The Jesus Letters
I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me… [stood] one like a son of man… (Rev. 1:12-13).
One of the many responsibilities of the high priest during the Old Testament tabernacle period was that of trimming the lamps. Twice a day, both morning and evening, he was instructed by Moses to enter the Holy Place and trim the seven lamps of the golden lampstand. As with any lamp that burns oil, the wicks would need to be trimmed periodically. This involved removing any deposits that would build up on the wick itself; the end result being that the lamp burned brightly, giving off the required light necessary. If these deposits were not removed, the light gradually weakened, and ultimately, would go out, plunging everything into darkness.
In the opening scene of Revelation, we see our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, walking among the seven golden lamps. We learn that the lamps are churches, and the Lord is filling them with oil, trimming the wicks, lest the light weaken and go out … lest the place where they are set be plunged into darkness (see Revelation 1:12-20).
What a brilliant picture of the Lord's work among us, and of the Church's role in the world. We are to be the light that burns brightly in the world of spiritual darkness. To be His light has always been God's purpose for His people. The prophet Isaiah declared. "The Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising" (Isa. 60:2b-3).
The Church is the only visible expression of Christ in the world. Just as the lampstand's source of power came from the oil, so likewise, the Church's only light comes from the life and power of the Spirit of God within her. Without the infilling of the "oil" of His presence we can burn with His Spirit. As the lamps of old that required constant attention from the high priest, so to does the Church. Here in the opening scene we see Jesus working on the lamps, removing the deposits, which were causing His church to lose her light and testimony.
Beware of Falling out of Love
The most clear and important message is our call to divine relationship.
That which is of paramount importance to the Lord has nothing to do with size, programs, wealth, or fame. What is most important to Him is that He, alone, is the love of our life. Christ will not tolerate being relegated to anything less than first place.
As Paul made clear in the Colossians. Christ must have "first place" in everything" (Col. 1:18b). Any person, program, or passion that replaces Christ is idolatrous in the sight of God. We do well to remember how Peter was desirous of building three tabernacles in the zeal to accommodate Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration; and yet God overshadowed them, leaving only Christ transfigured before them. So we have sought to elevate personalities, denominations, and movements that have replaced Christ from His rightful place of supremacy and centrality.
Beware of "Replacements"
Our problem is that this replacement process does not happen suddenly. It takes place gradually.
An example of this is found in the parable of the prodigal son. As this young man matured, he came to the realization that his father had an inheritance set apart for him. From the father's viewpoint this inheritance was to be of great blessing to his son. Its advantages were enormous. It had the means of establishing the son for the rest of his life. The father had worked to provide for his sons. He had selflessly set aside his own wealth in order to bless his sons. It was never the purpose of the father to withhold from the sons that which was in their best interests. The son, on the other hand, began to desire more. He was far from satisfied with the present condition and knew that his father wanted to bless him. His other brother; unfortunately, was satisfied to remain impoverished and had no desire to partake of the father's wealth.
There are some striking similarities between this story and many within the Father's house today. We see a young generation arise that has not been satisfied with the older generation's example of Christianity. This younger generation has heard that the Father has an inheritance reserved and ready for the asking. This inheritance comprises the Father's wealth - his wealth of wisdom, power, gifts, authority. Failing to see their brothers pursuing these things, they have begun to implore the Father that he release to them His wealth - the inheritance.
Having received the inheritance, the son's focus shifted from seeing more from his newfound inheritance. The inheritance then became the object of his desire and the love of his life. Slowly his newfound inheritance drew him away from the relationship with his father and began to derive his pleasure from the gift that his father gave him.
This story illustrates one of our greatest dangers in the Church today. We focus on our great blessings, and in time our love for our blessings replaces our love for God. Whatever term we use to describe our inheritance - whether it be anointing, gifts, authority, or calling - none of these blessings was ever meant to become a substitute for the greatest of all inheritances - Christ.
Beware of Compromise
Yet another clear message we receive is that Christ will not tolerate any teaching or doctrine that leads to compromise with regard to his standard of holiness.
God is holy and has purposed before the foundation of the world that "that we would be holy and blameless before Him" (Eph. 1:4b). Once again we need to see that this is both a universal and eternal truth and so applies to the universal Church and also the twentieth-century Church.
The very thought of harboring a Jezebel or Balaam in our midst would cause most believers to recoil. And yet their teachings continue unabated in our midst today. The same spirit of compromise pervades. Christians get drunk, get high, and get divorced, as they freely mingle with the world and adopt its attitudes and its ways. Mass culture has gradually dulled our sensitivity to God's standards of morality and purity. Many Christians know far more about Hollywood personalities than they do of biblical ones. They stumble to recite the Books of the Bible but have no problem naming the various teams in the NFL [CFL], or NBA.
The love of the world is deeply rooted in the Western Church, and attempts to challenge it are most often met with cries of legalism.
As we noted earlier, we have repackaged God so as to make him "user friendly." The God who is jealous for His holiness has been elbowed aside by the new happy face model and always smiles approvingly at whatever we say or do. Here again these teachings don't appear overnight but gradually. Peter warns us that false teachers will creep in secretly, the end result being that they deny the Master who bought them (see 2 Pet. 2:1) and replace Him with other things.
Beware the Downward Spiral
In several letters to the churches in the Book of Revelation, we see what might be termed "the downward spiral."
First comes the failure to acknowledge some aspects of His lordship over our lives. We compromise our standard of holiness. Other priorities and values, and love for the world itself, replaces Him. This then leads to everyone doing what is right in his own eyes. God's call to "separate" ourselves unto Him is denied. We then fall prey to the world's pressure towards "toleration." To be tolerant is defined: "to recognize and respect the rights, opinions, and practices of others." this sounds good, but as time passes we progress from toleration to cooperation, freely working together toward a common goal.
The first stage of this downward spiral is that of "adoption," which the dictionary defines as "to take and follow a course of action, to take on or assume, to choose as a standard."
From our position in Christ - where we were adopted into God's own family - the Church has slidden downward. Today the message of holiness falls on deaf ears. We no longer pride ourselves as a "peculiar people," Little do we realize how we have become conformed to this world. Our whole lives have absorbed the world's influence, with its philosophy, practices, and policies. At the bottom of the spiral, we find ourselves adopting the ways of the world.
Beware Lest Your Light Go Out
If you recall the opening chapters, you will remember what Christ was doing as His Sprit walked among the seven lamps. He was trimming the wicks, refilling them with oil, lest their lights go out, rendering His churches useless and plunging the world into spiritual darkness.
Today, the world takes little notice of us - except to point out our gross compromises, failures, and the quirkiness of our little subculture. We fail to present them with a radically different choice, because we have desired to be like them. Yes, Balaam and Jezebel are alive and flourishing among us.
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Spirit is calling us once again to "come out from their midst and be separate" (2 Cor. 6:17a).
by David Ravenhill
http://www.davidravenhill.net/
courtesy of faithtemple (.ca)