to do and what to do, to be spiritually alive. Each individual can find their likeness within these seven churches. Finding yourself if the first step to bettering yourself and these 7 churches help us to know our own spiritual condition.

Let us wake up before it is too late, and ask God to open our eyes to see our own spiritual condition—repent of complacency, compromise, materialism and stubborn independence; respond to the leadership of Jesus Christ and do not lose your reward!