This past week in our Bible study we began to look at chapters 2 and 3 -- the messages from Christ to the churches. Each of the letters follow the same pattern. I'll illustrate how that works using the first letter, the letter to the church in Ephesus:
- Salutation
"To the angel of the church in Ephesus ..." (by the way, the 'angel' is not a heavenly being--angel actually means 'messenger' and refers to the pastor)
2. Christ describes Himself
"... write: 'The words of him who holds the seven stars in his hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands."
3. Christ's praise
"I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary.
4. Christ's condemnation
"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had a first."
5. Christ's warning
"Remember therefore from where you have fallen;"
6. Christ's exhortation
"... do the works you did at first. If not, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place..."
7. Christ's promise
"To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."
It is interesting to note that the way Christ describes Himself, relates to the punishment that will befall the church if it continues in disobedience.
For more posts about the church see:
What Is the Church?
We (the Laity) Are the Church
The Ship of the Church
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