Who is the Revelation Church of Philadelphia?

[JoyT86]

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

This Church seems to have found favor with The Lord and he promises to keep them out of the tribulation altogether. Who would be a member of this church today, and are they the ones whom will be raptured? If you don't believe in the rapture, then what does this verse imply to you?

 

[skypair]

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

This Church seems to have found favor with The Lord and he promises to keep them out of the tribulation altogether. Who would be a member of this church today, and are they the ones whom will be raptured? If you don't believe in the rapture, then what does this verse imply to you?

I believe it represents the early churches of America. They were small, broken off from the Reform and Catholic churches whose statism/governance they resisted by coming to America. They resisted because they were "keeping the word [faithful to the word of God] of [God's] patience."

What's more, they were not "institutions" like those before them (Thyatira and Sardis, Catholic and Reform) and like those that followed (Laodicean, which we find now in almost every denomination). We have actually gotten back to where we make an oath to a church rather than to Christ! We, to use an episode I like to compare with it, marry the 5 husbands rather than Christ (the Samaritan woman, Jn 4). And if Jesus hadn't come along and converted and raptured us, we'd have married the man we were living with — the AC's church!

I recently left a Laodicean church — I'd rather be married to Christ. Just before that, I had read "The Christian Atheist" about folks who say that they are Christian but don't like what Christians like. One of those things was the church. But when I got to considering Rev 2-3, I realized that Jesus didn't like the insitutionalized church either! It seems to me that Smyrna and Philadelphia were the only ones not institutionalized.

skypair

 

[zeke37]

people have different opinions about that verse.

what is clear is that they do not escape by being removed.
they escape by overcoming.


the "rapture" is at the very last day,
after the righteous dead are brought from heaven by Christ and raised here

 

[ebedmelech]

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

This Church seems to have found favor with The Lord and he promises to keep them out of the tribulation altogether. Who would be a member of this church today, and are they the ones whom will be raptured? If you don't believe in the rapture, then what does this verse imply to you?

This is a main reason one can know these are not "church ages" but existent churches of the day in which John is writing.

The "hour of temptation" that is coming upon all the world, is the coming intensification of the tribulation Jesus spoke of. Christians of that day were feeling the persecution as the Roman Empire demanded worship of Caesar. The Roman Empire is also about to have significant troubles because after the death of Nero during the span of Emperors Galba, Otho, and Vitellius Rome becomes extremely chaotic and nations attempt to break away from Rome at that time which causes war, conflict, and destabilization in the world scene of that day.

I believe the Caesar of this particular time is Nero who is the 6th king of Revelation 17:10. With all the thing that are forthcoming John wants them to know the world is about to become extremely chaotic. If they keep their focus on Jesus they will not come under the temptation that the world will face at that time.

When John speaks of "them that dwell on the earth" he's speaking not to us but of those that dwell on the earth at that time. Just as he is writing to those in the Church of Philadelphia at that time.

What we should be gaining from this message to that church is that just as the world could become and is becoming extremely chaotic today, if we maintain our focus on Jesus, we will be kept by God through such times.

There have been extremely trying times for the church throughout history and those that have maintained steadfast faith will endure it. That doesn't mean some instant rapture that pulls christian out of the world though. We are "in the world and not of the world"...and just as Peter, Paul, John and the other apostles had to endure their trials, we must endure our trials.

The rapture from tribulation is popular for that reason, in my view. However we have Christians enduring extreme persecution in the world today, and they're not being raptured. Their faith is being put to the test while we Christians in America enjoy freedom of worship...however, that too is disappearing.

The seven churches are churches of spiritual conditions. Those conditions exist in churches today. Try being a Christian in Iran, or try being a Palestinian Christian where you're hated by Muslims, and then you also have to deal with the injustice Palestinians do toward Israel and that Israel does against the Palestinians.

That's "an hour of temptation". Think about it...

 

[Partaker of Christ]

Today’s church is predominately Laodicea, so I would say the last church age was predominately the Philadelphia church

 

[Bethwhite]

10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

This Church seems to have found favor with The Lord and he promises to keep them out of the tribulation altogether. Who would be a member of this church today, and are they the ones whom will be raptured? If you don't believe in the rapture, then what does this verse imply to you?

Every Christian since the ascension of Jesus falls into one of those seven categories.

The name of each church means something and refers to what Jesus either has against them or praises them for.

Ephesus means first love.
Smyrna means crushed.
Philadelphia means brotherly love.

It's the same thing Jesus did in describing the belief by the disciples that Jesus is the Messiah - he used Peter's name, meaning "rock", and said "on this rock I will build my church".

 

[PreachingChristCrucified]

Today’s church is predominately Laodicea, so I would say the last church age was predominately the Philadelphia church

I tend to agree with this ^

One thing to note about the Church in Philadelphia was that they kept the word. This is one reason I am Lutheran and believe in Sola Scriptura. It is important to esteem highly the word of God. I think my Church that I attend today is Philadelphian but many of the Churches today are Laodicean.

 

[PreachingChristCrucified]

Here is the entire text:

Revelation 3:7-13
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, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and 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. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

 

[ebedmelech]

I tend to agree with this ^

One thing to note about the Church in Philadelphia was that they kept the word. This is one reason I am Lutheran and believe in Sola Scriptura. It is important to esteem highly the word of God. I think my Church that I attend today is Philadelphian but many of the Churches today are Laodicean.

I think what you have is 7 spiritual conditions of churches...throughout history and not an overall condition of the church as a whole.

 

[PreachingChristCrucified]

Many people (and I am one of them) hold to the "Church Age" theory. An example of this can be seen in the following chart. I do disagree with this chart a little as I believe that the rapture happens after the tribulation.

 

[PreachingChristCrucified]

people have different opinions about that verse.

what is clear is that they do not escape by being removed.
they escape by overcoming.


the "rapture" is at the very last day,
after the righteous dead are brought from heaven by Christ and raised here

Exactly

 

[ebedmelech]

The "church age" theory is not without some merit...except the purpose of John writing is for Jesus to speak to specific churches that are existent.

That would be why I don't hold to the "church age" theory.

Rev 1:10, 11:
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,
11 saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

Nothing leads one to think these are "church ages" they are specific churches as it's said "the seven churches".

Rev 1:20 does the same thing:
20 As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Here...if the seven churches are anything more than existent churches, there's every opportunity to indicate such...but Jesus says "the seven stars ARE seven churches".

That would be why I hold to 'spiritual conditions" of churches. Today you can measure any church you visit, by those conditions.

I don't necessarily balk at the "church age" theory, I just think the church conditions theory is more relevant.

 

[PreachingChristCrucified]

The "church age" theory is not without some merit...except the purpose of John writing is for Jesus to speak to specific churches that are existent.

That would be why I don't hold to the "church age" theory.

Rev 1:10, 11:
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,
11 saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

Nothing leads one to think these are "church ages" they are specific churches as it's said "the seven churches".

Rev 1:20 does the same thing:
20 As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Here...if the seven churches are anything more than existent churches, there's every opportunity to indicate such...but Jesus says "the seven stars ARE seven churches".

That would be why I hold to 'spiritual conditions" of churches. Today you can measure any church you visit, by those conditions.

I don't necessarily balk at the "church age" theory, I just think the church conditions theory is more relevant.

I don't doubt that this was written to the Seven Churches of that day and that these seven spiritual conditions exist in any age. I agree with that. But I believe that there is a broader application as well in that these are seven periods of Church history.

That is fine if you don't agree with the theory as I'm not dogmatic about it but a lot of solid bible teachers do teach the seven church age theory.

 

[Partaker of Christ]

The "church age" theory is not without some merit...except the purpose of John writing is for Jesus to speak to specific churches that are existent.

That would be why I don't hold to the "church age" theory.

Rev 1:10, 11:
10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,
11 saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

Nothing leads one to think these are "church ages" they are specific churches as it's said "the seven churches".

Rev 1:20 does the same thing:
20 As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Here...if the seven churches are anything more than existent churches, there's every opportunity to indicate such...but Jesus says "the seven stars ARE seven churches".

That would be why I hold to 'spiritual conditions" of churches. Today you can measure any church you visit, by those conditions.

I don't necessarily balk at the "church age" theory, I just think the church conditions theory is more relevant.

Whilst the letters were written to seven Churches, they were for all the Churches

Rev 2:7 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'

Rev 2:11 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.'

Rev 2:17 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.'

Rev 2:29 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Rev 3:6 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Rev 3:13 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Rev 3:22 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Rev 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."

[FONT=&quot]Like PreachingChristCrucified, I am not dogmatic about 'church ages' but there does seem to be a good historical case, to linking the ages to the specific predominant Church at the time. [/FONT]

 

[MastersPiece]

people have different opinions about that verse.
what is clear is that they do not escape by being removed.
they escape by overcoming....

This is exactly the people God is seeking and searching for in these last days - overcomers - it is those who overcome who will be given leadership roles and those who persecuted them will eventually sit under their leadership. Everything is about to change in the body of Christ. God is raising up the "nobodies" and those who've been looked down on and strengthening them to overcome via perseverance
JoyT, I hope you don't mind my popping in after your post. I was curious to see what others thoughts on the matter are.
I encourage others to take a peek at a word the Lord gave this morning in regards to the Church of Philadelphia whom we are to aspire to be like: Message For the Church of Philadelphia

His richest blessings as He raises us up and may we cooperate with all He wants to do within us so we will become those overcomers