God Will Save Individuals

We have looked extensively in this issue at churches. Good churches. Bad churches. Indifferent churches. But in truth, when Jesus writes to these churches, He makes it clear that we will not be judged by the church we are in, but on our own, based on individual response to His gospel. Certainly, we should exercise great care in making sure the church we attend is one which is doing its best to please God, but whether it is or not, the essential, undeniable question is, "What is my eternal destiny?

It is this individual nature of salvation which causes Jesus to make promises to "him who overcomes . . ." These promises (see also page 6) are directed to the individual members of the respective churches. Obviously, we can see that no one in Sardis whose garments were "soiled" would be given white garments in judgment.

In fact, it is Sardis which gives us the clearest picture of individual, not church, judgment, for while it is clear that a failure to repent would result in a removing of the church's lampstand (2:5; 3:3), it is also true that Jesus promises, "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" (3:4).

There were some in Sardis who would not be held responsible for the actions (or inaction) of the church there. These were true Christians, with a desire to serve God, and they would be rewarded for the stand they had taken for truth, even in a dead church.

The church in Thyatira gets a similar message. The church there was in error for tolerating the sin of Jezebel, and Jesus warned them that He was about to judge her and her followers. However, He again recognized individuals who were righteous: "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. Nevertheless, what you have, hold fast until I come" (2:24-25).

Those in Thyatira who stood against this Jezebel and her immorality, would not be condemned with the evildoers who stood with her. No one will be punished for a sin who is not guilty of that sin, and no one whom Jesus pronounces forgiven in judgment will be forced to suffer with an evil church.

In Laodicea, a church marked by indifference and arrogance, Jesus promises to show mercy to those who were zealous and repented, saying, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him, and will dine with him, and he with Me" (3:20).

Those who were willing to repent would enjoy a special relationship with Jesus. They could have a closeness which they lacked in their current state, a closeness which would be akin to Jesus entering their own homes. And in this relationship, they would avoid the fate of other Laodiceans who were too proud to recognize how badly they needed this closeness.

Church "membership" is important. There may eventually come a time when we are called upon, because of our allegiance to truth, to leave a church which practices wrongdoing. We cannot, in our membership, condone that which we know to be wrong, but ultimately, we will be judged, not by the church "where my name is on the roll," but on whether or not our names are found in the book of life. God will not condemn us if we are His and have stood for Him, even if the church we attend eventually turns its back on Him. And God will not save us if we are corrupt, even if we belong to the "greatest"" of His churches.

We must ensure our own salvation, and then, understanding God's longsuffering nature, we must seek to turn others, including whole churches, away from Satan's grasp and back to the fold of God. We must recognize our duty first to God, then to the local church.