“And unto the angel of the Church of Sardis write; these things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars” (Revelation 3:1)

There appears to be some diversity of opinion amongst expositors as to the derivation and meaning of the word Sardis. Malachi Taylor, in his work on the Revelation, gives as the significance, “the things that remain.” Mr. Russell’s thought is the same: “Sardis is said to mean ‘that which remaineth.’” Joseph Seiss, in his work Lectures on the Apocalypse, written in 1869, gives the various meanings submitted by a number of authors, also a very interesting comment, in which is combined in one picture these meanings as suggestive of the various features of the Sardis Church described by Christ. Note the following:

“The name is variously derived. Some connect it with the precious stone called sarda, which was found about Sardis, and sometimes used as an amulet [charm] to drive away fear, give boldness, inspire cheerfulness, sharpen wit, and protect against witchcraft or sorcery. Others have derived it from the Hebrew, and have assigned it the significance of remnant, or an escaped few. Ebrard finds for it an etymological derivation, denoting something new, or renewed. These several explanations, though different, are not antagonistic, as applied to the condition of a church. They can be very well combined in one picture. Courage and boldness imply great conflict and danger. In a great conquest, many would be vanquished, but a remnant would escape.”

While Mr. Seiss does not apply the Sardis message to the period of about two centuries before the Reformation, which seems to us the correct application, his comment on the significance of the word Sardis is very apt, and fits perfectly certain features of the message. It is true that those of this period escaping from Jezebel’s false teaching — the “few names left in Sardis” — were but a small remnant. These the Savior pronounces “worthy,” and are the last of those living in the days of Jezebel’s reign as a queen who do not imbibe Jezebel’s doctrine, and thus they escape what the Savior calls “the depths of Satan”; and upon whom he imposes no other burden than that of holding fast that which they had. This period of church history found the professing Body of Christ as a whole, from the Divine standpoint, what might be fittingly described as a dead carcass. As these “few names left in Sardis” became weary and were compelled one by one, by intimidation or persecution unto death, to drop the torch of Truth, the generation of the Philadelphia period took it up, and, as is described in that epistle, were by the Divine Master specially protected as they delivered the important message entrusted to their charge for that dark period of the Church’s history.

Up to the present stage of our consideration of these epistles of Christ, there has been very little difficulty in fixing with almost perfect exactness the periods in history which they represent. Indeed, there is a very general agreement in regard to this among expositors, that Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, and Thyatira apply to the periods of history we have given, namely:

• Ephesus, the Apostolic age, and extending into the Second Century;

• Smyrna, the period of Pagan Rome’s persecution of the saints, beginning in the Second Century and closing with the Edict of Milan, about 313 AD;

• Pergamos, beginning about this time, when it became a custom for Constantine, the Roman Emperor, to be chosen by the professed Church to preside over its councils, the Church thus assuming the condition of Balaamism (world affiliation) and ending when a Roman bishop, by a decree of Justinian, became firmly established in the city of Rome as head of the Church — Christ’s Vicar, so-called, and when the symbolical Jezebel began her attempted rule over the consciences of men, about 539 AD.

It is quite necessary to keep in mind, however, that the conditions described in these three messages did not cease with the ending of these periods, but have continued to prevail in professed Christianity, and still exist today.

We thus see that the Thyatira conditions, representing, as given by a number of expositors, the conditions existing in “the period of Papal persecutions,” would not cease before, nor even at the Sixteenth Century Reformation. Some of the most severe Papal persecutions occurred long years after the Reformation began; the noted persecution — that of the Huguenots — continued as late as 1787. Truly the Papacy, in spite of the fact that it was shorn to a considerable extent of its power (having received a deadly wound), still continued in a very large measure to exercise authority over the saints, and to a certain extent to fulfill the prediction of Daniel 7, of “wearing out the saints of the Most High,” until the end of the “time, times, and a half,” in 1799 AD. Indeed, it still exerts a more powerful influence in religious matters over a large number of earth’s peoples than all the other professed Christian organizations combined. It will thus be seen that of necessity each new period has its beginning while the conditions described in the preceding epistles are in operation, the one exception being that of the Pagan Roman persecution, which ceased shortly after Constantine ascended the throne.

Some Pre-millennial expositors, among them Taylor, Grant, and Seiss, apply the Sardis message to the Nationalized Protestant Church organizations that came into existence shortly after the Reformation was fully under way; while some Advent expositors bring the Thyatira period down to 1799, and there begin the period of Sardis. While it is true that the Nationalized Churches of Europe, as such, describe well the Sardis condition of “death,” they do not represent a universal condition of worldwide deadness, which seems to be that pictured in the message to Sardis. Again, the Philadelphia message, as we shall endeavor to show later, fits so well the great, Reformation Movement, that it seems absolutely necessary to place the period of Sardis just previous to the time when the Philadelphian movement began.

Concerning the other application (the Adventist), it will be noted that the conditions in the Protestant Churches from 1799 to 1833, as they fix it, do not seem at all to picture the Sardis conditions, the principal feature of which was a lack of spiritual life and activities. The opposite of this began to take place after 1799, as shown in the great revival of missions and the organization of Bible societies which characterized those times, and indeed the times until very recent date.

Sardis, the Darkest of the Dark Ages

The words of the Savior to the Sardis Church of St. John’s day seem to describe the worst condition possible for a local church professing the name of Christ to be in. The primitive Sardis, as a local church organization, is represented in this message as “dead” — simply professing the name Christian, but exerting no measure of influence whatever, either in the lives of its members, or in that of proclaiming the pure Gospel. The “few” true Christians among them, referred to in the words of the Savior as “a few names … that had not defiled their garments,” were utterly powerless to recover the Church or improve the sad situation. “Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead,” are the words of him who is represented in the message as having the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. The fact that he possessed the seven spirits of God seems to teach that the Savior possessed the full measure of Divine power, and that whatever measure of this power would be necessary at this time, would be exercised to prevent an utter defeat of the Divine purpose in the selection of the foreordained number to complete his Body members. The star, the light-bearer, whoever he may have represented in primitive Sardis, was unable to exert any influence in the Church itself, neither in the surrounding darkness of the City. The language of Christ requires that we understand that the people of the City would be in perfect ignorance of what the true Gospel Message was, so far as this Church’s influence was concerned. The very few real, true, disciples of Christ in this Sardis Church, we may be sure, would most naturally be discouraged, disheartened, lacking aggressive faith to lay hold on that power which alone could bring life again to the dead Church. Indeed, it seemed to be in a condition from which a complete separation was required on the part of believers, and a condition requiring an entirely new beginning. To locate the period in the Church’s experience that is represented by Sardis it would seem therefore to require that we look for the very darkest time — the most discouraging and seemingly hopeless condition for the true cause of Christ that the historian has portrayed. The Dark Ages are always identified by historians as the period of Jezebel-Rome’s arrogant, corrupt, and queenly reign. The darkest period of those long centuries of the Dark Ages was that just prior to the Reformation. Under Martin Luther and his associates the Reformation in the Lord’s providence was inaugurated in a very special manner. The events connected with Christianity in the early days of the great Protestant Reformation were in many respects like those in the beginning of the Gospel Age. This period of the Reformation constituted a new beginning. For a brief space of time prior to this, Christ had seemingly no organized effort to represent him that could be called evangelical.

The few of the Lord’s true saints, who had fruitlessly protested against Jezebel’s doctrines and blasphemous claims, became scattered and ceased entirely for a short time to bear witness. “Worn out” (this is the language of the Prophet — Daniel 7:25) by a long series of bloody persecutions, the object of which was to exterminate them and thus silence the voice of protest against the Jezebel system, these witnesses of Christ became discouraged, cast down, and needed some special, some supernatural help from the Divine Master to give them new life, that they might again stand on their feet and resume their divinely appointed work. Let us hear the historian as he portrays the conditions existing just before this time:

“About the commencement of this century [sixteenth], the Roman pontiffs lived in the utmost tranquility; nor had they, as things appeared to be situated, the least reason to apprehend any opposition to their pretensions, or rebellion against their authority; since those dreadful commotions, which had been excited in the preceding ages by the Waldenses, Albigenses, and Beghards, and more recently by the Bohemians, were entirely suppressed, and had yielded to the united powers of counsel and the sword … none had the courage to strike at the root of the evil, to attack the Papal jurisdiction and statutes, which were absurdly, yet artfully, sanctified by the title of canon law, or to call in question the ancient and most pernicious opinion that Christ had established a vicegerent at Rome, clothed with his supreme and unlimited authority. Entrenched within these strong holds, the pontiffs looked upon their own authority and the peace of the church [?] as beyond the reach of danger, and treated with indifference the threats and invectives of their enemies. Armed, with power to punish, and abundantly furnished with the means of rewarding in the most alluring manner, they were ready on every commotion, to crush the obstinate, and to gain over the mercenary to their cause” (Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History).

Milner, another noted church historian, has said that at this date (1514), though the name of Christ was professed everywhere in Europe, nothing existed that could properly be called evangelical. All the confessors of Christ, worn out by a long series of contentions were reduced to silence. “Everything was quiet,” says another writer — “every heretic exterminated.” This, of course, we know was not literally true; for “the Lord knoweth them that are his,” and just as in the times of the typical Jezebel, so at this time there were those represented by the typical “seven thousand” that did not “bow their knee to Baal.” However, so far as any collective, public testimony was concerned, Christ’s true witnesses were reduced to silence. The Lateran Council that was in session in 1514 congratulated itself that Christendom was no longer afflicted by heresies, and after a challenge had been sent out for any who denied Rome’s claims to appear, and none responded, one of the orators of that Council ascended the rostrum, and addressing Leo X, said Jam nemo reclamat, nullus obsistit — “There is an end of resistance to the Papal rule, and religious opposers resist no more.” And again, “The whole body of Christendom is now seen to be subjected to its head, i.e., to thee [Leo].” Who can doubt that the Sardis period of Church history is identified in these dark times, just before the Reformation? This period in history is the subject matter of one of the most startling and striking visions that passed before the eyes of St. John and is recorded farther on in the Revelation. Thank God for the “few names left in Sardis”! To these under the leadership of the Divine Master, are we indebted for the preservation of the faith. While as witnesses, their testimony was silenced for a time, the spirit of truth was soon again worked into the lives of their successors, Luther, Melancthon, Zwingli, Reuchlin, and others, and empowered by Christ, a new, a second prophesying began.

“I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God” (Revelation 3:1,2).

“I know thy works,” said the Savior, addressing this Church of Sardis and its star or messenger. No particular evil is mentioned as existing in her midst, but if we are correct in applying the message prophetically to the period just prior to the great Reformation epoch, we may be sure that there was existing in this Church a combination of all those evils that we have found recorded in the other messages. The unequal yoking up with the world, the purely worldly spirit, so prevalent in the age represented by the Church of Pergamos, controlling in her councils; the wicked, corrupt teaching of that “woman Jezebel,” together with her persecuting spirit, pictured by Thyatira, had reached the condition called by the Savior “the depths of Satan.” The professing Church on earth had become wholly corrupt — indeed, “dead”; and this was the state of the visible Church in the period just prior to the great Reformation.

The fact that the Savior mentions the seven stars held in his right hand, seems to teach that he had entire control of the ministers in his Church and could keep and remove them at his pleasure.

The words, “Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain,” seem to be addressed to the exceptionally few disheartened ministers and secret disciples of those times; “the things which remain,” having reference to the true piety that still lived and lingered in this period. “Whatever there was of true religion among them, it was of importance to strengthen it, that the love of the Savior might not become wholly extinct. An important duty in a low and languishing state of religion, indeed, is to strengthen the things that still survive. It is to cultivate all the graces which do exist — to nourish all the love of truth which may linger in the Church; and to confirm by warm exhortation, and by a reference to the gracious promises of God’s Word, the few who may be endeavoring to do their duty, and who amidst many discouragements, are aiming to be faithful to the Savior. In the lowest state of religion in a church, there may be a few, perhaps quite obscure and of humble rank, who are mourning over the desolations of Zion, and who are sighing for better times. All such, it is the duty of the ministers of religion to comfort and encourage; for it is in their hearts that piety may be kept alive in the Church — it is through them that it may be hoped religion may be revived. In the apparent hopelessness of doing much good to others, good may always be done to the cause itself by preserving and strengthening what there may be of life among those few, amidst the general desolation of death.”

Spiritual Sickness and Death

The Master further exhorts them to “strengthen the things … that are ready to die.” There were doubtless some in the primitive Church of Sardis, as well as in the period represented by it, to whom these words would apply. It quite often is the case in individual experience as well as in a church, that spiritual life has almost ceased, and there seems to be only a spark remaining. The spiritually minded would always be expected to use their best endeavors to kindle again the flame of spiritual life. How frequently is it the case, however, that the messengers are not of this kind! The saying is generally true: “like people, like priest” (Hosea 4:9). A church generally has pastors of the character it chooses.

“For I have not found thy works perfect before God.” A better translation of this passage is: “For I have not found thy works fully performed before my God.” Evidently these words, like those preceding, and indeed those that follow, are addressed to the messenger, minister, and the “few names left.” It is true that Christ expects of all his ministering servants that they perform certain works, and sometimes those of a special nature. It is also true that none could claim perfection in the performance of these works. The words as rendered above would therefore seem to indicate that a certain feature, or features, of that work were left undone; and this was true, not only of the minister and Church of primitive Sardis, but also of those represented by these in the period of history featured. There is always something lacking, some duties neglected or left unperformed by even a true minister and the spiritually minded of the Lord’s people, when spiritual decline or deadness begins to find a place in the Church. May it not have been in this case that individual or collective witnessing, which secret discipleship fails always to perform, may be referred to in the words: “For I have not found thy works fully performed”?

The Savior next exhorts his few faithful ones in the words: “Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard.” We may surely learn from these words that it is always profitable, especially in times of spiritual drought, for the Lord’s followers to call to remembrance the days when they first came to know Christ as their Savior and Lord; to remember how it was that they were introduced into God’s favor — how it was communicated to them, how it was that they obtained assurance and acceptance, and the various instrumentalities employed to bring these blessings to them. We may not be quite sure as to the particular things that the Master would have them call to remembrance. It may be that he desired to remind them that it was through the oral testimonies of others that they were brought to embrace Christ; or that it was through their own personal public confession of Christ before men that brought to them the full assurance of their acceptance with God. It is quite evident that in the period of church history just prior to the Reformation, these qualities and characteristics were lacking, deficient, incomplete. Mr. Barnes, referring to primitive Sardis, has supposed that these words may refer to some peculiar manner in which the Gospel was first preached to them, as, by the labors of the Apostles and by the remarkable effusions of the holy Spirit; or to the ardor and love with which they embraced it. We might add that it may refer to the ardor and labor of those who were instrumental in giving the Gospel to them; to the favors and privileges conferred on these ministers of God; or to their own understanding of what the Gospel required of them when they embraced it. These surely are necessary things to call to mind when spirituality is declining.

“And hold fast and repent [reform],” the Savior further exhorts. The meaning of these words evidently is that they hold fast the truths that they had learned, and the measure of piety that remained among them; and to exercise godly sorrow for whatever measure they had departed from their former activities, and had lost the spiritual joys experienced when they first heard and received the Gospel of the grace of God. The exhortation teaches also that they were to turn again, and lay hold upon his Word and promises, that they were to engage again in active service and thus experience the joys that these promises and services would bring to them.

Continuing to address that class referred to as in a careless attitude, unwatchful, and as ready to die, and deeming it possible that they would not give heed to his exhortation, the Savior gives warning of what would be the result, in the words: “If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” The warnings and threatenings contained in these messages apply more to individuals than to churches. The words, “I will come on thee as a thief,” seem to imply that the ones referred to, those whose spiritual decline had reached such a critical state as would be described as unwatchful and in the words “ready to die,” would be surprised suddenly, and find it then too late to reform, too late to regain their former standing. Considering the words from the standpoint that the Sardis conditions prevail to a considerable extent down to the time of the Second Advent, the following statement by Mr. Russell is very pertinent and applicable:

“Many today have the Sardis characteristics. To such there is a fatal warning in Revelation 3:3. Seven times our Lord’s Second Coming is described as being thief-like, stealthy. Only to those who are watching is the approach of a thief known. Those who are asleep will be awakened only after he has taken full possession, after his work of destruction has progressed. Although they may then arouse themselves, it is too late. They have been overtaken. Thus our Lord will be present, but invisible and unknown — except to the watchers — for some years after his arrival; and his Presence will be recognized by the sleepers only as the noise of spoiling the strong man’s house gradually increases. Then slowly will they realize what it is and what the outcome will be.”

The Savior next addresses the Sardis Church and its messenger, referring specially, however, to the overcoming class: “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.” The “few names” which had not defiled their garments, refer to the faithful few who had kept themselves free from the corruption that prevailed in the Sardis Church and in the period in history represented by it. The words plainly teach that there were but a few persons who had not been contaminated to a greater or less extent with world affiliation, with the false claim of Jezebel to be an inspired teacher, and with her corrupt teaching. These few were like persons clothed in white garments, who were able to keep their garments from being soiled in the midst of those whose garments were defiled.

In Robes of White

The words, “And they shall walk with me in white,” refer to a reward realized in the future life. This is evident from the words that follow: “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment.” White is the emblem of purity and innocence, and very appropriately represents the state or condition of the saints in light. Whoever overcomes the world, the flesh, and the Adversary — overcomes sin and resists the temptations of this world — will be given this glorious reward. This hope is that of being with the Savior in his Kingdom, clad, figuratively speaking, in robes of actual righteousness, expressive of holiness and joy.

The assurance given to such overcomers is that their names shall never be erased from “the book of life.” “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels.”

“In this text, as throughout the Bible, the thought is maintained that the elect class, who will receive the highest glory, honor, and blessing from the Lord, must demonstrate their loyalty by overcoming. It is not sufficient that there shall be an overcoming of the will at the beginning of the Christian career, but subsequently there must be trials and testings endured, and these must be met in an overcoming manner. The consecration having been made, and the trials and testings having begun, the individual yielding under those temptations and testings, and continuing to be overcome by them, would prove that he is not sufficiently loyal; for the Lord has promised that his grace shall be sufficient.

“This overcoming is a gradual work, progressing throughout our Christian course, from the moment of consecration down to the conclusion of life. But the text apparently takes hold of the conclusion, rather than the beginning or the middle of the work, and implies that the individual has at the end of the trial, the end of his race course, this overcoming degree of righteousness, so that he may be classed as an overcomer. Such an overcomer will be clothed in white raiment.”

A most remarkably clear and Scriptural presentation of what is represented by the “white raiment” as applied to a believer’s standing in the present life, is found under the title, White Raiment Loaned To Us:

“The Scriptures give us to understand that at the very beginning of our Christian experience, we figuratively are clothed in white raiment. This white raiment represents justification — we are justified freely from all things. It is a robe without a spot. It is sometimes spoken of as Christ’s robe of righteousness, because it comes to us through Christ. It is to be had only through him. He is able to impute to us, to loan to us, grant to us temporarily this robe. It is spoken of as the wedding garment. At an oriental wedding, a wedding garment of white linen was used to cover over the clothing worn by each guest. It was loaned to the guest at the wedding by the host, when he appeared at the wedding feast.

“White linen signifies purity. So when Christ gives us the use of his merit, it is as a white garment to cover our imperfections. It is an imputation of his righteousness, which is to us justification. We are exhorted to keep our garments unspotted from the world. The imputation of righteousness given us, we are to preserve, to maintain. But we cannot fully maintain it of ourselves. Our tongues may sometimes say things that we wish they had not said, and our hands may sometimes do things we would not desire. Hence, God has provided a way by which our blemishes or transgressions may be eradicated — those not wilful. This way is our daily application for the cleansing of these unwilling transgressions, through the precious blood. Thus we keep our garments unspotted from the world. Thus our justification, our white robe, is maintained — should be maintained” (C. T. Russell).

It is, however, apparent from the words of the Savior to the Church in Sardis that to be clothed in white robes is also a reward given to the overcomer who finishes successfully his trial. This trial is completed at death. The reward, the white raiment, will be given at Christ’s appearing. The significance of this figure of the white robe in this sense is also most clearly unfolded by this same writer in an article, The White Raiment of The Kingdom:

“But it is not sufficient that we have the imputation of our Savior’s righteousness. This imputation is only a temporary arrangement. We need to come to the place where we shall have a righteousness of our own. Our flesh is imperfect. … In spite of our best endeavors, things are bound to go more or less wrong. But we are to prove ourselves overcomers — ‘more than conquerors.’ The Lord has arranged that at the conclusion of our trial, at the end of the present life, all the overcomers shall receive the new body. This new body will be a body of actual purity. Thus, as the Apostle says, we shall ‘be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.’ So our raiment will be changed from a garment of imputed perfection, our justification by faith, to that which represents actual perfection. At the resurrection we shall receive that body of inherent purity, without blemish, without spot, which is here pictured as ‘white raiment.’”

The Savior next assures the overcomer, the one who keeps his “garment unspotted,” and overcomes all the Sardis evils, that his name shall not be blotted out of the book of life. The teaching is that the Lord takes account of each one who receives Christ as his Savior, and presents himself in consecration to do his will, to follow in his footsteps unto death. Such are represented in figure as having their names recorded in a book of life as candidates, as runners for the heavenly prize — joint-heirship with the Redeemer, eternal life, immortality. The expression, “I will not blot out his name out of the book of life,” evidently implies that some will fail at last of obtaining this prize and therefore will not be numbered among the elect class. A similar thought is contained in the words of Christ, “Many are called, but few are chosen.”

In the words of the Savior, “And I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels,” we have the thought well expressed that “in the end, these overcomers will be so grandly developed that the Lord will not be ashamed to confess any of them, and to say, Here is one of my followers. Here is another. They have walked in my footsteps, and have overcome.”

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.” It is well to keep in mind that individuals are addressed in these words. Indeed, as has been truthfully said: “The Church of God, which is Christ’s Body, is not composed of Churches, but of members, united together by that blessed Spirit which unites all to Christ the Head. Hence the ‘Churches’ or assemblies are only local gatherings of so many Christians as find themselves in the providence of God actually together. Each of these is, according to Scripture, the Church in that place. The place adds nothing in this title (the Church of God), nor is one gathering of its members superior or inferior to any other.” We must not forget, however, in this connection, the difference between profession and possession. A dead Sardis is not in reality of the Body of Christ at all. The “few names left,” being powerless to control in its counsels, the Church, as such, is cast off, rejected.