(1) And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. (2) Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. (3) Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. (4) Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (5) He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (6) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
If, as some have supposed, the former Church-state of Thyatira, had reference to Papal Rome, and the Jezebel there spoken of with her fornications, alluded to the Whore of mystical Babylon; then it will follow, that the reformation was that period when the scripture was fulfilled, which describes her impoverished state, expressed under the figure of casting her into a bed of sickness, and killing her children. And then from the same circumstances it will follow, that this Epistle to Sardis, is directed to the Church of the present hour; and we are in the Sardis state. But we have seen, upon many occasions, the calculations of great and studious men, notwithstanding the most plausible appearances, found to be wrong; that I am free to confess, I am not much disposed to give credence to any. So incompetent are we to judge, by the mere appearances of things, that while a few years ago the Reformed Church of Christ in this land, was led from apparent signs, to hope Antichrist in the heresy of Papal Rome was dwindling away, we now behold the Beast propped up, with more human power than she hath had for more than two Centuries past. And together with her revival, another Antichrist in the denial of Christ's Godhead, and now, unrestrained by law, is coming forth, with an uncovered brow in our land. So that while those learned and studious men, speak of the present day of the Church being the Sardis state, and that this will shortly be succeeded by the Philadelphian; when universal love, and universal light and knowledge, will be diffused through the earth; I read those scriptures differently, and rather am inclined to conclude, very awful events will take place in the Church of Christ, before those bright periods come on. But with whomsoever the truth is one thing is certain; what the Lord here saith to the Church of Sardis, opens a very blessed subject of improvement at all times, and especially in the present hour. And I humbly conceive, it will be more suited to the object of a Poor Man's Commentary, to seek grace from the Lord, to draw improvements for our present use, than enter into enquiries of what may be hereafter, with which we have no concern. What the Lord said to Daniel, suits all of Daniel's faith; Go My way till the end be. Thou shalt stand in thy lot at the end of the days, Daniel 12:13
Sardis was the chief city of Lydia, but now it is a mere village. Its distance was not above thirty miles, or thereabouts, from Thyatira. So that those places, which were rather in flourishing circumstances at the time the Lord Jesus sent these Epistles to them, have not a vestige remaining, and are all of them awfully under the delusion of the impostor of the East. Reader! what a precious consideration it is to my soul in the moment of writing, that amidst all changes of places, or nations, or men, or things, Jesus changeth not. Neither his Person, nor his love to his Church, can admit the smallest alteration; he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever, Hebrews 13:8
How blessedly the Lord Jesus begins his Epistle to this Church. These things, saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars. Here the Lord assumes to himself a sovereignty suited to his Almighty character, and which can be said by no other but by Him in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, Colossians 2:9. By the seven Spirit s of God, as hath been before observed, (see Revelation 1:1) is meant the Holy Ghost in his sevenfold gifts and graces. And, therefore, the Lord Jesus speaking as Mediator, describes his fulness for his body the Church, God giving not the Spirit by measure unto him, John 3:36. And by having the seven stars is meant, that Jesus it is which holds his servants whom he hath appointed to minister in his name. Sweet thought to the faithful, under pastors in the Lord's house! Oh! how blessed to be upheld, taught, guided, sent, blessed, and owned by Him!
If we are under the Sardis state, it is a very humbling state. Jesus saith, I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest, and art dead! Reader! if the Lord spake of us nationally, bad enough as that would be, yet the true Church of Christ might find comfort, that amidst the mere profession of the Gospel, by those who know nothing of the Gospel but in the name, the Lord's people possessing Christ would learn rightly to estimate their privileges. But it is the general state of the Church, in Gospel Churches, of whom Christ speaks. Numbers there are who take up with a name to live, who never were regenerated, and consequently are still dead in trespasses and sins. And others, who, though quickened by the Holy Ghost into a new and spiritual life, yet are such babes in the life of grace, as to remain in the weakness and imbecility of childhood the greater part of their days.
That the Church, yea, the true Church of Sardis, had many of her members in this state is evident, from what the Lord Jesus immediately added, Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. Now, here we find, that though so weak and languishing that, to all outward appearances, they were ready to die, yet not dead. There is a mighty difference between spiritually dying and spiritual death. The former may be, and too often is, the case of God's children. The latter can only be said of such as are still in the Adam-nature of the fall, unquickened by the Holy Ghost, and, therefore, dead in trespasses and sins. Reader! do mark the different features of character. Painful as it is, and reproachful as it is to a child of God whom the Lord hath regenerated, and called by grace to live in the neglect of ordinances, the throne of Christ, reading the scriptures, and the various ways which the Holy Ghost is pleased to appoint, for keeping up communion in the soul; yet death and dying are two very different things. The latter may be, and certainly will be restored, through the favor and life-giving principle of Him that quickeneth. The former hath no part nor lot in the matter, nor ever will, notwithstanding the most flaming profession, except the Lord the Holy Ghost quicken. It is only by regeneration, or the new-birth, that the child of God enters into Christ's sheepfold. But he that climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber, John 10:1-2
Reader! do not overlook what the Lord Jesus here saith, in enforcing watchfulness, to hold fast, and to repent, in every instance of truly regenerated child of God, who by the new-birth hath received and heard. Oh! how necessary in the present awful day of much profession, must it be in every child of God, to give all diligence as the Holy Ghost commands, to make our calling and election sure, see 2 Peter 1:10. And what a blessed thing it is, whether the present day of the Church be, or be not, under this Sardis state, that Jesus hath graciously added, for to keep up the spirits of his true children, that even in Sardis he hath a few names, that is, a few persons, which have not defiled their garments; that is, have not polluted the robes of Jesus righteousness, in patching them up with a pretended righteousness of their own. Oh! how blessedly Jesus speaks of them. They shall walk with me, saith the Lord. Yes! they do walk with Christ, and by the strength of Christ. For so the Holy Ghost gives testimony of them. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted, Psalms 89:16. And the Lord declares them worthy. For they are accepted in the Beloved, Ephesians 1:6
What Jesus saith of coming as a thief in the night, means, the suddenness, and unexpectedness of his coming, at the moment he comes. But this coming to his people, though sudden to all such as are not always on the look-out for his coming, is not meant in a way of judgment, to condemn them, much less to destroy. The Lord saith, he will correct his children, when they forsake his law, and walk not in his judgment: nevertheless his loving kindness he will not utterly take from him, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail, Psalms 89:30-37. And in this very Chapter, (Revelation 3:10) he will keep his people from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world. Reader! what saith your heart's experience to these things? If this be the Sardis state, under which you and I this day are; if Jesus gives this account of it; if, amidst the wonderful relations we hear of, and meet with, every day, the compassing sea and land to make proselytes; if they that have such a name to live, are yet dead before God; if some are totally dead in trespasses and sins, mere professors without life; if others, who have been quickened, have need to strengthen the things which remain, which are ready to die; and, if the Lord hath a few, even in Sardis, who by living to him, and living wholly upon him, the Son of God declares to be worthy, and shall walk with him; pause, and ask your own heart, to which class do you belong, ? Oh! Lord! give the hearing ear, to all thy redeemed, that they my hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches!