Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 3:1-6 is about the church in Sardis.
Revelation 3:5-6
3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
3:6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
The promises of God to the church in Sardis who overcomes are as follows.
ad. 1. Being clothed in white garments.
White garment means the garment of trust from God or the garment of ministry. It equals to being appointed as the priest and king or becoming the servant of God.
1 Timothy 1:12
1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting meinto the ministry,
Saul was the most sinful man, but he is appointed as Paul the apostle. It means receiving the white garment or the garment of trust from God or the garment of ministry.
1 Timothy 1:1-2
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
1:2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, andpeace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
The reason of the appointment of Saul as Paul the apostle is since he receives commissioning from God through His grace, mercy, and peace, so he obtains the white garment.
Paul the apostle prays for Timothy so he also receives grace, mercy, and peace from God. Furthermore, he is also able to receive the white garment and appointed as the priest and king.
Why must we wear the white garment?
The occupant of a thousand years kingdom of peace is the priest and king who wear the white garment.
Revelation 20:6
20:6 Blessed and holy ishe who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Revelation 22:3-5
22:3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
22:4 They shall see His face, and His name shall beon their foreheads.
22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Thus, we must become the priest and king who have the white garment to be able to enter a thousand years kingdom of peace or the future Paradise, up to the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.
If the most sinful man can be lifted up by God, there is no reason for us not to become His servants who wear the white garment. The rest is just whether we want or not.
Let us now pray to receive grace, mercy, and peace from God, so we also obtain the white garment and become the priest and king who serve Him. If we have ministered Him, we must preserve the white garment through the sprinkling of blood, so it becomes the bright white garment.
God blesses us.
Revelation 3:1-6 is about the church in Sardis.
Revelation 3:5-6
3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
3:6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
The promises of God to the church in Sardis who overcomes are as follows.
- Being clothed in white garments.
- His name is written in the Book of Life.
ad. 1. Being clothed in white garments.
White garment means the garment of trust from God or the garment of ministry. It equals to being appointed as the priest and king or becoming the servant of God.
1 Timothy 1:12
1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting meinto the ministry,
Saul was the most sinful man, but he is appointed as Paul the apostle. It means receiving the white garment or the garment of trust from God or the garment of ministry.
1 Timothy 1:1-2
1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
1:2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, andpeace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
The reason of the appointment of Saul as Paul the apostle is since he receives commissioning from God through His grace, mercy, and peace, so he obtains the white garment.
Paul the apostle prays for Timothy so he also receives grace, mercy, and peace from God. Furthermore, he is also able to receive the white garment and appointed as the priest and king.
Why must we wear the white garment?
The occupant of a thousand years kingdom of peace is the priest and king who wear the white garment.
Revelation 20:6
20:6 Blessed and holy ishe who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Revelation 22:3-5
22:3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
22:4 They shall see His face, and His name shall beon their foreheads.
22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Thus, we must become the priest and king who have the white garment to be able to enter a thousand years kingdom of peace or the future Paradise, up to the eternal Kingdom of Heaven.
If the most sinful man can be lifted up by God, there is no reason for us not to become His servants who wear the white garment. The rest is just whether we want or not.
Let us now pray to receive grace, mercy, and peace from God, so we also obtain the white garment and become the priest and king who serve Him. If we have ministered Him, we must preserve the white garment through the sprinkling of blood, so it becomes the bright white garment.
- Grace.
Grace is the gift from God to man who is actually unworthy to receive it. The manifestation is the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
Titus 2:11
2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
Our attitude is we must receive the grace, meaning believing Jesus who has died on the cross, so we are saved.
The practices of receiving the grace are as follows.- Confessing our sins honestly to God (vertical) and the others (horizontal).
1 John 1:7-9
1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us oursins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Thus the blood of Jesus is active to do the things as follows.- Forgiving and covering our sins until there is no trace left.
- Pulling out the root of sins, so we do not repeat them anymore.
1:13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did itignorantly in unbelief.
1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
1:15 This isa faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
The blood of Jesus is able to reach man even the most sinful one. Only man who hardens his heart cannot be reached by His blood or His grace. Hardening the heart means being unwilling to confess the sins, but preserving and enjoying them. One who hardens his heart does not want to believe Jesus. - Forgiving and covering our sins until there is no trace left.
- Forgiving the sin of the others and forget it.
Matthew 6:14-15
6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
6:15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
The forgiveness that we receive is frequently cancelled since we repeat the sin or do not want to forgive the others.
Proverbs 21:27
21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked isan abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!
This kind of life is unworthy to minister God. It is an abomination if he ministers God.
Therefore, we must receive the grace first, so we can confess and forgive one another. Thus, all our ministry will please and bring a sweet-smelling aroma to God.
- Confessing our sins honestly to God (vertical) and the others (horizontal).
- Mercy.
1 Timothy 1:16
1:16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
Mercy is the willingness of Jesus to become man, so He can have mercy to help suffered sinful men. Sinful men can only be helped by the sinless one.
Jesus, who is perfect in the Heaven, is willing to become man as us, so we can be newly born to become perfect as Him.
1 Peter 1:3-4
1:3 Blessed bethe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1:4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
Receiving the mercy of God means we must be newly born through the true water baptism and diving in the water of the Word.
Ephesians 5:25-27
5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
The true water baptism is one who has died to sin must be buried together with Jesus in water, to be raised with Him in new life, that is the Heavenly life.
Thereafter, we must continue to dive in the rainwater of the teaching Word, especially through the Bible Study Service with Holy Communion.
Deuteronomy 32:1-2
32:1 “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
32:2 Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass.
1 Peter 1:3
1:3 Blessed bethe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
After being baptized, we must put our hope only in God. It is proven when we face impossible temptation. We become as a baby who only cries to God.
1 Peter 1:4
1:4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
After being newly born, we like to receive the Word and obtain the eternal life. We cannot be defiled by sins. We are not easily desperate or disappointed. We are not easily proud of something. We only give thanks to God and we receive the Heavenly joy.
1 Timothy 1:16
1:16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
After being newly born, we can be appointed as the servant of righteousness who wears the white garment. We can serve God in faithfulness and righteousness, so we become a pattern to the others to bring souls to be saved by Him and used as the priest and king. - Peace.
John 16:33
16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Peace means as follows.- The ability from God so we can be strong and of good courage in facing all challenges and obstacles. We keep ministering God until the end line.
- The ability from God to unite the dispersed, starting from within the marriage. It is until uniting us in one perfect body of Christ, even uniting the body and the Head forever.
Acts 2:1-4
2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
2:3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and onesat upon each of them.
2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Holy Spirit comes as of a rushing mighty wind and the tongues of fire.
Exodus 14:21
14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go backby a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land,and the waters were divided.
Holy Spirit as of a rushing mighty wind is able to divide the Red Sea. It means there is caring power in Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is able to care our life physically in the middle of impossibilities. Holy Spirit is also able to care our life spiritually, so we can live in righteousness and holiness in the middle of this crooked world. Holy Spirit gives us appointment power in the revival of building the perfect body of Christ.
Holy Spirit as of the tongues of fire means Holy Spirit gives us renewal power from the flesh man to become the spiritual one, starting from the renewal of the tongue. Peter denied Jesus previously, but after being touched by Holy Spirit, he is able to testify about Him in front of thousands people. The new tongue is the one that confesses sin, says good and right words as well as the words that become blessing to the others. The new tongue also testifies and worships God.
If the tongue is renewed, we will minister God with faithfulness and fervency in spirit. When He comes a second time, the tongue does not stumble in word anymore but only says “Alleluia”. - The ability from God so we can be strong and of good courage in facing all challenges and obstacles. We keep ministering God until the end line.
God blesses us.