By Robert Serreyn

Question? What do the seven churches in the book of Revalation represent?

Answer:
The seven churches mentioned in Chapters Two and Three describe seven periods of time in Church History, it also represents seven types of christians in these churches and seven types of local churches that will exist during and just prior to the rapture at the end of the time period that we live in NOW called the CHURCH AGE.

The Seven Churches including its represented types:

1. Ephesus- The church that lost its first love – its people cared less about the love of WHY they serve Christ, and FOCUSED more on the outward show of service. Active till about 110 AD.

2.Smyrna- The Persecuted Church, its people suffered GREATLY for its dedication to Christ and his Gospel. Active from 110 to 315 AD.

3.Pergamos- The Once Faithful Church, This church COMPROMISED its stand on doctrine and the gospel and TOLERATED false teachers within its ranks. Active 315 to about 500 AD.

4.Thyatira- The Corrupt Church, This church adopted and supplanted the doctrines of the bible for the UNBIBLICAL TRADITIONS of men (Colossians 2:8) TEACHING things that are CONTRARY and CONDEMN in the Word of God. Active between 500 to 1500 AD (The Dark Ages – The start and rule of Catholicism, ect).

5.Sardis- The Spiritually Dying Church, This church started what is now known as the Reformation Period. Many of its people WANTING to get back to the Word of God DIED in many horrible ways at the hands of the ruling established church during this time period in trying to get the bible into the language of the common person. Active 1500 to 1750 AD.

6.Philadelphia- The Faithful Witnessing Church, This church is known as the TIME OF BROTHERLY LOVE, Because they CARED ABOUT WINNING SOULS TO CHRIST (Proverbs 11:30). Active 1750 to 1910 AD.

7.Laodicea- The Lukewarm Church, This church represents the churches that SADLY represent and dominate MOST of what is CONSIDERED evangelical Christianity today. Active 1910 to the Rapture.

These churches are filled with FALSE GOSPELS and DOCTRINES of every type and form and what they do teach is very muddled and mixed up. During this time period THERE ARE A FEW churches that still hold to the DOCTRINES and the CLEAR SIMPLE GOSPEL and TEACH “Thus Saith The Lord” (Jude 3) but these are the exception and NOT THE RULE as they ONCE WERE. The Lukewarm (Laodicea) church is MORE CONCERNED about PLEASING THE PEOPLE and AVOID TEACHING DOCTRINE to make ITSELF MORE ATTRACTIVE to a GREATER AUDIENCE to appear MORE FAMILY or SOCIALLY FRIENDLY in the surrounding community then it is about teaching and standing on God’s Word.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.

A. Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8

B. Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24

C. BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9

“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell & the lake of fire); but the GIFT of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23

IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH

For an Excellent MORE IN-DEPTH study of this verse and Revelations goto WWW.heritagebbc.com and read online, download, or purchase the book called “The Book of Revelation” by Pastor Dr. Max D.Younce of Heritage Baptist Bible Church of Walnut Grove, Minnesota