Revelation 3:4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.
The word that catches my attention in the opening of this verse is “few.” There were not many in the church in Sardis who had remained true. The majority of the church had grow stale spiritually and needed a revival. In most churches, even the dying ones, there is a faithful remnant. Like ancient Israel, there remains a group of people who have remained pure and dedicated. If you are one of these people, you can be frustrated with the majority who have compromised with culture and have become cold in their commitment. We are seeing this more and more often with churches and denominations splitting between those who have remained true to biblical faith and teachings and those who have moved toward political correctness, especially in their morals. The situation we see today, especially in the US, is not new. It is a crisis that has been around since the earliest days of the church and stretches back far into the history of ancient Israel.
The question becomes, how do we recognized false teaching and spiritual laxity? We must return to the core beliefs. Most of these are found in Revelation and in the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2-3. The key phrase is in v. 3: “remember what you have received and heard.” We must know the truth of the Bible, be committed to the gospel, and know how to apply it in our lives and cultures. The best defense against false teaching and poor commitment is to know the truth, embrace it, meditate upon it, and live it out every day.
Those who remain faithful will be found worthy. They will remain pure, undefiled, not compromising with sin. This is a conscious choice that takes commitment and consecration.
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