Revelation 3:1-6 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

“1To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead. 2Wake up and strengthen what remains, which is about to die; for I have found your deeds incomplete in the sight of My God. 3Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour when I will come upon you.

“4But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white. 5Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Mostly Dead

So, what do you believe it looks like today for the church (the body of Christ) to have a reputation for being alive, yet they are dead (or mostly dead)? I believe it depends on the times in which we live and the culture in which we live and who is giving the reputation to “the church.” For, in the times in which we now live, if “the church” has a reputation of being “alive,” it often has to do with being fun and entertaining and exciting with all kinds of activities and social engagements for the family, more than anything else.

But if the “reputation” has to do with what God values, and if “the church” is promoting themselves as God-honoring people who teach the truth of the gospel, but what they teach and how they live is opposite of that, by the majority, then this has to do with having a reputation of being spiritually alive, according to the Scriptures, but in reality they are primarily spiritually dead, for they do not adhere to the teachings of the Scriptures in practice, and in whole, but perhaps only little or in part only, thus teaching part lies.

Wake Up!

So, if the gatherings of the church (some or many of them) are “mostly dead,” because there is still a part that remains that needs to be strengthened, which is about to die, then what should that look like for them to “wake up”? What do they need to wake up from? They need to wake up from the spell they are under which is leading them to believe and to act on so many of the lies being taught, and they need to start believing and living the truth of God’s word and teaching it to others, in obedience to the Lord.

So much of what is called “church” in our culture here in the USA is not the biblical body of Christ operating under the authority of Jesus Christ according to the teachings of the Scriptures. Probably most of them are incorporated under (partnered with) the state (the government), and with the world and they are businesses being run like other businesses, being marketed to the world. And so they cater to the felt needs of the ungodly, and they alter the gospel message to make it less offensive to the people of the world.

[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]

Few, I would presume, literally operate as the biblical body of Christ, with Jesus Christ as the true head of his body, under the authority of God and of the Scriptures taught in their correct biblical context. For, as the body, Christ is to be our only head, and his word is what is to be what we follow and put into practice, and not the marketing schemes of men intended to attract the world. And each of us who are following the Lord are to have a part in these gatherings in building one another up to maturity in our faith in Christ Jesus.

Few People

“13Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14).

In our world today it appears that the majority of professing Christians are still habitually sinning against the Lord, living for the flesh, feeding their minds and hearts with the things of this world, and they are not those whose lives are surrendered to Jesus Christ, to doing his will, to obeying his commands, and to living holy and morally pure lives pleasing to God, in the power of God. For so much of “the church” is teaching them that obedience to God and death to sin (biblical repentance) are not required for salvation.

But the Scriptures teach that if we do not deny self, die to sin, and obey our Lord’s commands, as a matter of life practice (not necessarily in absolute perfection), but if sin and disobedience to our Lord’s commands are still what we practice, by habit, deliberately, then we do not have salvation from sin nor eternal life with God. Only those who walk with Jesus in white, in purity of heart and mind and lifestyle in devotion to the Lord and to his commands, in his power, in life practice, will not be blotted out from the Book of Life.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

A Reputation for Being Alive
An Original Work / July 20, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Return to Me

Based off Jeremiah 31; Cf. Revelation 2-3
An Original Work / September 5, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

I have loved you with an eternal love,
Which I give to you, in my faithfulness.

Keep your voice from weeping,
And your eyes from tearing.
You will be rewarded
With much fruitfulness.

There is hope for you that My family
Will return to Me; live in victory!

Though I discipline in My love for you,
My heart longs for you that you walk in truth.

Turn your thoughts to your Lord.
Choose to walk in His ways.
Turn from your sins daily.
Follow Jesus Christ.

Oh, how long will you wander in your sin?
Give your hearts to Me; be restored within.

I will satisfy ev’ry weary soul
Who repents of sin; is renewed within.

Behold, days are coming;
It will surely happen;
Though I discipline them,
They will thrive again.

I will be their One and their Only God.
They shall walk in white; be in Me, made right.