“To Whom Are the Seven Church Messages Written?”, Part 2

THE SOLUTION?

With the evidences presented in our previous post being nearly overwhelmingly in favor of the messages being meant for the TRUE CHURCH, we must deal with Brother Russell’s position stating that the Laodicean message is to the nominal church. There can be no question that the seventh Church is unique. For the first time in history the Lord admonishes the separation of the true from the false.

Recall that previous to this the Lord had said NOT to separate the wheat from the tares, that both were to grow together until the time of the harvest. (Matt 13:28-30)

This IS OF NECESSITY VERY CONFUSING. It is akin to the situation in the first Church when the distinctions between Judaism and incoming Christianity were blurred to those who had to learn to live under a new religious order of things. Brother Russell was clearly cognizant in his ministry of his dual responsibilities as messenger to the HARVEST Church. All who know his writings are aware of his constant attempts to balance the reaping of the wheat with the binding of the tares.

The fact is, EVERYTHING stated in Rev. 3:15-17 was a just and true condemnation of the denominations of his day. There is, however, an interesting MYSTERY about this. The message to the Philadelphia Church has NOTHING BAD in it. The message to the Laodicean Church has NOTHING GOOD in it. Yet, these two Church periods meld into each other in the late 19th century.

Did Philadelphia remain GOOD until 1874 and then suddenly turn so terribly corrupt?

Remember that Babylon was CAST OFF in 1878. If all that Rev. 3:15-17 says about the Churches is correct,

Did they not become this way in the Philadelphia period?

If so, why does the Philadelphia message make NO MENTION of its deterioration as the Thyatira message makes of its improvement (Rev. 2:19)?

The answer to this MYSTERY seems plain: The Philadelphia message is to THE TRUE CHURCH —THE SAINTS. Of them, nothing was found to be criticized. The nominal church of Philadelphia, on the other hand, became increasingly corrupt to live up to the Lord’s reasons for casting it off in 1878.

This lends credence to the position that the messages are to the TRUE CHURCH. It also lends credence to the words of Rev. 3:15-17 being applicable BOTH to the cast-off nominal church AND the saints of our day. Because it is the Harvest, it seems only right that a harvesting should be included in the message. The lukewarm and wretched condition of Babylon for which she is cast off (Rev. 18) IS THE VERY SPIRIT OF THE WORLD WHICH BECOMES A TRUE THREAT TO THE TRUE CHURCH.

This addiction to the “spirit of this world” is one which affects us all in some manner or another. Some of us have been drawn into the present political and social issues of our day while others have been drawn toward economic, military, scientific, moral and religious issues. These are all part of the “Seven Thunders” of (Rev 10:3, 4) various controversies coming to light due to the increase of knowledge, i.e. the information age, and the pouring out of the “Sixth Plague”, (“the hidden things coming to light”), all such issues for which the true Church is cautioned NOT to become entangled, we are not to become involved in these issues, these issues will be resolved in due time with the establishment of the Lord’s Kingdom, and as such we must over come the desire to become involved in them, with the rest of the world and the nominal church.

IN ALL of the seven Church messages, the sins of the apostate church are the things which the true Church must overcome in order to be faithful. ONE DOES NOT OVERCOME SOMETHING WITH WHICH ONE IS NOT AFFLICTED!

THEREFORE: Rev. 3:15-17 DOES (as Brother Russell continually contends) apply to the nominal house. BUT, it also, and just as much, applies to the consecrated as a warning that they, like their counterfeit brethren, are afflicted with the same diseases which must be overcome.

THUS, it seems appropriate, and in harmony with Brother Russell’s position, that we can say in answer to our opening question, that the messages to the seven Churches are TO THE TRUE SAINTS. In each of these messages, however, is a reflection of prevailing sins among nominal brethren. In Laodicea, this reflection is also a condemnation —a REASON for the casting off of Babylon.

The import of the lesson is sobering. It would be very comfortable to practice Babylon-bashing, which some brethren seem to enjoy. But if we do not pay attention to the message which the SPIRIT SAYS TO US, we will fail to note that WE might have the same faults —even though we have increased light beyond measure. We can boast of our riches of truth but have characters not hot for righteousness or cold toward unrighteousness. We might well miss the point. We might not overcome! (Very True)

The Laodicean Church does not have a YOU and THEM contrast so clearly stated as the other messages BECAUSE for NEARLY ALL of the period there is NO LONGER ANY THEM. They have been cast of during the first 3½ years of the seventh period of the Church. (The seventh period beginning in 1874 A.D., their casting off occurring a little over 3 years later in the spring of 1878 A.D., even as favor continued for the nominal Jewish house for 3 ½ years or until the spring of 33 A.D. following our Lord’s resurrection, after which they too were cast off.) Once this casting off was accomplished, the message to Laodicea became a message to US—to the consecrated saints who must during this period of wealth and arrogance learn what REAL wealth is and build characters to go along with that knowledge.

Next post.