It was on a Sunday, that I went to a large famous church. I walked inside the church, but the lights were not turned on yet. Everywhere I looked it was dark. I walked all the way to the front of the church and sat down. The pastor walked to the pulpit and asked to open our Bibles, but I couldn’t read, because it was still dark. I didn’t understand and waited until someone turned on the lights. But there was nobody, who did anything. I looked around and saw that the other people had opened their Bibles and were waiting for the pastor to read. I asked if someone could turn on the lights. But no one responded. When the pastor began to read, the whole church read the Bible in darkness. But I couldn’t read and therefore I stood up and walked out of the church. This is a dream I had some time ago. This dream disturbed me and I began to wonder what this dream meant. Is the church seated in darkness? Just like in the dream? Do we think that we walk in the light, while in reality (in the spiritual realm) we walk in darkness? Are growth and the number of people signs that the church is on the right track and spiritually prosperous? Is prosperity a sign of God? Do we think that we do good works towards God, while in reality, they aren’t good works? Are miracles a sign? Do we think that we know Jesus, while in reality, Jesus doesn’t know us? What does the Bible say about the church seated in darkness? Are there scriptures in the Bible that confirm this dream?
The church of Sardis
Oo, there is! Our Lord Jesus speaks about the church seated in darkness in the Book of Revelation. Sometime after this dream, I read chapter 3 of the book of Revelation and it immediately reminded me of the dream. Jesus said the following to the church in Sardis:
And unto 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 art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy (Revelation 3:1-4)
When we look at the church of Sardis, we can conclude that this was a famous church, because the church had a name among the people.
The believers of the church of Sardis did the works and thought they pleased God. They thought they lived a good life. But the truth was that they were not alive, but they were dead. And because they were spiritually dead, they were seated in darkness.
They were dead to Jesus Christ and to God, and none of their works were perfect before God.
Jesus urged the believers of the church of Sardis to remember what they had received and heard in the beginning and to hold fast and repent. So that, they would stay awake. Jesus urged them to be watchful and to strengthen the things which remain, that were ready to die, so that they wouldn’t die, but live.
From a natural human point of view, they were a living church. They were successful and famous and probably had many church members. They did many works and everything seemed to be prosperous. But from a spiritual view, they were dead and lived in darkness. They didn’t do the works out of Jesus; out of the Light, but they did the works out of themselves; out of the flesh.
Busa sila nga anaa sa unod dili makapahimuot sa Dios (Mga Romano 8:8)
The Holy Spirit knows the hearts of man
Only the Holy Spirit knows what’s in the hearts of man. These elders of the church of Sardis didn’t walk after the Spirit, although maybe they thought they were. If they had walked after the Spirit, they would have discerned good and evil and what is right and what is wrong. They would have seen that they were dead and would have repented of their dead works. They would have discerned the dead works of their church members as well.
But the elders, the leaders of this church, were darkened in their minds and lived in darkness. Their garments were defiled by sin and the world. Because you can only defile the garments of righteousness, by disobedience to God, when you keep walking after the flesh; in sin and iniquity.
The church of Sardis was prosperous and successful
They thought they possessed the Holy Spirit and did the works out of the Spirit, because they were prosperous and successful. But the truth was, that they were spiritually asleep and dead.
The devil comes with his minions (demons) as an angel of light. They represent themselves in the best way possible.
They do everything they can and even imitate God, Hesus, and the Holy Spirit to tempt and mislead Christians so that they will open their lives to the powers of darkness and believe, obey, and follow them.
If a believer doesn’t know the Bible; the Word of God or doesn’t hold on to the Word of God, and open him or herself to the spiritual realm, there is a big chance that the believer will be misled.
The believer will be misled by these powers of darkness and they will take possession of him or her.
These powers of darkness can also imitate God and perform miracles.
They have the ability to predict the future (and prophecy), reveal what is hidden in their neighbor’s life, give visions, and dreams, speak in other tongues, provide supernatural powers, yes… even healings (look at Reiki, reconnective healing, witch doctors, massage therapy, ug uban pa).
The church of Sardis was dead
The church of Sardis was dead. There was no life in the church of Sardis, although the church of Sardis thought to be alive. They’d received the truth, but because of the fact that they probably adjusted the truth and had permitted many lies and doctrines of man into the church, the truth was no longer the truth. The gospel of Jesus Christ was turned into a gospel of man.
They weren’t awake, but they slept. They were not concerned with the main issue, but with side issues, which were not relevant to the Kingdom of God.
There were only a few members, who walked in the ways of the Lord; in holiness and righteousness. Believers, who hadn’t defiled their garments and walked worthy before the Lord.
Jesus urged the church to awaken and paghinulsol.
If they didn’t wake up and repent, then Jesus would come like a thief and they wouldn’t know the hour of His coming. If they did not repent of their dead works, they would enter eternal death instead of eternal life.
The doctrines and philosophies of man
These days, there are many churches that are seated in darkness and are (spiritually) dead. People are focused on themselves, on success, kauswagan, blessings, finances, ug uban pa. instead of being focused on the lost souls of man and the preaching of Jesus Christ, the cross, His blood, and His death and resurrection from the dead. In many churches and congregations, there are people, who think they are saved, but in reality, they are lost souls, who are, on their way to destruction: eternal death.
Most shepherds are asleep and don’t see their sheep walking into the abyss. They don’t warn their sheep and don’t guide them anymore. But the shepherds let the sheep go their own way.
The love has disappeared. Although many think they walk in love, by tolerating every lifestyle and all kinds of things, including sin.
In many churches and congregations, the fourfold ministry is not operating correctly anymore.
Therefore believers are not being taught in the Word and don’t grow up in the image of Jesus Christ (which is the purpose of the fourfold ministry), but they remain spiritual babies.
The Word has been replaced by the doctrines and philosophies of man.
Many humanistic, philosophical, scientific, and new-age doctrines have entered churches and congregations. People want to be entertained, fellowship, socialize, have attention, talk and eat with each other, and have a good time, instead of studying the Bible; ang Pulong sa Dios, come together in prayer and fight spiritually and cry about the state of the church; the body of Christ.
Man has become the center of attention; in sermons, services, mga seminar, praise and worship, ug uban pa. Sermons have been shortened and prayer services have been shortened, canceled, or replaced by praise and worship services (Basaha usab: How doctrines of devils are killing the church).
Preachers have become entertainers
The preachers and leaders of the church have become entertainers, comedians, and actors on stage, instead of spiritual fathers. They not only try to be as intellectual as possible, but they also try to be funny and witty, so that they will be liked, praised, worshiped, and exalted by church members.
Most people love the world and all there is within. They can’t give up the world, and therefore they have adjusted the Word of God, so that Christians can live like the world and live a carnal life and persevere in sin and iniquity.
The Word (Hesus) and the Holy Spirit have been thrown out of the church, and the church has welcomed the world into the church (Basaha usab: ‘Jesus thrown out of the church‘ ug ‘The Holy Spirit banished from the heart and put back into a building').
The world is seated in the church and therefore the devil, who is the ruler of this world, is seated in the church.
In many churches, Jesus isn’t the Head anymore, but the devil has become the head of the church. This shouldn’t actually surprise us. Because Jesus spoke to His disciples about the end times and Jesus discussed this phenomenon as the abomination of desolation.
The church is seated in darkness
There are many churches that are seated in darkness and are spiritually dead. There are many churches, where the Lord has removed the candlestick.
Even though many churches have a name, many members, are famous all over the world, have written books, speak beautiful words, preach motivational and inspirational sermons, do good humanitarian works, and perform miracles, they can still be seated in darkness.
They think they live close to Jesus and confess His Name. But the truth is, that they have departed from Him; ang pulong.
In the next blog posts, I will continue with this subject. Because there are many things happening in the church, while the Lord continuously warns us, through His Word, to repent. Jesus wants us to paghinulsol, while we still can. It is about time that the church repents and turns to the Word; Jesus and makes Him the Head of the church again and walks after the Spirit.
‘Mahimong asin sa yuta’