Today's Message Outline
If you would like a copy of a sermon on CD or DVD please let me know just click on Copy.
If you want to take notes on your computer click here Teaching Note page.
Counterfeit Christianity - Part 2 - 5-20-12
What is the condition of the church in the world today? Should we even be concerned?
Are there counterfeit churches? God is very interested in the condition of the church.
The Book of Revelation was written in order to warn the churches of God’s judgment on the church and the world. God’s judgment of the world was tied to the condition of the churches!
Who was the letter written to? Literal churches that existed in the first century.
Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Revelation 1:20 The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven menorahs are the seven churches.
Revelation 2:1 "To the angel of the church write.”
He was writing to the “angel” of each church. The Greek word “angelos” does not always mean heavenly angels, but also earthly “leaders” or “messengers” of churches. Why would God write a letter to heavenly angels? God was warning and informing the leadership of each church.
Matthew 11:10 This is the one about whom it is written, 'Behold, I send My messenger / Angelos before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.' (This is speaking of John.)
Does the Book of Revelation hold any relevance for today? Has today’s Christianity and the Church become ineffective, irrelevant, unbiblical and even immoral in our world? Is the church impacting our society, or is our society impacting the church?
1 Peter 4:17 For it istime for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it beginswith us first, what will bethe outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Jesus criticized 5 out the 7 churches in the seven letters to the churches in the Book of Revelation.
1. The Dispassionate Church
Revelation 2:1-7 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden menorahs, says this: 2 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false / counterfeits; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. 4 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 'Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your menorah out of its place-- unless you repent. 6 'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.'
Head knowledge, but no heart. The Nicolaitans emphasized the indulgence of sensual pleasures.
2. The Unbiblical Church
Revelation 2:12-17 And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: 13 'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the “teaching” of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality. 15 'Thus you also have some who in the same way hold the “teaching” of the Nicolaitans. 16 'Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. 17 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.'
They were willing to put up with false teaching in the church.
3. The Tolerant Church
Revelation 2:18-28 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 19 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 20 'But I have this against you, that you “tolerate” the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 'And I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 'Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 'And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 'But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them-- I place no other burden on you. 25 'Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26 'And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.
They were willing to tolerate immorality. Only time the word tolerate is used.
4. The Morally Ambivalent Church
Revelation 3:1-6 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 'Remember therefore what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. If therefore you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you. 4 'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white; for they are worthy. 5 'He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels. 6 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
They kept up appearances and made a name for themselves, but because of their moral compromise they were dead! They were asleep in the light!
5. The Politically Correct Church
Revelation 3:14-22 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. 16 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
They didn’t take a stand on anything. They had become reliant on their own financial wealth and size. They were “blind” to their own moral and spiritual condition.
What kind of church are we? I’d rather be BC than PC!