Truth Must Be Rightly Understood
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Revelation 3:7-8
Once again we are confronted with words of Jesus that wouldn't be popular in today's American church culture. In a church environment that is dominated with an emphasis on success, victory, gaining wealth, and happiness in every area of life, these words aren't easily understood or accepted. But they were addressed to the only church of the seven in the Book of Revelation that Jesus had no rebuke for. A church that was "weak", yet had not denied His name when suffering, but had "endured patiently"; this was the church in Philadelphia.We are in need of redefining certain words that we use so casually in our Christian vocabulary; words like "overcoming", "strength", "powerful", and "victorious" are now defined from a perspective that is often more American than Biblical. That's because in our society, weakness, humility, and perseverance are not valued. However, these are the characteristics the Lord Jesus commends in this address to this church that has undergone severe persecution and yet not wavered in their faith.To view the truth incorrectly is very dangerous. To believe that you are "strong", when you are actually very vulnerable will lead to great self-deception. To think that you are "winning" and "victorious" when you are not will lead to defeat. To act as though something is "finished" when in fact it hasn't been completed can lead to stopping or quitting prematurely.All of the above words are true of the Christian experience in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are strong in Him; He is our Victorious, Conquering King. He declared it is finished that day on Calvary. But we must not view the truth of these words through our current American lenses, which may be distorted and shortsighted at least. We must view them with a "whole Bible" lens, a lens that teaches the truth of the cross and it's power in the Christian's life. A power that comes through denial of the self-life and often obedience learned only through trial or suffering.
“I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”
— Revelation 3:7-8
All of the above are only true "in Him". They are not true in us apart from Him. To emphasize the individual believer's life above teaching the work of the cross and our submission to its work is dangerous. Yet that is what we have done and are doing in an ever-increasing manner today in the church. It is truth misapplied, truth that is being understood incorrectly, and it is setting the church up for a great falling away in the last days. It is the dominant gospel being preached today…and it is a false gospel.
The key to the success of the church in Philadelphia was not that they were "strong". They were weak. It wasn't that they were "conquering" and had "won". They were suffering terribly under the persecution of what Jesus calls, "the synagogue of Satan". No, their power, strength, and victory were in the fact that they had endured patiently, had kept His Word, and had not denied His name. They were a cross-centered church. They had learned the great mystery of the truth that His strength is perfected in our weakness, and that His grace is always sufficient. May God give us grace to do the same.