So, on December 17, 2013, the Lord gave me a song to write called, “The Letters,” which is based off the book of Revelation, chapters 2-3. And it is a summary of what the letters say. The letters were written by Jesus Christ, via the apostle John, to the 7 churches in Asia of that time. And yet they still speak volumes today to the church throughout the world, wherever the messages apply, i.e. “wherever the shoe fits,” as the saying goes.

Now, let me preface all of this by saying that the church is not a building that you go to once or twice a week for an hour or two where you sing worship songs and listen to a sermon and then you go home until the next visit. The biblical church is the body of Christ, i.e. those who believe in Jesus to be Lord and Savior of their lives, who have denied self, died to sin, and who obey God, in practice, by the grace of God, and in the power of God.

But we who believe in Jesus are still human, and we live in a world that is becoming more and more godless, and where the gospel message is being massively diluted to appease human flesh. So, sometimes the church needs to be corrected and called to repent of their sins of idolatry and adultery, and to get their hearts right with God. So, the Lord is leading me to take this summary of Revelation, chapters 2-3 and to talk about how the messages in them may be, and mostly likely still are, applicable to the church today.

Summary #1

To the angels of all the churches write:
These are the words of your Lord and your God.
I know all your deeds, and your witness, too,
And who holds to My words and tells what’s true.
I know all your hard work and your perseverance,
Yet I hold against you: you’ve forsaken Me.
Listen to what I say to you.

Now, the subject of “works” is a controversial subject, so let me try to explain how that works. None of us are saved by our own works of the flesh, by doing “good deeds” only, thinking that we will gain merit with God. But on the flip side of that, genuine faith in Jesus Christ must result in self-denial, death to sin, and walks of obedience to our Lord, in practice, or we are not of biblical faith in Christ, and we don’t have salvation from sin, and we don’t have eternal life with God. We need to follow our Lord in obedience.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Acts 26:18]

Summary #2

You have people there who deny My name,
And who put the cross of Christ up to shame.
They entice the people to Me, profane,
And their worship of Me is all in vain.
They are so adult’rous as they chase their idols,
And you put up with them easily enough.
Listen to what I say to you.

This, I believe, speaks to these modern market-driven worldly gatherings of what is called “the church,” which are following the ways of the flesh and not the ways of God. For they are trying to attract the world to their gatherings, so they dilute the gospel to make it more acceptable, and they entertain the people using worldly methods and schemes, for their goal is to grow their numbers. So they are living in adultery against Jesus Christ as they chase their idols of false faith and spiritual compromise so the world will like them.

[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]

Summary #3

You give off an image of godliness,
But what you present is so fraudulent,
Or else you lack passion for Jesus Christ,
So you look to others to tell what’s right.
I say turn from your sin, or you will face judgment.
He who overcomes will have eternal life.
Listen to what I say to you.

The subject matter here is that of religious hypocrisy, putting on an image outwardly which does not represent who you are, in truth. Many who are living in adultery against God, some of whom are also living in adultery against their spouses, are sinning in secret, deliberately and habitually. Yet outwardly they profess faith in Jesus Christ. And they believe that they have salvation from sin and eternal life with God assured them. But if they do not die to sin and obey God, in practice, in the power of God, they will face the wrath of God, and hell will be their eternal destiny, and not heaven.

[Matthew 6:1-6,16-18; Matthew 7:1-5; Matthew 15:1-9; Matthew 22:15-22; Matthew 23:1-39; Matthew 24:45-51; Luke 12:54-56; Luke 13:10-16; Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13]

Summary #4

I know your afflictions and poverty;
How you suffer for your Lord patiently.
Do not fear the devil and company.
You be faithful to your Lord endlessly.
I know all your weakness and your dedication.
You have kept My Word and not denied your Lord.
I will write on you My new name.

Now here we have some words of encouragement. This is speaking to the persecuted church (followers of Jesus Christ) who are living for the Lord, who are not living in habitual sin against God, but who are following the Lord in obedience to his commands, in the power of God, by his Spirit. When we, by faith in the Lord Jesus, surrender our lives to the Lord, to do his will, to go where he sends us, and to say to the people whatever he gives us to say to them, we will be hated, rejected, and persecuted, not just by the world, but by the worldly church, and even by some pastors and/or family.

But we are not to fear what other humans might do to us. We are not to fear the devil and his schemes against us. We must give our reputations and our lives over to the Lord, and trust him to walk us through every trial and every difficulty, in his power, for his glory, and for the salvation of human lives. And one day our Lord will return, and he will take us to be with him for eternity, and all our suffering will be over. Oh, that will be so wonderful!

[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]

Video Talk on same subject

The Letters
Based off Revelation 2-3
An Original Work / March 4, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love