Exhortation to Remain Steadfast
Some of the few words in the letter to the contending believers in Philadelphia are for them to continue in faith. To hold what they have fast with all seriousness and fight to the end. Starting Christian life is important but finishing well is more important. Christ told them that what they have is only theirs if they guard it with jealousy.
‘Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame’ (Revelation 16:15).
‘Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh’ (James 5:8).
Warnings Against Backsliding
Multitudes of Israelites were saved, redeemed and delivered from sin, idolatry and bondage. God brought them out by His mighty hand. But thousands of them died on their way to the Promised Land. What Christ was telling them is that:
- They must not go back to fornication
‘But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints’ (Ephesians 5:3).
‘For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well’ (Acts 15:28-29).
‘Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry’ (Colossians 3:5).
2. They must not go back to uncleanness
‘For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words’ (Ephesians 5:3).
‘And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves’ (Romans 1:23-24).
‘What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death’ (Romans 6:21).
‘For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness’ (1Thessalonians 4:7).
3. They must not go back to covetousness
‘But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints’ (Ephesians 5:3).
‘Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry’ (Colossians 3:5).
‘Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s’ (Exodus 20:17).
‘And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness’ (Ezekiel 33:31).
‘And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth’ (Luke 12:15).
4. They must not go back to filthiness
‘Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks’ (Ephesians 5:4).
‘Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls’ (James 1:21).
‘But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities’ (2 Peter 2:10).
‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? Who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God’ (Psalm 53:1-4).
5. They must not go back to foolish talking
‘Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks’ (Ephesians 5:4).
‘If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world’ (James 1:26-27).
‘In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise’ (Proverbs 10:19).
‘For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile’ (1Peter 3:10).
6. They must not go back to jesting
‘Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks’ (Ephesians 5:4).
‘As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, and saith, Am not I in sport?’ (Proverbs 26:18).
God’s Judgment on Disobedience
Though many people, many churches in many cities has deteriorated, backslidden, went into cultism, false doctrines, the church in Philadelphia were warned not to copy their lifestyle. They were told to hold what they have fast. They needed to know that all workers of iniquity are excluded from Christ’s kingdom
‘For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God’ (Ephesians 5:5).
‘For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:20).
‘Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?’ (1Corinthians 6:9).
‘And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life’ (Revelation 21:27).
They needed to know that God’s wrath is on all the children of disobedient
‘Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience’ (Ephesians 5:6).
‘For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness’ (Romans 1:18).
‘But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath’ (Romans 1:18).
Christ in His letter was telling them to keep what they have, to walk in light
‘Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light’ (Ephesians 5:7-14).