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EPISTLE TO PHILADELPHIA
IN this Church, as in that at Smyrna, the Lord saw nothing to condemn: and therefore, in the epistle written to them, there is not a word either of reproof or threatening. It is true, that the commendations bestowed on them are not so copious and energetic as those in which some others of the Churches were addressed: but it is no little praise to them, that nothing was found among them deserving of reproof. Such a mediocrity of character is by no means displeasing in the sight of God. For, granting that a man’s piety is not so exalted in some respects as that of others, yet, if it is without that unhappy alloy which in many cases debases and degrades the profession of more distinguished Christians, it is more acceptable to God on the whole. We read of some who were “as a cake not turned [Note: Hos_7:8.];” burnt up, as it were, on one side, while they are altogether doughy on the other. In contradistinction to such characters, they more approve themselves as “sons of God, who are blameless and harmless, and without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation [Note: Php_2:15.].”
The words which I have read contain the entire address of our Lord to the Church of Philadelphia; with the exception of the concluding promise to those who shall finally overcome in the Christian warfare; which promise forms the close of every epistle. That I may bring it before you in one entire view, and render it as useful as I can to ourselves, I will consider,
I. The peculiar subjects here addressed to them—
The subjects will all appear in their order, if we mark,
1. The testimony borne—
[Our blessed Lord had “set before that Church an open door” for the ministration of the Gospel and the enjoyment of its blessings; and, by his special providence, had taken care that “no man should shut it.” Great opposition, indeed, had been made to them, and the most violent persecution had raged against them: but they “had kept the word of Christ,” even “the word of his patience;” which is so called, because no man ever embraces it aright without having abundant occasion for patience, whilst he holds it fast, and endeavours to adorn it by a suitable conversation. The trials they had endured in consequence of adhering to that word had been exceeding heavy. Yet, notwithstanding “they possessed but little strength, they had approved themselves faithful to their Lord, and could in no instance be prevailed upon to “deny his name.”
Now, this was an honourable testimony; and the more so, because “their strength was small.” If their talents were few, they endeavoured to employ them to the honour of their Lord: and they thereby performed towards him a good and acceptable service.]
2. The promise given—
[This was suited to the occasion. There were coming upon the Church trials far more severe than any they had yet endured. The persecution under the Emperor Trajan seems to be that which is here more particularly referred to: for that was of fourteen years’ duration, and destroyed many thousands of Christians throughout all the Roman Empire. God permitted these persecutions to arise, “for the trying of his people,” and the making of a visible distinction between those who were upright and those who were dissemblers with God. Now, to these persecutions the Church of Philadelphia would have been exposed in as great a degree as others, if God had not, in part, averted the storm: but He, in mercy to his faithful people, and as a recompence of their fidelity, screened them in some measure from the violence of the tempest, and, by the mighty working of his power, enabled them to sustain whatever portion of it was permitted to fall upon them: thus fulfilling to them that precious promise, “God is faithful; who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it [Note: 1Co_10:13.].”
But he further assured them, for their comfort, that those Judaizing teachers who boasted of their eminence as Christians, while they were in fact no Christians at all, but “of the synagogue of Satan;” that they, I say, who were their most inveterate enemies, “should come and worship at their feet,” and “confess that these very persons whom they had persecuted were indeed the favourites of their God.” Such cases had often occurred, in the history of the Lord’s people [Note: Gen_50:15-17. Est_8:17.]; and such should occur to them. In what way, and to what extent, this was fulfilled to them, we are not informed: but there can be no doubt, but that, in many instances, their piety was instrumental to the conviction of their enemies, and, in many instances too, to their conversion: so that what had been fulfilled in the Centurion at our Lord’s death [Note: Mat_27:54.], and in the Jailor at Philippi [Note: Act_16:33-34], was, to a very great extent, realized in them; agreeably to that prophetic declaration, “The sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee, and all they that despised thee shall bow down themselves at the soles of thy feet: and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel [Note: Isa_60:14.].”]
3. The caution administered—
[Blameless as they were, and hitherto victorious, yea, and protected by the special providence of their God, yet did they need to be stirred up to holy vigilance, and to persevering exertion in the divine life. Thus far they were entitled to a crown of life: but still they were on the field of battle, and must not indulge security or remissness, “lest their crown should, after all, be lost.” True, the time for their sufferings and their labours was but short, because their “Lord was coming quickly,” to terminate the one, and to reward the other. But still, till he should come, and dismiss them from their warfare, they must “hold fast” every principle they had received, and every practice they had maintained: for on their steadfastness, in fact, depended the final possession of their crown. If they “turned back, it would be unto perdition [Note: Heb_10:39.];” and “if they were again overcome by the world which they had vanquished, their last end would be worse than their beginning [Note: 2Pe_2:20.].” It was only “by being faithful unto death, that they could finally secure the crown of life [Note: Rev_2:10.]”]
Having thus brought into view the substance of our Lord’s address to this highly-favoured Church, and opened the subjects contained in it, I proceed to point out,
II. The improvement which we should make of them, for our benefit at this time—
Truly, in these subjects, we may find much,
1. To encourage the weak—
[Many are discouraged because “they have but little strength.” But what a mercy is it to possess any strength at all! The great mass of mankind are led captive by their spiritual enemies, yea, “are led captive by the devil at his will.” Surely, then, to have strength for the combat, even though it be but little, is a blessing for which we never can be sufficiently thankful. Be it so, “our enemies live and are mighty:” but still, “He that dwelleth on high is mightier;” and his strength, if only we trust in him, “shall be made perfect in our weakness [Note: 2Co_12:19.].” It should seem that our God and Saviour takes peculiar care to impress on our minds a sense of our weakness, on purpose that we may be led the more simply and implicitly to trust in him. What is weaker than a sheep in the midst of devouring wolves and lions? yet, says our blessed Lord, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom [Note: Luk_12:32.].” We cannot conceive of any thing more disproportionate than the power of a worm to effect any extensive change upon a mountain: yet says God to his people, “Fear not, thou worm Jacob: for thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff, fanning them with irresistible power, and scattering them as a whirlwind [Note: Isa_41:14-16.].” Who, then has any reason to despond or be discouraged on account of either the power of his enemies, or the smallness of his own strength? Only see what God enabled the Philadelphian Christians, notwithstanding their weakness, to effect; and the very least amongst you may find reason to “glory rather in your infirmities, because, when you are weak, then are you really strong [Note: 2Co_12:9-10.].” Not but that we should desire to grow “from babes to young men, and from young men to fathers;” but in a sense of our extreme weakness we never can exceed. To our latest hour we must be “strong only in the Lord, and in the power of his might:” and, if we be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus,” then shall “we be able to do all things through the strength that we derive from Him [Note: Php_4:13.],” and shall “be more than conquerors through Him that loveth us [Note: Rom_8:37.].”]
2. To establish the wavering—
[Who is there that has not been tempted, on some occasions, to a dereliction of his duty? If the Christians of the Philadelphian Church, blameless as they were, and steadfast as they had been in such violent persecutions, yet needed that solemn admonition, “Hold fast that thou hast, that no man take thy crown,” surely we, who have been so often drawn aside by the allurements of the world, and the corruptions of our hearts, and the devices of our great enemy, need to have it impressed deeply on our minds. Now, let me suppose one of you to be going into worldly company and worldly pleasures, or to be plunging yourselves unnecessarily into worldly cares; and to be at the same time, as must necessarily be the case, declining in spirituality of mind, and in heavenly zeal; what shall I say to you? What? O think what you have at stake, and are likely to lose—a “crown!” a kingdom! Again, if there be one of you that is yielding to the fear of man, or “putting his light under a bushel” for fear of its offending some friend, some patron, or some enemy; What shall I say to you also, but this? Think what you have at stake—a “crown!” a kingdom! Who, in his senses, would risk the loss of this, for any thing that this world could give or take away? I pray you, contemplate the glory and felicity of heaven: yea, and take into the account, also, the sad alternative—the shame and misery of hell. Will you expose yourselves to the loss of the one, and the consequent endurance of the other, for any transient pleasure, or to avoid any momentary pain? O beg of God, I pray you, that you may not “fall from your own steadfastness [Note: 2Pe_3:17.],” and “make shipwreck of your faith.” What does Demas now think of his apostasy? And what will you think, in a little time, of all which appears now so fascinating to your minds? I charge you, brethren, before God, yield not to the tempter; but “be steadfast, immoveable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord [Note: 1Co_15:58.].”]
3. To humble the self-confident—
[What would those, of whom our Lord speaks in my text, who “said they were Jews, the real people of the Lord, whilst they were not, but did lie, and were in reality of the synagogue of Satan;” what, I say, would they have replied to the accusation in my text? Methinks, there would have been no bounds to their indignation. But it was true, notwithstanding. And it is true, also, of many at this day. A proud sceptic or infidel will call himself a Christian: but “he lies.” A conceited and contentious heretic, who has no zeal but for some notions of his own, with which he labours to divide the Church of Christ, may call himself a Christian: but “he also lies.” To come nearer home, the man who, like the Judaizing Christians, hates the simple doctrine of salvation by faith, and, from a pretended zeal for good works, blends the law with the Gospel as a joint ground of his hope, he, I say, will account himself a Christian of the highest caste and character: but “he lies;” for “he is a perverter of the Gospel,” and is, in reality, “of the synagogue of Satan:” and, if he were an angel from heaven, I must say of him, as St. Paul does, “Let him be accursed [Note: Gal_1:7-9.].” Now, I am aware that this seems harsh: but what is to be done? It is not I who speak these things, but the Lord: and I dare not keep back his word. I must, at the peril of my own soul, “declare his whole counsel.” Whoever then thou art, that professest thyself a Christian, whilst thou art essentially defective either in the principles or tempers of Christianity, I must warn thee against thy delusions, and tell thee that thou deceivest thine own soul. O that God would humble thee, ere it be too late; and make thee to see, that none but the broken and contrite in heart can ever find favour in his sight! The poor believer, who trembles at his word, and looks to Christ alone for salvation, is “the only person that is beloved of his God.” Come then, and seek salvation in His way: seek it simply and entirely by faith in Christ: then shall you also find acceptance with God, and be made “partakers of the felicity of his chosen.” But, if ye will persist in your enmity to God, and his Christ, and his people, know, that ye shall have your portion with him “of whose synagogue ye are:” for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. To the impenitent and unbelieving “there remains nothing but a certain fearful looking-for of judgment, and fiery indignation to consume them [Note: Heb_10:26-27.].” the Lord avert from you that fate, for Christ’s sake!]