Sanctified From Wickedness (3) - David Eells - UBBS 5.12.24

Sanctified From Wickedness (3) 

(Audio) 

Escaping Apostasy

David Eells 5/12/24 

Let’s look at the letters to the seven churches since there’s so much in them about the apostasy or falling away among God’s people. I believe that the letters to the churches are also letters to certain kinds of Christians, which are symbolized by each church. Of course, I know that there’s a prophetic value there, too (Revelation 1:3), but people should be able to recognize themselves in one of these churches. This is not a complete study of the Churches, but some very important things that we can take warning from. 

Beginning in (Rev.2:1) To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: (2) I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles (People who fall away because of their pride and so forth, many of them are calling themselves prophets and apostles, but we need to test them. They need to have the signs of an apostle.), and they are not, and didst find them false; (3) and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name’s sake, and hast not grown weary.  

People do get tired when they don’t keep their eyes on the Lord and His promises, which pick you up and give you courage and faith. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and the promises that He’s made. Don’t get worried or anxious, because the devil likes to wear you down and then, before you know it, you’ve fallen-away.  

(Rev.2:4) But I have [this] against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. Yes, a lot of people have started out really in love with Jesus and wanting to know all about Him, but it doesn’t take long before they’ve been side-tracked by these false apostles or false pastors or false leaders. (5) Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works… The “first works” were wanting to know what it is to please the Lord. You wanted to know how to obey the Lord but you probably didn’t read enough of the Book to find out what a church looked like, so you went to something that you thought was a church where, sadly, you were led astray and wasted a whole bunch of time. Go back! Go back and be obedient to the Lord as when you first entered into Christ, before you were led astray by these charlatans who told you that you didn’t have to be obedient.  

(Rev.2:5) Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick (The Greek word translated “candlestick” denotes “an oil-fed, portable lamp.”) out of its place, except thou repent. That’s a falling-away. He is the One Who stands in the midst of the candlesticks. He is the One Who keeps your “oil-fed, portable lamp,” lit. You have to have fellowship with Him, and He is the Word. The best way to pray is when you read the Word. If you see something you like, then pray it. You can read the Word and pray at the same time. Whenever you run across something you know you need, or are lacking in, anywhere you see a promise, stop and pray. Stop, repent if you need to, and pray. Oh, thank you, Father, for pouring the oil of Your Spirit into the lamps of our portable tabernacles! Amen.  

(Rev.2:6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. The Nicolaitans started out with a priestly order, like that of the Old Testament, where there is a priest between you and God, and that’s what Catholicism started doing. There is a priest over the church and between you and God and so forth, and the Protestants picked it right up because their apple didn’t fall far from the tree and now the pastor is the head of the church for them, too. But there’s nothing more false in the whole Scriptures. That is the Nicolaitan error, which He said He hated, and that the church in Ephesus also hated. 

(Rev.2:7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life… Between Adam and the “tree of life” there was the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” (Gen.2:16) And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17) but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Well, as we know, Adam failed that test and he had to be removed from the garden lest he eat of the “tree of life” (Gen 3:22-24). However, we who have been born-again, have the power to do something with the knowledge of good and evil. The natural man doesn’t have that; we who are born from above have that.  

(1Co.2:14) Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged. Therefore, we are to study the knowledge of good and evil in the Scriptures, not necessarily what men say is good or evil, but according to what the Scriptures say. We are to study it and know it. (Rev.2:7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh (That’s somebody who studied it; they know it, and they’re obeying it.), to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God. 

(Rev.2:8) And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and [lived] again: (9) I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich)… Yes, they are rich in the ways of the Kingdom. (Jas.2:5) Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? And, yes, they are beloved.  

(9) I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. It’s interesting that this is addressing the church, but he is speaking about the church error, in which there are Jews who claim to be Jews, yet they are not Jews according to the New Covenant, the New Testament. It’s important to understand this. Unless you’re born-again, you’re not a member of the New Covenant, nor are you a Jew according to the New Testament. We’re told, (Rom.2:28) For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: (29) but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.  

The Jews had a “letter” Covenant; it was according to the letter. The Christians have a spiritual Covenant; it is a spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament type. We don’t inherit their literal promises; we’re not replacing them in a literal way. Their land is not our “land.” Our “land” is a spiritual land, as we were taught (John 17:14,16, John 18:36; 1 John 2:15). So if you’re a member of the New Covenant, you have been circumcised in heart, which is having the “flesh” cut away from your heart.  

When He says that they are a “synagogue of Satan,” it’s obviously identifying physical Jews and He’s telling the church that these people are not Jews. They’re claiming to be Jews, but they are not. They are a synagogue of Satan. Why would they be a synagogue of Satan? It’s because they’re not born from above. If you’re born from above (John 3:3), you’re circumcised in heart. It doesn’t matter if you’re a physical Jew or a Gentile. 

We can see this borne out again very well here. (Rom.9:25) As he saith also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people (That’s because His original people were all physical Jews.); And her beloved, that was not beloved. (So He loves someone that is not a Jew and was not called “my people.”) (26) And it shall be, [that] in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people (This is the Gentiles.), There shall they be called sons of the living God. (27) And Isaiah crieth concerning Israel, If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that shall be saved. He’s talking about natural Israel there; only a remnant of natural Israel “shall be saved,” however, we know that “all Israel” shall be saved who is grafted into the “Olive Tree” (Rom 11:26).  

(Rom.11:19) Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off (Those “branches” were natural Israel.), that I might be grafted in. (20) Well; by their unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (21) for if God spared not the natural branches, neither will he spare thee. In other words, if you walk in unbelief concerning His Word, you also shall be cut-off. (22) Behold then the goodness and severity of God: toward them that fell, severity; but toward thee, God’s goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. (23) And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.  

(24) For if thou wast cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree; how much more shall these, which are the natural [branches], be grafted into their own olive tree? (25) For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;  

(26) and so all Israel shall be saved: even as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer;(Jesus in the Man-child reformers) He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (27) And this is my covenant unto them, When I shall take away their sins. So we should fear, lest we walk outside the bounds of God’s Covenant, which is His Word to us. Many do, and they see no problem with that, whatsoever, but we know it to be extremely dangerous because we’re going to be judged according to our works.  

Going back to the church of Smyrna (Rev2:10) Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer… Yes, we will suffer, although many people falsely think we won’t have to suffer. We will suffer, and that suffering, of course, is losing our life: It’s the “old man” dying and the “new man” taking his place. Whatever we have to go through to lose our old life and gain our new life, it is necessary, and it is suffering. You have to suffer the loss of your carnal life and the carnal way of living. You need to remember that there’s an important difference between those who are “sons” of God and those who are “children” of God. “Sons” of God follow the Spirit of God; “children” do not.  

Christ is our example of suffering. (1Pet.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh… He went to His Cross; His flesh was crucified. He said, (Mat.10:38) … he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. And also, (Luk.14:27) Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. That means we, too, must go to a spiritual cross of death to self. (2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. As you die, you live.  

(1Pet.4:1) Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin… There is no law against somebody who has “ceased from sin”. Suffering in the flesh gives a person the fear of God and it’s a proof that they’re losing their life. A person losing their carnal life is not going to fall away. Suffering is the normal Christian life, and we should expect it to be that.  

(2) that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. This is extremely important, because if we walk after the flesh, we must die (Rom 8:13). That’s a falling-away, isn’t it? How do we avoid the falling-away? The flesh has to die, because it will do nothing but try to subvert you the rest of your life. And according to this, we don’t have to live the rest of our “time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” We have to live the crucified life. People grow very quickly once they realize that their cross is to deny themselves and follow Jesus. Most religion doesn’t teach denying self, but then, people don’t grow up in God through most religion, either. So we see that this must be done. It is a suffering, but it must be done.  

(Rev.2:10) Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried… We know of somebody who was cast into prison to be a type and shadow for us, and that was Joseph (Gen 39:20), who came out of that prison to become the second ruler of the kingdom (Gen 41:40). He represents Jesus, and he also represents the Man-child in our day. The Man-child company in these days is suffering at the hands of wicked men, and it is for the good purpose of their crucifixion. That will prepare the Man-child to lead the Woman into the wilderness, but the Woman in the wilderness still needs to have the same fruit of Jesus Christ.  

That means there is a time for the Woman in the wilderness to also suffer in the exact same way, to suffer by being “cast into prison.” You know, there are lots of things we can’t do. We’re limited by the “bars” of the Word of God from doing them, because obeying the Word crucifies us. It restrains the “old man” to the point that he dies. Joseph was prepared through a death to rule, and Jesus preached to the souls in prison until He was resurrected to rule, and now He reigns. That’s a parable for us. We, too, all of us, not just the Man-child but the Bride and Woman who goes into the wilderness will also be going through the exact same thing that the Man-child has gone through, at the hands of wicked people.  

(Rev.2:10 …that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. Notice the condition here. People falsely think that salvation has been put into their hand when, actually, salvation is in Christ. And we know that when Christ went to the Cross, we went with Him as far as the sacrifice is concerned. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.  

We still need to go to our cross, but we reckon that it was done at the Cross. We believe we have received, as Jesus taught us (Mark 11:24). We need to be “faithful unto death,” the death of self, and, if necessary, the death of this old fleshly body. For some, it will take that much for them to enter into the Kingdom. But we, at the very least, have to die to self. Self is the enemy of God that must be crucified, and that’s what we’re here to do. We need to learn that lesson well.  

So as we read, (1Pe.4:2) … ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. Once you learn how to cooperate with God, you can do this fairly quickly, and then you’re in a position where God can use you. You get the “crown of life” for death; you enter into God’s Life through death, death to self. Before that, you’re not trustworthy because you’re living after the flesh. You have many idols to distract you, many rulers besides God but, of course, once you’re crucified, there is only one Ruler, and that’s the Lord. When He is the Head, there’s not much chance that you’re going to fail God because it’s the flesh that walks astray; it’s not the spiritual man.  

(Rev.2:11) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. “Overcoming” is overcoming the things that we’re reading about. It’s obvious that when people fall away, they’re not overcoming, but we’re called to be overcomers. There are no promises in the letters to the churches for those who are not overcomers, therefore, we must lose our life. Just as our Lord took up His Cross, we are here to take up our cross and follow Him.  

(Rev.2:11) …He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. What is the “second death”? (Rev.20:11) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.  

Everybody’s going to be judged according to their works. You may say, “David, I thought we are judged according to our faith.” No, faith is manifested through works. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17). The proof of faith is works. If a person believes, they will walk with the Lord. If they don’t believe, they won’t walk with the Lord. Therefore, all that God has to do to judge our faith is to judge our works. That’s why it says, “according to their works.”  

Those people who think they can live any way they want to live and still call themselves a “Christian” or “believer,” they don’t believe that their sins were taken away. If they did believe that their sins were taken away, they would constantly be being taken away and it would be seen in how they live. No, their faith is hollow; they’re just “accepting the Lord,” but there’s nothing about “accepting the Lord” in the Bible. We’re commanded to repent and believe the Gospel The Greek word for “repent” means to “change your mind” and believe what God says. This is what religion refuses to do, and that’s why they’re in rebellion, and that’s why there’s a great falling-away. There is a great falling-away, and it’s their fault. Their blood is on the Harlot. (Rev.17:6) And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.  

(Rev.20:13) And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (14) And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, [even] the lake of fire. (15) And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. How do you get into the Book of Life? Well, according to that text, it has everything to do with your works.  

Then how do we change our works? We do that through the Blood of the Lamb. We accept the fact that we were crucified with Him and now it’s no longer we who live, but it’s Christ Who lives in us. And our good confession is accepted by the High Priest of our Confession, and that is Jesus Christ. He is the One Who gives us authority over the old flesh. He is the One (Php.2:13) … who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. That’s not true of everybody who claims to be a “Christian.” Many don’t have the Will of God in them; they have their own will, which is self-will. That’s why “self” has to die.  

(Rev.2:12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword: (13) I know where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan’s throne is; and thou holdest fast my name… That is, of course, what it takes not to fall away. (Now this is not a study of Revelation, this is a study of the falling-away, so there are things I’m going to skip over in order to emphasize the things that could possibly cause you to fall away.) We know that the word “name” in the Greek is onoma, which means “nature, character, and authority.” We hold fast to the real Jesus, His nature, His character, and His authority.  

I would say that a lot of the church has denied that. They have created a new “Jesus” in these days, as Paul said (2 Cor 11:3-4; Gal 1:6-9) and, of course, that only makes you anti-Christ. A new Jesus makes you anti-Christ. The prefix “anti” not only means “against,” it also means “in the place of” because you’ve replaced the Jesus of the Bible with the Jesus of your religion. We need to learn not to go astray from the real Jesus.  

(Rev.2:13) I know where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan’s throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith… As we’ve seen, this is so important because “he that endureth to the end” in faith, is going to have what they’re believing for, by the grace of God. Don’t deny the faith. Many people do deny the faith every time they speak, since they speak totally contrary to the promises of God. The Bible says, (Rom.10:9) … if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. We need to speak, what the Bible says about us. The word “confess” is the Greek word homologeo, which means “to speak the same as.” We are told to say what God says.  

(Rev.2:13) …and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth. Yes, of course, some will die. Some will be martyred. We’re all going to be spiritual martyrs if we’re going to make it into the Kingdom. The old man is going to be crucified, so we’re all going to be spiritual martyrs, and some will be physical martyrs, too, but if they stay faithful unto death, He will give them a “crown of life”.  

(Rev.2:14) But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam… We know Balaam was a hireling. Balak hired him, and he was tempted and lusted after the things that Balak had to offer him. There are many hirelings out there that do what they do for profit, and when a person is perverted in that way, you can’t trust anything they say or teach. If all they have their eyes on is the money, the gain, and the ego trip, they’re not trustworthy; they have no business being in the ministry at all and you shouldn’t be following them. It’s sad, but there are many Balaams out there.  

(Rev.2:14) …who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. What is it to “sacrifice” to “idols”? Anything can be an idol if it is more important to you than God. When you put it before God, if you serve it, if your money is wound-up in it, if your time is wound-up in it, then you’re robbing God of the time that a disciple would spend with Him and money that would be going toward doing His work. One way or the other, it’s a sacrifice. You can be sacrificing the old life, or you can be sacrificing the new life. So in the church at Pergamum, they were sacrificing things to idols. We are told in, (1Jn.2:15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. That’s the same way with idols. However much you love an idol, it’s that much that you do not love the Father.  

(1Co.10:14) Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (15) I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. (16) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ? “Communion” means “having in common.” Do you spend a lot of time with people who are idolators? Do you have things in common with people who are idolators?  

Scripture tells us very plainly how we are to live. (Rom.12:1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice (Are you presenting your body as a living sacrifice to the Lord and to His work? Or are you sacrificing your body to the world and to the love of the world and the things of the world?), holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service. (2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. We are to sacrifice of our own mind and thoughts and actions because we give in to God’s mind and thoughts and actions. We make this body do what is in agreement with the Word. We should not sacrifice our spiritual, higher, life to this world.  

People can be idols in your life, as Jesus said. (Mat.10:37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. After you come into the Kingdom and you’re of age, you are called upon to follow your heavenly Father, your Lord, Jesus Christ. You’re not called to follow your earthly father or mother; you’re called to honor them, but not to follow them. They may not know what you know and so you would, of course, be an idolator if you followed them instead of Jesus. (Mat.10:38) And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. (39) He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.  

Let’s go back to (Rev.2:15) So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. Now remember what we’ve already learned about the Nicolaitans. (Rev.2:6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. The Greek word Nikolaités which is translated “Nicolaitans,” is made up of two words: nikos meaning “a conquest, triumph, victory,” and laos meaning “a people, particularly used of the people of the Lord...the root of the English term ‘laity.’” When you put them together, “Nikolaités means “to conquer the people.” God says He hates this, and the people of the church at Ephesus also hated it.  

It’s a very destructive doctrine that’s prevalent in the churches. The Nicolaitans followed the Old Testament, priestly order. They put the priest between you and God, which is false doctrine. We know that we are a “kingdom of priests”, but we’ve been called to not follow a priestly order. In these days, we are all priests and we all have a sacrifice to make, the sacrifice of this old flesh. We’ve been called to follow the Lord. 

That priestly order came through Catholicism right on down to the Protestants, who have put the pastor in the place of the priestly order. The pastor is the undisputed head of the church and it revolves around him but, of course, we know that this is totally false doctrine because the Bible says otherwise. In (Eph.4:11) And he gave some [to be] apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) for the perfecting of the saints… Notice the Lord gave the five-fold ministry “for the perfecting of the saints.” Their one-fold ministry cannot perfect the saints. Any church that is working properly will have a multiplicity of input of the gifts, of the ministries, and so on. This is where we’re headed; We’re going back to the five-fold ministry as God has chosen. It is a place of safety for God’s people.  

(Eph.4:12) For the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering… He’s raising us up to minister in one form or another. Not everybody can be a preacher or an elder in the church; it’s not permitted, in many cases, but we can all minister. The Greek word translated “minister” is diakonia and it just means “serve.” (13) … till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.  

When everybody but the pastor is a spectator, and they just sit there and they’re not learning to serve, they’re not learning to be ministers, does it surprise you that nobody’s growing up under this Nicolaitan error? That’s why God says He hates it so much, and He gives credit to the churches that also hate it. (Eph.4:14) That we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men (Yes, this is what a Nicolaitan preacher is all about.), in craftiness, after the wiles of error.   

There’s another important benefit of the five-fold ministry: (Pro.11:14) Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth; But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. The true Church is made up of specialists. The Nicolaitan error is that the pastor usurps the rest of the five-fold ministry. That is not permitted, because “in the multitude of counselors, there is safety.” If one man goes astray, he’s going to take everybody with him, unless there’s a church split where some people disagree with the man and others blindly follow him.

(Pro.15:22) Where there is no counsel, purposes are disappointed; But in the multitude of counsellors they are established. The purposes of God are established in “the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering.” The purposes of the Christian, in growing up and not staying a child the rest of their life, is a purpose that needs to be fulfilled.

When will the five-fold ministry be restored to the Church. History repeats. Jesus the Man-child raised up the apostolic leadership who raise up churches and appointed five-fold elders to rule them. So the coming Man-child body will repeat this in the beginning of the Tribulation.

(1Ti.5:17) Let the elders that rule… First of all, you have to see here that the elders rule. The elders are not assistants to the pastor. That’s the Nicolaitan error. The elders are the five-fold ministry but this escapes a lot of people. (1Ti.5:17) Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in teaching.

Let me show you how elders are ordained of God as ministers of God as a five-fold ministry. (Act.20:17) And from Miletus he (This is the apostle Paul.) sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church. An elder is first somebody who is older in the Lord, who is able to lead other people not someone who has been merely ordained by men to that position. So Paul called the elders together.  

(Act.20:18) And when they were come to him, he said unto them … (28) Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops (“Bishop” is the Greek episkopos meaning an “overseer.” Notice that the elders are the “bishops,” the “overseers,” the five-fold ministry ordained by God.

Some qualifications for Bishops or elders are in 1Ti 3: 2  The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  3  no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;), to feed the church of the Lord (Teaching and feeding the Church is the job of the five-fold ministry.)

Back to Acts 20:28…which he purchased with his own blood. (29) I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Yes, these “wolves” are a bunch of dictators that usurped the authority of the five-fold ministers who were ordained of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they took over the church, usurping every other avenue of God’s wisdom and gifts to the church, “not sparing the flock.” (Act.20:30) And from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.  

(Act.20:31) Wherefore watch ye, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. (32) And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build [you] up, and to give [you] the inheritance among all them that are sanctified. This is the job of the five-fold ministry and this is why Paul called the elders to him to explain their job.  

(33) I coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. That’s not true of any of the apostate leaders today, but who is there to stop them? They’re the head. Who is there to say, “No, you can’t do that”? So here Paul is instructing the five-fold ministry, the elders, the bishops, in the ways of the Kingdom and he gives himself as an example. (34) Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. (35) In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.  

Going back to (Rev.2:15) So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. (16) Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. They had to repent of the Nicolaitan error, and part of this error was unqualified elders ruling over the people without the qualified five-fold ministry. If you’re sitting under the Nicolaitan error, you must be ready to change. God said He hates it. The Man-child leaders are coming to change this soon. 

(Rev.2:17) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna… The “hidden manna” is the Spirit of the Word. The letter is what everybody can see; it’s not hidden, however, (2Co.3:6) … the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. God is able to translate for us the parables of the Old Testament, because that’s what they were. The letter was given to the letter Jew and the Spirit was given to the spiritual Jew, who is the New Testament born-again, born from-above, Jew.  

(Rev.2:17) …To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone… What is this white stone? According to the Old Testament Law, on the Day of Atonement, two goats were presented before the High Priest, and also a pouch with two stones. They were “lots” which were inside the pouch (Lev 16:5-34) and one of those stones was a white stone called “the lot of the Lord.”  

The other stone was a black stone called “the lot of the scapegoat.” Without looking, the High Priest would choose a stone from the pouch with his right hand and hold the stone over the right-hand goat. If it was the white stone for the lot of the Lord, that goat would be sacrificed, but the other goat would be set free in the wilderness, which symbolized the Lord’s sacrifice in our place. We were set free and He was sacrificed. That’s the white stone and it represents God’s acceptance of your sacrifice, and the fact that the Lord bore your curse and your sin, and you are free.  

(Rev.2:17) …and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. The “new name” that only the overcomers have and know is the nature, character, and authority of the Father and Jesus.  

(Rev.2:18) And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass: (19) I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last works are more than the first. Yes, this is the way it is supposed to be. I know many people who started out by getting the beam out of their eye so they could see clearly to serve the people of God, and they did serve for a while, but then they went back to serving themselves.  

They gave up their ministry and turned away from the Lord and started doing their own thing again. Their “last works” were not more than their first works. God knows everything we do, and we’re going to be judged according to our works, which are all written in His books. Thank God that we have a Blood covering if we’re not willfully disobedient! If you’re seeking out His Will in the Word of God, seeking to be a disciple, seeking to lose your life in order to gain your life, if you’re doing these things, you’re not going to fail. You’re not going to fall away.  

(Rev.2:20) But I have [this] against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess… There is no office of “prophetess” in the five-fold ministry. There’s only the office of “prophet” as part of the five-fold ministry. That’s because a “prophet” is an “elder, bishop, overseer,” and a woman cannot teach or take authority over the man. So here is a Jezebel, whom we know well from the Old Testament as a woman who ruled over her Ahab husband, to both his destruction and to the destruction of his whole family.  

All of her children through him, died. They were sentenced to death by the Lord Himself. It’s the same with this “Jezebel.” She teaches, but her teaching leads the people into sin. She teaches, but she’s not supposed to teach. (1Ti.2:11) Let a woman learn in quietness, with all subjection. (12) But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. And he goes on to say that Adam was the first-formed, and then Eve. She was a help-meet for him. She was to serve him. (13) For Adam was first formed, then Eve; (14) and Adam was not beguiled, but the woman being beguiled (So Adam was not deceived, but Eve was deceived and that was one reason she shouldn’t be a teacher.) hath fallen into transgression: (15) but she shall be saved through her child-bearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety.  

Understand that this Jezebel in Revelation made herself a prophetess; she “calleth herself a prophetess.” It’s possible she was a prophetess before she fell away, because a “prophetess” is just “a woman with a gift of prophecy.” It does not mean she has the office of prophet; there’s a difference. There’s the gift of prophecy and there is also an office of prophet as one member of the five-fold ministry. The gift of prophecy does not give her, as a woman, authority in the church to teach or take authority over the man. It is not permitted, but that is what Jezebel does, and that is what Jezebel spirits do.  

They take authority over the man: in the family, in the home, in the church. It’s an evil spirit that leads people to destruction, and because the woman is more easily deceived in these things, she leads others astray. That’s why it is not permitted for a woman to teach or take authority over the man. This is very important to understand and obey this. Now we have an in-depth study covering this subject and about women and their role in our book “The Word, Women and Authority”. 

Now let’s go back to (Rev.2:20) But I have [this] against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. We’ve seen what it is to partake of “things sacrificed to idols.” An idol is anything more important to you than following and serving the Lord. As for fornication, here is a woman, Jezebel, who is a fornicator in that she is not receiving the seed of the husband. This is spiritual fornication because she is receiving the seed of the devil. The Jezebel spirit is a demon spirit. Somebody who receives a Jezebel spirit is receiving the seed of a very selfish, self-willed, demon spirit that causes a domineering woman to rule over the man, disobeying what the Scripture says.  

Maybe you’ve heard the lying excuse preachers will give about how, “All these things passed away with the apostles and it’s different today.” No, it was an everlasting Covenant (Isaiah 24:5, 53:5). We are not to accept anybody who changes the Covenant. (Rev.22:18) I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book:  

(19) and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book. That’s because they have led God’s people astray and caused them to disobey His Word. It is very important that we obey His Word. So there is fornication, and Jezebel is teaching people to receive another seed that is not the seed of the Husband, Who is the Lord. The Lord is the Word. We have to obey the Word.  

(Rev.2:21) And I gave her time that she should repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. We know that all of Jezebel’s seed were destroyed, and this is a type and shadow for the things to come. The people who follow Jezebel are going to be destroyed. (22) Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works. It doesn’t sound like they’re going to escape this “great tribulation.” There are people who are going to go through this tribulation and do very well, but Jezebel and her seed will not.  

(23) And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. There are good works and there are evil works. Jezebel is an evil work and those whom she trains are evil works. They’re going to die in great tribulation, like Jezebel’s seed did and Ahab’s seed did. It was Ahab who refused to be the head over Jezebel his wife. Instead, he just gave into her and so both of them and all their seed were destroyed (2 Kings 9).  

(Rev.2:24) But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who know not the deep things of Satan (Wow! This is saying that the teachings of Jezebel are “the deep things of Satan.”), as they are wont to say; I cast upon you none other burden. (25) Nevertheless that which ye have, hold fast till I come. (26) And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end (His works wouldn’t be the teachings of Jezebel, they wouldn’t be the Nicolaitan error, and there wouldn’t be Gentiles going back to follow Judaism.), to him (he that overcometh.) will I give authority over the nations…  

If you have authority in the church, you first had to be an overcomer. There is no true elder who is not an overcomer because he’s been given authority. He’s not only an authority for the Church, he’s an authority against any nation that would hurt the Church. (Rev.2:26) And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I 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 shivers; as I also have received of my Father: (28) and I will give him the morning star. (29) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Notice that in every address to the churches, He makes promises only to the overcomer. The overcomer is overcoming all of these temptations to go astray from what is written.  

(Rev.3:1) And to 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 thou art dead. I’ve always supposed that this name could be “Christian.” (Act.11:25) And he (This is speaking of Barnabus.) went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul; (26) and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.  

The lost people called the disciples “Christians” because they followed in the steps of Jesus. They spoke His Word, they had His Power, they did His Works. It’s sad that many people have taken the name of “Christian” but they haven’t taken on His Name. When we baptize people, we baptize them into the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ. When you’re baptized and go down in the water, you accept by faith that you have died and are buried with Him in the likeness of His death. The water represents “the washing of water with the Word” (Eph 5:26) and the Word puts to death our old man. So when you go down into the water, you accept by faith that your old man died, and that the One Who comes up is Jesus Christ. You’ve been baptized into His Name and you are now a member of His Body. 

(Rev.3:1) …I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. Until we come into the Name, we are “dead” and of no use to ourselves or anyone else. Coming into the Name is, first of all, coming into the revelation of what it represents, which is the Word of God.  

The reason we’re here is to bear fruit. Remember the Parable of the Sower, and how it showed that three out of every four people who hear the Word, don’t bear fruit and so they fall away. If you’re side-tracked by Nicolaitan errors or by Jezebel spirits or by any of the other things we’ve been speaking about, you’re not going to bear fruit. You have to overcome your flesh in order to bear fruit, and this is why I’ve said, many times, that when people become Christians, they need to start reading in the New Testament and read and read and read to renew their minds with the Word of God. That’s the only way to know the truth for yourself. We’ve been told to each work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. (Php 2:12)  

I know God ordained this for me, but I started reading the Word of God only because my Baptist friend challenged me to do it. I didn’t have any knowledge of the Word of God because I was raised in Catholicism and they don’t teach you the Word of God. Well, that turned out to be a good thing. As I was reading the Bible day and night, since I didn’t have anybody to tell me otherwise, I just believed what I was reading and it was changing my mind and it was changing my life. I learned that the Holy Spirit Himself can teach you. He taught me not to add-to, or take-away-from, the Word. These are principles I learned before I ever went to a church and by the time I did go to a church, I already had the Word in my heart, so I didn’t stick anywhere very long because I realized that these people had gone astray with religion.  

Of course, we have to “repent,” which is to “change your mind,” every time we pick up the Word of God and we see what it says. The Lord taught me that, (Psa.119:160) The sum of thy word is truth; … And (Isa.28:10) For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little. It’s a little here and a little there, but when it’s all added up, you don’t have to reject any of it because it all fits together. If you’ll do this, you’ll learn quickly enough whether or not you’re in a Nicolaitan church, a church which is (2Ti.3:5) holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. From these also turn away. Leave; just leave. The power is manifested through the specialists of the five-fold ministry.  

Once you find out what the Church is supposed to look like, you’re a lot less likely to get hung-up in some error and fall away. The “harlot” is a parable of not just a particular religion, but all religion that is apostate, fallen-away, and receiving the seed that is not of the Husband, Christ.  

In Jesus’ day. He came to the denominations of Judaism and none of them chose Him. Only those people who came out of those denominations chose Him. They were His Church, His “called-out” ones, and today, we are called out of the apostate denominations of Christianity, just as they were called out of the apostate denominations of Judaism. History always repeats. The things that have been are the things which shall be (Ecc 1:9). We are called out from among them to be separate. (2Co.6:16)  

We are called to walk as He walked (1John 2:6). We’re called to be overcomers. With most doctrines in the denominations, you don’t have to overcome anything, but that’s not what the promises to the churches say. That’s why you need to read and find these things out. So He said to the church in Sardis, “You have a name that lives, but you’re dead,” and that’s true of an awful lot of people who call themselves “Christian.”  

(Rev.3:2) Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die… Feed your spirit man on the Word and you will live.  Do what I did 55 years ago; I got rid of all my hobbies. God was my constant hobby after that. Be a disciple of Jesus. Mat 6:33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. The heart of man is deceitfully wicked (Jer 17:9). It’s very easy to be deceived. That’s why God sent us His Word, and proved to us that it was His Word by putting a numeric pattern in it. That numeric pattern is God’s “signature.”  The Word is His DNA. Its power and life.

(Rev.3:2) …for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God. He’s obviously saying that it’s a normal thing for our works to be perfected before God, but how can that be, except we have a renewed mind? (Rom.12:2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. How can our works be perfected if we don’t have this renewed mind, and don’t repent and follow the Lord? Without a renewed mind, we don’t know what the truth is.  

(Rev.3:3) Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep it, and repent. What the denominations do is train us to ignore Scriptures that disagree with their pet doctrines. They give us reasons of why we need to overlook this or that or the other, and one of their favorite reasons is, “This all passed away with the apostles.” Well, they can’t give any proof of that, whatsoever, because we’ve seen that the Bible says the exact opposite. The Bible says that it was “an everlasting Covenant” from the time it was made, and that we can’t add to it or take away from it without falling under a curse. (Rev 22:18-19)  

(Rev.3:3) …If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. You never know when your time will be up and, therefore, you need to live every day like it’s your last.  

(Rev.3:4) But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments… What are these “garments”? (Jud.1:22) And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; (23) and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Our garments are our works so put on Jesus’ works; Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. The spots are works of the flesh.

There are many people walking with “defiled garments.” Everything they do is fleshly and defiled, and therefore, everything they reap is defiled. (Gal.6:7) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (8) For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.  

When your “garment” is defiled, what you do is defiled and you’re going to reap the same, but God came so that you might sow a good seed and reap a good harvest. Our “actions” are what we “sow” and the Word of God is there to restrict our actions so that we can receive a good harvest. And since our “garments” represent our works, what should we be clothing ourselves with? But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ… 

So, how is the Bride dressed? (Rev.19:8) And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright (That’s the Greek word lampros and it’s also translated as “shining, magnificent, gorgeous, splendid.”) [and] pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (The Bride is radiant and glorious, but what about those who are invited to the marriage feast? What are they wearing?) (Rev.19:14) And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white [and] pure. White here is the Greek word leukos meaning “white”.  

Those who are invited to the marriage feast will have the glory that comes with purity, but they will not have the magnificent radiance that is shining forth from the Bride. If you want to be in the Bride, you don’t want your “garment” defiled because the Bride has a spotless and blemishless garment. Everything She knows about the Word, She is being obedient to, because She is walking by faith in the Lord and the Lord is working in Her to will and to do of His good pleasure. And He goes on to say, (Rev.3:4) But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. Well, now we know that that is about one quarter of the people that received the Gospel according to the parable of the sower.  

(Rev.3:5) He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life… When you’re born again, you’re written in the Book. If you don’t overcome, you’re erased out of the Book. The only people who are not erased out of the Book are the people that overcome. In other words, overcomers know what is right and they know what is wrong, and they’re going to do right. The promise of not being blotted out is only to overcomers. (Rev.3:5) …and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. The angels administer salvation to those who inherit it. They are the ministers of God’s salvation to us and through us. (Rev.3:6) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.  

(Rev.3:7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia… This is the church of brotherly love. “Philadelphia” is formed from two Greek words, philos meaning “affectionate friend” and adelphós meaning “brother, brotherly,” i.e., “loving one’s brother.” The Philadelphia church is the greatest of all the churches. Just as Moses, as a type and shadow of the Man-child, married one of seven daughters (Exo 2:16,21), the church in this city, Philadelphia, the church of brotherly love, represents the Bride. The test, of course, is to see how much you love the Lord by keeping His commandments, and how much you love the brethren because you love the Lord. These are the ones who will be chosen.  

(Rev.3:7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David (David was the ruler in Jerusalem, which was the Bride.), he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth. What you bind on earth is bound in heaven. This authority was given to the people of God, but most of them don’t have the faith to exercise it, because they don’t have the knowledge of the Word that brings about the faith. (Rom.10:17) So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.  

(Rev.3:8) I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut)… Praise the Lord! This is an opening for the work of the Lord to go forth. The Philadelphia church in these days is going to bring resurrection life to the rest of the church, just as Jesus, Who was the Man-child, did. He was the Head of the Bride. John the Baptist told his disciples, (Joh.3:29) He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom …. Jesus raised up those disciples to go forth and raise up the five-fold ministry. Once again, this is going to happen. The disciples of our day are going to go forth and raise up the five-fold ministry which “none can shut.”  

(Rev.3:8) … that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. It’s easy to deny the Name of the Lord; it’s not just Judas and Peter who denied the Lord. There are a lot of people who deny the Lord because every time you read the Word of God, Who is Jesus Christ, and you deny it, you’re denying the Lord. If you will not subject yourself to the Word, you’re denying the Lord.  

(Rev.3:9) Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. This speaks of how those natural Jews who will not be born again and become a member of the church, a member of the body of Christ, will be subservient to the Philadelphia church, which He loves. (10) Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  

In Revelation 17:12, God speaks about that hour when the beast makes war on the saints, which is not about “flying away”; it’s about overcoming so that there is no trial for you. Remember how Moses went through his own wilderness, and that experience prepared him to bring God’s people through the wilderness. It was not so much Moses being tried as it was God’s people being tried. His trial was them. Their trial was the wilderness. Moses had been in the wilderness and he had overcome, or else God would not have used him to bring God’s people there. It was their turn to overcome the wilderness; they had to overcome the fact that they couldn’t do things the way they’d always done things. They had to have faith in God, just as Moses had faith in God.  

(Rev.3:11) I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. Notice that they had the crown; they weren’t seeking for the crown. In other places, we see that they were promised the crown “if,” because they had to meet a condition, but these people had the crown. They were the “Crown City.” These were the people of God, spotless and blemishless, walking in all the knowledge that they had. (12) He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem…  

This is the Bride. They have the Name of their God, the nature, character, and authority of their God, which makes them the Bride, which makes them the one of the seven. It makes them the “Esther” who went into the King’s house, but all the rest of the women went back to the house of the women. They were culled and Esther became the Bride, and that’s what we’re talking about here. The new Jerusalem, which is from above, according to John is coming down out of heaven (Rev 21:2), and here we see the same thing. It’s not something that’s going to happen in the future, it’s something that is happening because you’re either being born of this City, the Bride, or you’re being born of the rest of Israel. 

(12) …and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God… Notice it says “cometh,” which is present tense. We are being born from above. Paul spoke about coming to the Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:18-29). (Heb.12:18) For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched … (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels,  

(23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn (Jesus is the firstborn and Jesus in the Man-child is the firstborn in our day. They were the head of the Bride body.) who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. This is not “a mount that might be touched,” but the apostate church erroneously teaches that this is a physical city which is coming down out of heaven at the end of the tribulation, and some push it even further into the future than that. (12) …and mine own new name. (13) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Oh, thank You, Father!  

This is a great prize! Paul said, (Php.3:12) Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. (13) Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do , forgetting the things which are behind (Forgetting past failures), and stretching forward to the things which are before (Seeing Jesus in the mirror by faith.), (14) I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  

And this will be your prize if you are willing to give up your life in this world to follow after Jesus, as those early disciples did. They gave up their selfish desires and anything else that stood in the way of them serving Jesus. They gave it up, and so it is today. Your most important employer is the Lord Himself. Wherever you are, you’re supposed to be representing Him. People will be changed by your witness, by your testimony, by the fact that the Lord, through the Bride, lives in you. People will be changed by that.