Church of Sardis, Reformation Age

Sardis is the fifth of seven churches to whom Christ sent a message in Revelation 2 and 3. This is a church with a reputation for being alive, but is dead. No commendation is given by Jesus to Sardis. It is called to be watchful for it is ready to die. The church of Sardis represents a time in church history following the Reformation in the 17th and 18th centuries when many fell into carelessness over spirituality. With the protection of the state and rigid creeds, many were content with a form of godliness but were lacking power. It provides a warning for Christians today to have a genuine experience with Christ.

Beyond Reputation Sardis was located about 30 miles southeast of Thyatira. It had a beautiful mountaintop acropolis and was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, a very important city in the Persian Empire. The city had a reputation for greatness that went beyond reality. When John wrote the Revelation, Sardis fell behind Ephesus and Pergamum in status. The fall of Sardis depicts well this reputation. The self—confident King Croesus felt completely secure from being conquered by Cyrus of Persia. The city, located on top of Mount Tmolus, provided sheer walls of protection hundreds of feet high. Jesus' warning of coming like a thief in the night fits the history of Sarids well for Cyrus' men scaled the wall with the help of a crack in the cliff to attack the unprotected city at night.

Jesus said, "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead" (Revelation 3:1). The strong rebuke is similar to the scathing denunciations Christ made to the religious leaders of His day. Sardis is told to be "watchful" and "strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die" (v. 2). The church is not totally dead, but on the verge. Jesus says, "I have not found your works perfect before God" (v. 2). The life they lived did not match the words they professed. The remedy is to remember how they first received the gospel and to repent. If the church responds, they will walk with Christ in "white", which represents purity of life and doctrine. This church may not have its name blotted out of the book of life if it will repent.

The period in church history following the Protestant Reformation is described well by the church of Sardis. It represents the sterility of protestant orthodoxy when the churches settled doctrinal controversy with inflexible creeds. National churches were established and protected by the government. This was also a time when scientific discoveries made great advances. Rationalism raised questions about the accuracy of Scripture and led many to lay aside doctrinal truth. Human philosophies were mixed with the Bible to make truth more "reasonable". Spiritual coldness resulted and the churches of this era could be described as truly dead. Turning Around

The "white" referred to in Jesus' statement (v. 4) tells us of the purity of His righteousness covering our sins. White is a "pure" color and the church that is dead is defiled by sin. It needs to repent and receive Christ again. Jesus says, "I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life" (v. 5). Sometimes in ancient courts a citizen's name was erased from the records of a city before the criminal was condemned. In a similar way, we may lose our citizenship in heaven if we do not repent and return to God.

Like ancient Sardis, do we have a reputation for looking good as a Christian, but on the inside we are dead. Do we attend churches that are well respected in the community but have no spiritual life inside? Are the teachings we cling to founded clearly in the word of God or have the philosophies of mankind watered down the truths of the Bible? Jesus says, "Repent. Hold fast to what is good. But watch carefully or you may completely die and have your name removed from the Book of Life. Do not defile your lives by the philosophies of the world. Walk with Me and you will be clothed in My righteousness. I will confess your name before My Father and His angels." Listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church of Sardis.