Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 3:1-6 is about the church in Sardis.
Revelation 3:5-6
3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
3:6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
The promises of God to the church in Sardis who overcomes and wants to be sanctified are as follows.
ad. 2. His name is written in the Book of Life.
Why must the name be written in the Book of Life?
Revelation 20:14-15
20:14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
If the name is not written in the Book of Life, he will be cast into the hell and destroyed forever. All struggles in the world will be useless if the name is not written in the Book of Life.
All our struggles in the world must be increased until we fight for our names to be written in the Book of Life.
How can our names be written in the Book of Life?
God blesses us.
Revelation 3:1-6 is about the church in Sardis.
Revelation 3:5-6
3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
3:6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
The promises of God to the church in Sardis who overcomes and wants to be sanctified are as follows.
- Being clothed in white garments.
- His name is written in the Book of Life.
ad. 2. His name is written in the Book of Life.
Why must the name be written in the Book of Life?
Revelation 20:14-15
20:14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
If the name is not written in the Book of Life, he will be cast into the hell and destroyed forever. All struggles in the world will be useless if the name is not written in the Book of Life.
All our struggles in the world must be increased until we fight for our names to be written in the Book of Life.
How can our names be written in the Book of Life?
- Laboring in the peaching of the gospel.
Philippians 4:3
4:3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names arein the Book of Life.
Now it means that we, as the servants of God, must fight our ministry to God more than everything in the world.
Acts 20:24
20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
We, as the servants of God, must fight for the ministry up to the end line, that is until we die or Jesus comes a second time, whatever the challenge or obstacle we must face.
John 4:34
4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
We, as the servant of God, must fight for the ministry that pleases God. We must be faithful up to the end line and obedient to Him.
Ministering with faithfulness and obedience equals to giving food to God and satisfying Him. The results are as follows.- He also satisfies our life physically and spiritually. The matter of eating and drinking is His matter. Spiritually, He also gives us the Heavenly satisfaction and joy that cannot be affected by the world.
- He gives us victory power over the enemy, so there is nothing that endangers or blocks us to minister Him. There is no problem that cannot be solved.
Luke 10:17-19
10:17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
10:18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. - The name is written in the Book of Life.
Luke 10:20
10:20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
- He also satisfies our life physically and spiritually. The matter of eating and drinking is His matter. Spiritually, He also gives us the Heavenly satisfaction and joy that cannot be affected by the world.
- Having the white garments and the anointing oil of Holy Spirit upon the head.
Revelation 3:5
3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Ecclesiastes 9:8
9:8 Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.
It means that the servants of God must live in holiness and the anointing of Holy Spirit.
Where can we live in holiness and the anointing of Holy Spirit?
Leviticus 21:12
21:12 nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God isupon him: I amthe Lord.
In the Holy Place or the shepherding pen. It is the particular place for the priests. There are three types of equipment within the Holy Place as follows.- Golden Candlestick refers to perseverance in General Service. We have fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His anointing and gifts.
- Table of Showbread refers to perseverance in Bible Study Service with Holy Communion. We have fellowship with the Son of God in the teaching Word and the sacrifice of Christ.
- Golden Altar of Incense refers to perseverance in Prayer Service. We have fellowship with Father God in His love.
Thus, the servants of God must be well and right shepherded so we can live in holiness and the anointing of Holy Spirit. As the result, our name will be written in the Book of Life.
It is started from a pastor must persevere to feed the sheep in three main services with the right food, that is the shepherding Word. The shepherding Word is the true teaching Word entrusted by God to a pastor to be preached to the congregation faithfully, regularly, continuously, and repetitively, to become the spiritual food for the sheep.
The sheep must also persevere to eat the shepherding Word, so they are cared physically and spiritually. The sheep can grow to spiritual maturity and perfection, until their names are written in the Book of Life.
The steps of writing the name in the Book of Life are as follows.- The shepherding Word calls us by name.
John 10:3
10:3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
We are called when the shepherding Word points our conditions and sins. It means we are touched by the Word.
Our attitude is confessing all our conditions and sins to God (vertical) and the others (horizontal). If we are forgiven, we must not repeat the sins again.
Daring to confess our sins equals to confessing the name of Jesus, so He will also confess our name in front of Father and the angels. Not willingly confessing our sins equals to denying Him, and He will also deny us. Not willingly confessing our sins, even blaming the right people equals to denying Jesus and crucifying Him for the second time. The consequence is entering the everlasting perdition. - The shepherding Word leads us.
John 10:3
10:3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
The shepherding Word is as the hand of the Shepherd that leads us to live in righteousness. We do not fall in sins again and we are not deceived by false teaching or gossips. We are also led to the other pens, that is the fellowship of the body of Christ, until we become one flock with one Shepherd, or one body of Christ with Jesus as the Head.
John 10:16
10:16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock andone shepherd.
When we are sanctified and renewed, our names begin to be written in the Book of Life. When we reach perfection, the writing is done.
When our names are being written, our problems are being solved and our tears are being erased little by little.
Never stop in the middle of the journey to be well and right shepherded, until our names are written in the Book of Life and we enter the New Jerusalem where there are no more tears.
It is difficult and painful for the flesh to enter the shepherding pen, but it is easy and light for the soul. - Golden Candlestick refers to perseverance in General Service. We have fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His anointing and gifts.
- Experiencing the ministry of atonement, that is the reconciliation of sins until we are blameless as Jesus.
Exodus 32:30-33
32:30 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
32:31 Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32:32 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.”
32:33 And the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.
How is the way?- Through reconciliation, that is confessing and forgiving one another.
- Through flesh suffering with Jesus, so we realize the sins that we are not aware of, especially the sin of self-truth.
- Through the intercession prayer of Jesus, so we do not sin but receive forgiveness of sins that we have done.
- Through the intercession prayer of the pastor.
Hebrews 13:17
13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
14:5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Revelation 21:27
21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
The proof that we have experienced the ministry of atonement and that our sins have been reconciled until we are blameless is we do not lie. We are honest and let “yes” be “yes” and “no” be “no”.
Malachi 2:6
2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned many away from iniquity.
An honest man will experience peace. A priest must fight to be able to minister God with honesty and peace. Thus, he will be used by God to help the others and preach the Good News and Bride Tidings. An honest and peaceful man will become the private place of God who always stretches out His merciful hands.
The results are as follows.- The merciful hands of the High Priest are stretched out to help us right on His time.
Hebrews 2:17-18
2:17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like Hisbrethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertainingto God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
2:18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. - The merciful hands of the High Priest give us peace in the midst of shock, so everything becomes easy and light, successful and beautiful.
Luke 21:25
21:25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; - The merciful hands of the High Priest are stretched out to care and sanctify our body, spirit, and soul, until we are perfect.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
5:24 He who calls you isfaithful, who also will do it.
It equals to writing our name in the Book of Life. He is faithful and also will do it, provided that we are honest and in peace.
- Through reconciliation, that is confessing and forgiving one another.
God blesses us.