Warfield on Paedobaptism
Warfield on Paedobaptism

From Warfield’s essay, “Christian Baptism” (Presbyterian Board of Publication 1920), reprinted in Selected Shorter Writings, Vol. 1, (325-331)

Naturally, therefore, this sign and seal belongs only to those who are the Lord's. Or, to put it rather in the positive form, this sign and seal belongs to all those who are the Lord's. There are no distinctions of race or station, sex or age; there is but one prerequisite -- that we are the Lord's. What it means is just this and nothing else: that we are the Lord's. What it pledges is just this and nothing else: that the Lord will keep us as his own. We need not raise the question, then, whether infants are to be baptized. Of course they are, if infants, too, may be the Lord's. Naturally, as with adults, it is only the infants who are the Lord's who are to be baptized; but equally naturally as with adults, all infants that are the Lord's are to be baptized. Being the Lord's they have a right to the sign that they are the Lord's and to the pledge of the Lord's holy keeping. Circumcision, which held the place in the old covenant that baptism holds in the new, was to be given to all infants born within the covenant. Baptism must follow the same rule. This and this only can determine its conference: Is the recipient a child of the covenant, with a right therefore to the sign and seal of the covenant? We cannot withhold the sign and seal of the covenant from those who are of the covenant.

To read this excerpt in its entirety, follow the link below

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B. B. Warfield, Biblical Theology, Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerWarfield on infant baptismComment
Paul's Non-Millenarian Eschatology
Paul's Non-Millenarian Eschatology

Being “In Christ” Anticipates the Glories of the “Age to Come”

Throughout his letters, Paul contends this present evil age will give way on the day of Jesus’ return to the glories of the age to come, just as Jesus went from death (Good Friday) to resurrection life (Easter Sunday). Paul describes a tension between what Jesus has already accomplished (in his death, resurrection, and ascension) and what remains to be fulfilled at the final once for all consummation; when Jesus returns on the day of resurrection and brings about the final manifestation of the wrath of God (cf. Romans 2:5, 5:9, Ephesians 2:3), elsewhere spoken of as the day of judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10). This tension is often described as the “already” and the “not yet” and is found throughout the letters of Paul. What we are “in Christ” anticipates and foreshadows the glories of “the age to come.”

The Main Event — the Return of Jesus Christ

Primarily, however, Paul’s two-age eschatology points ahead to that one critical event which brings about the end of the curse (sin, guilt, and death), and in which all the promises of God are fully realized (forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life).[1] That event, of course, is the bodily return of Jesus Christ at the end of the age to raise the dead, judge the world, and make all things new. As Paul puts it in Titus 2:13, we are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” The heart of New Testament eschatology is not the hope of a millennial age in which this present “evil” age is progressively transformed into some sort of earthly utopia either before or after Christ returns. Biblical eschatology cannot be viewed through the lens of secular and cultural progress, nor current events. The end of human history comes about at Jesus Christ’s second advent described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57. For Paul, Christ’s second advent is the final consummation. This present age with its sin and death will come to a final and dramatic end (as will all things temporal). Yet, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the age to come is even now a present reality (through the work of the Holy Spirit), but awaits that moment when the Lord returns and the temporal finally gives way to the eternal.

To read the rest, follow the link below

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Amillennialism, eschatology, Blessed Hope PodcastKim Riddlebargernon millenarian eschatology Comments
Christ's Three-Fold Office and the "Lordship Controversy"
Christ's Three-Fold Office and the "Lordship Controversy"

“Christ’s Three-Fold Office”

John Calvin spoke of Christ’s “three-fold office”(prophet, priest, and king) as an important and useful means of understanding the person and work of Christ. Calvin devoted a chapter of his Institutes of the Christian Religion (2.15.1-6) to setting forth the biblical data which demonstrates that Jesus is God’s consummate prophet, the great high priest, and all-powerful king.

The so-called “three-fold office” was widely accepted as a helpful way to understand those bible passages which speak of Christ’s saving work in both testaments. The three-fold office was soon a prominent theme in most Protestant confessions of faith and catechisms. The Westminster Shorter Catechism speaks of the three-fold office in Q & A 23: “What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?” Answer: “Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation.”

You may recall the “Lordship controversy” which raged within evangelicalism several decades ago—and still resurfaces from time to time. The subject of the debate was whether or not someone could “accept Jesus as their Savior” but not make him “Lord over their lives.” While one side argued that it was biblically impossible to come to saving faith in Christ without submitting to his Lordship over every area of our lives, the other side argued that this was to confuse faith with repentance, and in effect, to deny justification by faith alone.

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Wisdom from ConfessionsKim RiddlebargerLordship controversy, Christ's three offices Comments
"To the Church in Thyatira" -- Letters to the Seven Churches (5) -- Revelation 2:18-29
"To the Church in Thyatira" -- Letters to the Seven Churches (5) -- Revelation 2:18-29

“To the Church in Thyatira” — A Unique Set of Circumstances

The letter to the church in Thyatira is the longest of these seven letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3, and perhaps the most difficult to interpret.

As we have seen with each of these letters, it is essential for us to understand something about the historical context of this particular church in order to correctly interpret our Lord’s letter to this congregation. The city of Thyatira is quite unlike the earlier cities we have seen–Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamum. These were all large cities and important centers of commerce. Thyatira was not.

All of three of the former cities were dominated by various forms of paganism. The Christians of Ephesus lived in the shadow of the temple of Diana and were immersed in a culture which was dominated by the worship of Diana. The cities of Smyrna and Pergamum were not only filed with pagan temples of every sort, but were also centers of emperor worship. Christians who lived in these two cities found themselves facing death and imprisonment at the hands of the beast–that is, the Satanically empowered Roman government–which attempted to force Christians to confess that “Caesar is Lord” at the point of a sword. Unless Christians in these cities were willing to confess that Caesar was Lord–which is to take the mark of the beast–they were not allowed to buy and sell or to participate in the commercial and cultural life of the city. If you were a Christian living in Smyrna and Pergamum, it truly cost you something to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and that Caesar is not.

In addition to living under such difficult circumstances because of the paganism which was rampant in these cities, Christians in these cities faced another problem. They were slandered by certain Jews who were secularized to the point that although they continued to worship YHWH, they also were willing to confess the divinity of Caesar in order to conduct their business and participate in the cultural affairs of the city. As a result of this intense persecution and slander, Christians in Smyrna were forced to live in abject poverty. Many were arrested and imprisoned. Even though Satan persecuted them to the point of death, Jesus promises to give them the crown of life.

To read the rest, follow the link below

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The Seven ChurchesKim RiddlebargerChurch of ThyatiraComment
An Exposition of Article Thirty-Three of the Belgic Confession — The Sacraments
An Exposition of Article Thirty-Three of the Belgic Confession — The Sacraments

We are a weak and sinful people. But God, in his grace, gives us tangible signs and seals of his promise to save us from the guilt of our sins and to free us from sin’s bondage. These tangible signs and seals are the water of baptism and the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. This brings us to a discussion of the sacraments, the means God uses to nourish and sustain our faith.

We move into a new section of our confession, those three articles dealing with the sacraments (Articles Thirty-Three through Thirty-Five). We begin by noting the obvious–at the time in which our confession was written in 1561, the sacraments were a very divisive issue, separating the Reformed churches from Rome, from the Anabaptists, and from the Lutherans–divisions which remain to this very day. Not only did the new Reformed churches need to summarize what the Bible teaches about the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper (hence the production of our confession), but the author of our confession must also refute both the Anabaptist and Roman Catholic views on the subject, as well as differentiate the Reformed view from that of the Lutherans.

As we work our way through these three articles, it is surely proper and fitting to keep in mind that the author of our confession (Guido de Bres) was put to death by Roman Catholic authorities for serving communion to congregations of Reformed exiles. We should not forget that our confession was written in martyr’s blood.

To read the rest of An Exposition of Article Thirty-Three, "to Nourish and Sustain"

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Belgic ConfessionKim Riddlebargersacraments, baptism, Lord's SupperComment
Postscript to Season One of the Blessed Hope Podcast on the Book of Galatians Is Live
Postscript to Season One of the Blessed Hope Podcast on the Book of Galatians Is Live

We’ve completed our fourteen-part series on the Book of Galatians. But one question remains unanswered. What happened after Paul sent his letter to the churches in Galatia? In Acts 15, we get our answer. The Judaizing heresy became an issue of concern far beyond Galatia. In response, the Apostles and elders of the Jerusalem church convene a church assembly–known to us as the “Jerusalem Council.” The assembled churches and their leaders wanted to hear from Paul about the great success of the Gentile mission. But they must also address the controversy in the churches which arose precisely because so many Gentiles were coming to faith in Jesus Christ. The question was being asked in many churches where there were also Jewish converts to Christianity present. Must Gentile converts live as Jews? How does the law of Moses apply to the people of God in light of the gospel? Although Paul addressed these matters in his Galatian letter, the issues raised by the Judaizers were being debated throughout Judea and especially in Antioch, where Paul and Barnabas were currently ministering. It became necessary for the collective churches to meet in Jerusalem and respond to on-going the Judaizing controversy.

In this episode I’ll also answer listener questions and offer a first-take critique of N. T. Wright’s new commentary on Galatians.

Postscript to Season One of the Blessed Hope Podcast on the Book of Galatians

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Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerJerusalem Council, Blesed Hope Listener QuestionsComment
I Was a Guest on the "Depends on How You Look At It" Podcast
I Was a Guest on the "Depends on How You Look At It" Podcast

I was recently interviewed by Isaiah Burridge, host of the “Depends On How You Look At It” Podcast.

We had a wide-ranging conversation on all things amillennial—from the Antichrist, postmillennialism, preterism, dispensationalism, to the date of the Book of Revelation: You can listen to it here (by following the link below) , or you can go directly to the podcast feed ("Come Lord Jesus: A Discussion of Amillennialism with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger")

To listen to the embedded podcast here follow the link below

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Kim Riddlebarger
Musings (9/7/22)
Musings (9/7/22)

To read the rest, follow the link below

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MusingsKim RiddlebargerDr. Robert Godfrey, The end of Christendom, Lying Comment
Season One Finale of the Blessed Hope Podcast Is Up!
Season One Finale of the Blessed Hope Podcast Is Up!

The Season One finale (Episode Fourteen) has been posted — The Blessed Hope Podcast

Updates:

  • Season Two (on Paul’s Thessalonian letters) is in the works. Look for a release later in the Fall, Lord willing.

  • Season One Epilogue will be posted soon. I cover the Jerusalem Council, answer listener questions, and pick on NT Wright.

  • Also, a special premium is coming for all of you who listened to Season One. Watch for details!

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Blessed Hope PodcastKim RiddlebargerComment
The "Drone Defender" -- Has 1950's Science Fiction Come To Life?
The "Drone Defender" -- Has 1950's Science Fiction Come To Life?

I recently saw a news story with pictures of a Ukrainian soldier using an odd rifle-like device to disable Russian drones. Apparently, these “drone defenders” (American made) are quite effective in disturbing the radio signal directing the drone, causing them to crash land.

So, I did a quick google search and found a short instructional video demonstrating how the thing works. As the modern battlefield and security needs change, weapons like this will become increasingly important and commonplace.

To read the rest and watch the videos follow the link below

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Kim Riddlebarger1950s Sci Fi come to life Comment
Athanasius on the Death of Arius
Athanasius on the Death of Arius

I am the first to admit the temptation to take delight in the affliction experienced by obvious villains. But when it comes to the death of an arch-enemy of the gospel (Arius of Alexandria), there is a measure of satisfaction when what appears to be divine justice prevails. It falls to Athanasius (the famed defender and of the faith) to inform us of manner of Arius’s death, the very night before the latter was to be ordained as Bishop.

“When the Bishop Alexander heard this (that Arius had under oath declared that he held the right faith) he was greatly distressed, and entering into the church stretched forth his hands unto God, and bewailed himself; and casting himself upon his face in the chancel, he prayed laying on the pavement . . . . `If Arius is brought to communion tomorrow let me, Thy servant depart, and destroy not the pious with the impious; but if Thou wilt spare Thy Church . . . . take off Arius, lest if he enter into the Church, and the heresy also may seem to enter with him, and henceforth impiety may be accounted for piety.’ When the Bishop had thus prayed, he retired with great anxiety, and a wonderful and extraordinary circumstance took place. . . . Arius . . . talked very wildly, [but] urged by the necessities of nature withdrew, and suddenly, in the language of Scripture, `falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst,' and immediately expired as he lay, and was deprived both of communion and of his life together. Such has been the end of Arius.”[1]

Athanasius concludes, “the antichristian gang of the Arian madmen has been shewn to be unpleasing to God and impious.”[2] Indeed, “will not the judge of the whole earth do right” (Genesis 18:25)?

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[1] Athanasius, “To Serapion, Concerning the Death of Arius,” in NPNF, Vol. IV. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1978), 564 ff.

[2] Athanasius, “To Serapion, Concerning the Death of Arius,” in NPNF, Vol. IV. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1978, 565.

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Athanasius, History and CultureKim RiddlebargerDeath of Arius Comments
"To the Church in Pergamum" Letters to the Seven Churches (4) -- (Revelation 2:12-17)
"To the Church in Pergamum" Letters to the Seven Churches (4) -- (Revelation 2:12-17)

Throughout the Book of Revelation, Satan is depicted as an already defeated foe, who, in a final act of desperation, wages war on the people of God. In certain instances, we read of Satan empowering the Beast to persecute Christ’s church using the full power of the state and the point of the sword. But in other instances, Satan takes a much more subtle approach. As the father of lies, Satan is not only the persecutor of the church, he is also the seducer of the church. In the Book of Revelation we not only read of the Beast who makes war upon the saints, we also read of the harlot, who seduces the peoples of the earth. Like the church in Smyrna, the church in Pergamum faces intense persecution from the God-hating Roman empire. But the church in Pergamum also faces an enemy from within, a seductress who entices God’s people to commit spiritual adultery.

When we come to Christ’s third letter to the churches of Asia Minor, our Lord’s letter to the church in Pergamum, it is important to recall that each of these seven letters are part of a larger vision which began in Revelation 1:12 with John’s description of the resurrected Christ. When John is granted the privilege of seeing Jesus in his post-resurrection glory, he attempts to describe what he sees. But words obviously fail him. John describes the struggle between Jesus Christ and his ancient foe, the devil, using apocalyptic language in which words are used are symbols to point to the “story behind the story,” namely, Jesus Christ’s certain victory over Satan and all of those allied with him.

No longer depicted as a bruised reed, the Jesus of the Book of Revelation is the Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the one who was dead but who is now alive forever more. Jesus is the great high priest who not only purchases us with his own blood but who also makes us to be a kingdom of priests (Revelation 1:5). In this book, Jesus is God’s final prophet, as Jesus speaks to us about the course of this present evil age which is the great tribulation, that final period of human history, depicted throughout the New Testament as the “last days.” In the Book of Revelation, Jesus is described as God’s all-powerful king.

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The Seven ChurchesKim RiddlebargerThe church in Pergamum, The error of the NicolatiansComment
An Exposition of Article Thirty-Two of the Belgic Confession
An Exposition of Article Thirty-Two of the Belgic Confession

There is no subject which brings as much tension as the subject of church discipline. While church discipline is always a difficult thing to do, it is something we must do. A church which does not discipline erring members is a church which risks heresy in its midst, or which allows erring members to profess that they are Christ’s and then through shameful conduct bring disgrace to the master whom they claim bought them (cf. 2 Peter 2:1). While we are all sinners, we are not allowed to bring scandal upon the church, nor shame to its head, Jesus Christ.

We miss the whole point of church discipline if we see it as people often do, the self-righteous removing unpopular or victimized people from their midst. That is not what church discipline is about. Church discipline is about ministers and elders who have been called to shepherd the flock, driving savages wolves away from the sheep. No one likes doing it, but it must be done.

We come to the last article in the Belgic Confession dealing with the doctrine of the church. In Article Thirty-Two, our confession now fleshes out some of the practical ramifications of Paul’s exhortation to the church of Corinth, “but all things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). As we have seen, the New Testament teaches that local churches are to be governed by elders together with the minister(s), and that these same churches are to be served by deacons who ensure that no one in the congregation goes without. Collectively, these men form the church council, which conducts the day to day business of the church.

We have seen that the local church is the visible manifestation of Christ’s invisible body, and that God equips the members of his church for service by giving us gifts of the Holy Spirit for the common good. Since the church is so important to the well-being of every Christian, the New Testament has no category for someone who professes faith in Jesus Christ, but who is also not a member of the local church. Our confession has also identified the three marks of a true church; the clear and consistent preaching of the gospel, the proper administration of the sacraments, and the exercise of church discipline. It is the third mark–church discipline–which is the subject of Article Thirty-Two.

To read the rest, An Exposition of Belgic Confession Article Thirty-Two

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Belgic ConfessionKim RiddlebargerDecently and in Good Order, church disciplineComment
Warfield on "Christianity and Our Times"
Warfield on "Christianity and Our Times"

In 1914, B. B. Warfield was invited to contribute an essay to the volume The Church, the People, and the Age, edited by Scott and Gilmore. There were 105 contributors, each of whom was asked to answer the following questions. 1). Why are so many people indifferent to the claims of Christianity? and 2). Would it be a step forward for the church (and presumably Christianity in general) if the only requirement for church membership was the desire to love God and our neighbor (which, ironically, was a suggestion from Abraham Lincoln fifty years prior). The contributors included Charles Augustus Briggs (who, at the time, was busy undermining the authority of Scripture), as well as German theologian and sycophant to Kaiser Wilhelm throughout the Great War, Adolf von Harnack. Scottish theologian James Orr also contributed a chapter.

The volume was compiled on the eve of the First World War which plunged all of Europe into chaos as “Christian” nations waged brutal war upon each other in the name of preserving Christian civilization. There was obviously a foreboding sense that Christian civilization was on the edge and the editors were seeking a format to discuss and offer solutions.

I’ve not seen the original volume, but my guess is that Warfield’s chapter suggests much different answers to both questions than the majority of contributors. As for the reason why people are indifferent to Christianity, Warfield points what should be obvious to anyone who has read the New Testament. Christianity is for sinners who know they need a Savior. People who sees themselves as capable of loving God and neighbor on their own will remain indifferent to Christ and his gospel.

To read the rest, follow the link below

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B. B. WarfieldKim RiddlebargerChristianity and Our TimesComment
"Luther's Psalm" -- A Look at the 46th Psalm
"Luther's Psalm" -- A Look at the 46th Psalm

Luther’s Interest in Psalm 46

Most people cannot recite Psalm 46 from memory. But many are so familiar with the words to Martin Luther’s famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” that they can sing it without looking at the hymnal. “Ein Feste Burg ist unser Gott” is actually Luther’s paraphrase of Psalm 46. This Psalm has several very familiar lines, has been cited by American presidents (most recently by Barak Obama), and portions of it appear in well-known Jewish prayers. Found in Book Two of the Psalter and attributed to the Sons of Korah, it is classified as a “Psalm of Zion.” It contains loud echoes from Psalm 2, where that divine protection promised to the king, is extended to include his capital city (Jerusalem). Charles Spurgeon aptly speaks of the 46th Psalm as “the song of faith in troubled times.”[1] Martin Luther thought this Psalm of such comfort, he put it to verse.

It is important to reflect upon Psalm 46, because we sing this particular Psalm as often as any other–often in the form of Luther’s famous paraphrase. Before we take up the text of the Psalm–where we will find much deep and rich biblical theology–I think it appropriate to consider Luther’s use of this Psalm, then debunk one of the persistent myths surrounding the version of the Psalm which appears in the KJV, and then look at the context in which the Psalm was originally composed. Then, we will look at the text of the Psalm while making various points of application as we go.

As for Luther and “A Mighty Fortress,” although there are many theories about when it was written and for what occasion, Luther’s hymn first appears in a 1531 hymnal which would indicate that Luther wrote it several years earlier, likely in 1527-29. This was ten years or so after his 95 theses were circulated throughout Europe, igniting the theological fire which became the Protestant Reformation. The black plague was especially virulent throughout much of Europe in the winter of 1527, nearly killing Luther’s son. Luther was also a physical wreck during this time (from exhaustion). He began spending much time reading and reflecting upon Psalm 46, especially its promise that God is the bulwark (fortress) who never fails. From Luther’s reflection on that word of comfort, the famous hymn was born.

To read the rest, follow the link below

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Biblical Theology, Biblical EventsKim RiddlebargerLuther's Psalm -- Psalm 46, God is our refuge and stregnthComment
“I Am Unable to Attend” -- Charles Hodge’s Response to an Invitation from Pope Pius IX to Attend the First Vatican Council
“I Am Unable to Attend” -- Charles Hodge’s Response to an Invitation from Pope Pius IX to Attend the First Vatican Council

Charles Hodge’s reply to Pius IX’s invitation to attend Vatican I (which convened in 1870) remains a theological gem—a classic and succinct Reformed response to Romanism. I doubt Pius IX ever actually saw it, much less read it. I can just imagine a papal secretary informing Pius in a meeting when the agenda came to correspondence received. “Your holiness, we have received a negative reply to attend the assembly from the sect of Presbyterians in America.” Who knows, it may have ended up the Vatican trash. In any case, thanks to Banner of Truth for maintaining this remarkable letter on on their website.

I simply post the first two paragraphs to whet your appetite to read Hodge’s entire reply, which he signed on behalf of the two General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church in the USA.

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Believing as we do, that it is the will of Christ that his Church on earth should be united, and recognizing the duty of doing all we consistently can to promote Christian charity and fellowship, we deem it right briefly to present the reasons which forbid our participation in the deliberations of the approaching Council.

It is not because we have renounced any article of the catholic faith. We are not heretics. We cordially receive all the doctrines contained in that Symbol which is known as the Apostles’ Creed. We regard all doctrinal decisions of the first six ecumenical councils to be consistent with the Word of God, and because of that consistency, we receive them as expressing our faith. We therefore believe the doctrine of the Trinity and of the person of Christ as those doctrines are expressed in the symbols adopted by the Council of Nicea AD321, that of the Council of Constantinople AD381 and more fully that of the Council of Chalcedon AD451. We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are the same in substance and equal in power and glory. We believe that the Eternal Son of God became man by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, and so was, and continues to be, both God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever. We believe that our adorable Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the prophet who should come into the world, whose teachings we are bound to believe and on whose promises we rely. He is the High Priest whose infinitely meritorious satisfaction to divine justice, and whose ever prevalent intercession, is the sole ground of the sinner’s justification and acceptance before God. We acknowledge him to be our Lord not only because we are his creatures but also because we are the purchase of his blood. To his authority we are bound to submit, in his care we confide, and to his service all creatures in heaven and earth should be devoted.

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You can read the rest here, at the Banner of Truth’s website: Charles Hodge's letter to Pius IX

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Reformed ResourcesKim RiddlebargerCharles Hodge replies to Pius IX Comment
“To the Church in Smyrna” Letters to the Seven Churches (3) – (Revelation 2:8-11)
“To the Church in Smyrna” Letters to the Seven Churches (3) – (Revelation 2:8-11)

Jesus Warns His Disciples — “The World Will Hate You If You Love Me”

In the fifteenth chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (v. 18). In his letter to the church in Smyrna, Jesus tells this struggling congregation that they will suffer great persecution, even to the point of death. The one responsible for this persecution is Jesus Christ’s ancient foe, the devil, who conducts his campaign against the church in Smyrna through the agency of the local synagogue and the local government. In Revelation 2:8-11, we see, in part, the historical outworking of that about which Jesus was warning his disciples in John 15, the inevitability of the persecution of God’s people at the hands of Satan. But Jesus Christ is the Lord of his church and even when persecuted unto death, his people triumph because he is their champion and the Risen Lord.

The Risen Lord Speaks to His Churches

The letters to the seven churches are part of a larger vision which began in Revelation 1:12 which opens with John’s description of the resurrected Christ. John describes seven golden lampstands which are symbolic of Christ’s presence with his church as well as the Holy Spirit’s empowerment of these congregations to serve as light to the unbelieving world which lives in darkness. These letters are part of a larger vision which begins with a description of Jesus Christ in all of his post-resurrection glory. It is Jesus who is the Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and Last, that one who was dead but is now alive forevermore. Jesus holds in his hand the keys of death and Hades. It is this Jesus who walks among his churches. He knows the exact circumstances that each one of these congregations is facing. He knows their troubles and the nature of the evil they must confront. Jesus commends these churches for their faith and perseverance, but also confronts them with their sins.

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The Seven ChurchesKim RiddlebargerThe Church in Smyrna Comments