The 'Church Age' Model. Based on The 7 Churches of Asia Province.

[Absolutely]

Ok what did each church do that was commended????

What did each church do that was offensive.????

What was the escape verse from the gt????

What condition did jesus put on the escape????

What was the condition for the wise virgins to be gathered to heaven????

 

[Nehemiah6]

The letters to the seven churches are NOT prophecies of different periods of Church history, they are messages to each named individual church.

As shown above they can be both. The Word of God generally has several layers.

 

[oyster67]

I remain skeptical but am curious what other Christians think about this model.

I agree with you that many strange ideas crept in by way of mister Scofield. I don't know if we have any reason to believe that all these different kinds of churches have not been with us since John addressed them. I say they are just seven kinds of churches.

 

[oyster67]

it is a little more complex.

Seems pretty straightforward and simple to me. Which verse don't you understand?

 

[oyster67]

Now was it written to do that? We will have to ask John when we see him.

Fair enough. That do we shall.

 

[oyster67]

snarky

Snarky be my middle name.

 

[Laura798]

The Chronological Church Age Model based on the seven churches of Asia Province.
That the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 represent seven consecutive ages of church history.

1. Ephesus
2. Smyrna
3. Pergamos
4. Thyatira
5. Sardis
6. Philadelphia
7. Laodicea

It's an idea with some logic to it but it is also flawed. I've heard this model taught but had no idea where it originated.
A little research reveals it's a Scofield commetary idea that goes along with dispensational doctrine.

I have no doubt that the seven letters to the West Anatolian churches have important messages for us today.
But are they representative of seven ages of church history with our present time being the "Laodicean Age"
I remain skeptical but am curious what other Christians think about this model.

Dear Lucy,

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction."--2 Peter 2:1


We have so much false doctrine in the church--I didn't realize how much until I actually began studying it--this was and is during a hiatus from the Institutional Church.

For me, the angel explains what many of the visions mean in Revelation, others he doesn't. I think as we read Scripture we do need to ask the Father to take off the lens of long held doctrinal beliefs and ask Him to reveal the mystery of the gospel--I prayed that once after leaving a denominational church and it was like the 'scales fell off my eyes'--and there was a domino effect as I began to investigate other denominations and their doctrines.

The passage is curious as it is a message to the angels of those churches--this I'd like to investigate further. Scripture was written both to the individual and to the body of Christ. All those churches existed in Turkey and surrounding areas in John's time. So I believe it was to those churches, but also to all churches, past and present--where are we in those descriptions?

In any case, I like these two sayings about discovering Truth.

"Truth is ever to be found in simplicity and not the multiplicity and confusion of things."--Sir Isaac Newton

Occam’s razor states that the simplest explanation is preferable to one that is more complex.


Note that when someone believes a false doctrine they often will quote verses and then go on at length in their own words to explain their false doctrine. Or simply explain with out any scripture to support their position--if it sounds confusing, well consider....

 

[DavidTree]

The letters to the seven churches are NOT prophecies of different periods of Church history, they are messages to each named individual church. However, each letter to the churches has lessons for all of Christ's Church in all ages. We need to take note of the warnings, and rejoice in the promises, that Jesus gives to these churches. There have been many different kinds of churches in every period of Church history. The word of God is the eternal voice of God to His people. The Holy Spirit meets the particular and local needs of each church through His gifts. There is a framework common to each letter:

The letters are all addressed to the angels of the seven churches.

Each letter describes some attribute of Christ particularly applicable to each church.

There is a description of the condition of each church.

Jesus reveals the people and means by which Satan attacks the churches.

There is a precious promise to those who are overcomers.

The spiritual qualities that make up the character of the overcomer.

The saints are exhorted to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Consider also that Both can be true and applicable from God's perspective.

Agreeing fully with = "each letter to the churches has lessons for all of Christ's Church in all ages."

and the culmination of historical events affecting the 'churches' leading up to His Coming.

"While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. " 1 Thessalonians 5:3

 

[Pilgrimshope]

I believe the 7 Churches is a prophetic statement to how the Church age will go in popular influence among the people, and if any faults God always has people in the truth.

We are at the last Church age where many saints will heap money and material things to themselves which can only happen at the time of technology because it caused money to flow greatly and people can reach out to a larger area and more people to make money for they are not limited area wise like in the past.

Pro 30:11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
Pro 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
Pro 30:13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
Pro 30:14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

The last generation which because of technology they can heap more money to themselves and many people claiming Christ are doing the same although many not to the same extreme because they have some kind of love for people.

We are at the Laodicean Church age where the popular influence among the saints is the prosperity Gospel and God blesses with money and material things.

that’s an interesting take , I don’t think I’ve heard that before thanks for sharing your thoughts

 

[Aaron56]

I remember reading 'The Orthodoxy of the Church' by Watchman Nee. I recall he believed that the letters corresponded to "church ages": some were past, some were past and present (continuing these days) and some were present and future (from today into the future).

I might recall incorrectly as it's been nearly 20 years since I read the book.

Any way: it can be found here: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...0KPMUO1TEWU1&usg=AOvVaw3g0k2T2O_WiCMfepGgPxDk

 

[Lucy-Pevensie]

While these 7 churches are 7 literal churches in Johns day.

its hard to ignore the fact that if you look at church histroy, it resembles the church age and its progression literally. Up until today.

Now was it written to do that? We will have to ask John when we see him.

But it is still hard to overlook. especially written in a book which speaks of things happening from Johns day until the end of time.

I don't think I'll wait to ask John as it was Jesus who was addressing the Churches.
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches." -Makes me think we can understand.

He is urging us to be led by The Holy Spirit.
The one thing that cannot be taken away from us even in times of persecution & deception.
Tradition holds that John was the last surviving apostle and the only one to die a natural death.
Tradition isn't scripture but it seems to fit that as the apostolic age was drawing to a close,
spiritual leadership on earth was changing so Jesus sent this one last written message through
the last living Apostle to his body. Don't lose heart, I am coming back!

 

[jb]

As shown above they can be both...

You are mistaken, and the context does NOT permit that fiction!

 

[eternally-gratefull]

I don't think I'll wait to ask John as it was Jesus who was addressing the Churches.
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches." -Makes me think we can understand.

He is urging us to be led by The Holy Spirit.
The one thing that cannot be taken away from us even in times of persecution & deception.
Tradition holds that John was the last surviving apostle and the only one to die a natural death.
Tradition isn't scripture but it seems to fit that as the apostolic age was drawing to a close,
spiritual leadership on earth was changing so Jesus sent this one last written message through
the last living Apostle to his body. Don't lose heart, I am coming back!

I agree.

I just think that alot of people with alot of views think the spirit told them they are right.

They can't all be right.

So some things we may not know until we talk with the ones who wrote the prophecies.

I think this may be one of those cases.

 

[Blik]

As shown above they can be both. The Word of God generally has several layers.

This is so true of scripture, but we need to be sure we are not giving a meaning to scripture that God did not intend.

I think it is going WAY to far to say that there is no meaning in scripture of the number seven. That would say that we are not to look for the patterns that God follows when we read scripture.

The first layer of understanding we are to have as we study the seven churches is to see how God looks at what our churches do.

As an example we can learn about true circumcision by studying the church of Philadelphia.

 

[DavidTree]

I agree.

I just think that alot of people with alot of views think the spirit told them they are right.

They can't all be right.

So some things we may not know until we talk with the ones who wrote the prophecies.

I think this may be one of those cases.

Chapter 1
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—

John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6and has made us [c]kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Chapter 22
And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

6Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.

 

[Absolutely]

This is so true of scripture, but we need to be sure we are not giving a meaning to scripture that God did not intend.

I think it is going WAY to far to say that there is no meaning in scripture of the number seven. That would say that we are not to look for the patterns that God follows when we read scripture.

The first layer of understanding we are to have as we study the seven churches is to see how God looks at what our churches do.

As an example we can learn about true circumcision by studying the church of Philadelphia.

7 as i understand it is;
1) God
2) completeness

8 being new beginnings

 

[Absolutely]

Dear Lucy,

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction."--2 Peter 2:1


We have so much false doctrine in the church--I didn't realize how much until I actually began studying it--this was and is during a hiatus from the Institutional Church.

For me, the angel explains what many of the visions mean in Revelation, others he doesn't. I think as we read Scripture we do need to ask the Father to take off the lens of long held doctrinal beliefs and ask Him to reveal the mystery of the gospel--I prayed that once after leaving a denominational church and it was like the 'scales fell off my eyes'--and there was a domino effect as I began to investigate other denominations and their doctrines.

The passage is curious as it is a message to the angels of those churches--this I'd like to investigate further. Scripture was written both to the individual and to the body of Christ. All those churches existed in Turkey and surrounding areas in John's time. So I believe it was to those churches, but also to all churches, past and present--where are we in those descriptions?

In any case, I like these two sayings about discovering Truth.

"Truth is ever to be found in simplicity and not the multiplicity and confusion of things."--Sir Isaac Newton

Occam’s razor states that the simplest explanation is preferable to one that is more complex.


Note that when someone believes a false doctrine they often will quote verses and then go on at length in their own words to explain their false doctrine. Or simply explain with out any scripture to support their position--if it sounds confusing, well consider....

Even worse is taking one verse and using it to change others as you demonstrated in trying uselessly to "prove" elijah and enoch were not taken to heaven.

Unacceptably false and rediculous

 

[GRACE_ambassador]

Occam’s razor states that the simplest explanation is preferable to one that is more complex.

Precious friends, where is Occam's razor In God's Word Of Truth, Rightly
Divided?:

John's Prophetic Revelation of Jesus Christ is for ISRAEL = THEIR Seven
earthly {faith + works} assemblies Must Then Be Jewish synagogues.
(OT, Daniel, Matthew - Acts 7, Hebrews - Revelation) Amen?

Rightly Divided (2 Timothy 2:15) From “Things That DIFFER!”:

CHRIST's Revelation Of The MYSTERY Is TO: The Body Of CHRIST! =
The Body CHRIST Has Only ONE {GRACE Through faith} assembly,
seated In HEAVENLY Places, In CHRIST! {To Paul Acts 9 - Rom - Phm}
Amen?

I have to agree simplest Is Preferable to the Massively Complex Confusion
of Wrongly Combining God's TWO Different Programs into ONE! Amen?:

God's Approval/TWO Different Gospels
Distinctions In God's Two Different Programs: Prophecy vs Mystery!

Please Be Richly Encouraged, Enlightened, Exhorted, And Edified,
In The Head Of The Body, The LORD JESUS CHRIST!

 

[Laura798]

Even worse is taking one verse and using it to change others as you demonstrated in trying uselessly to "prove" elijah and enoch were not taken to heaven.

Unacceptably false and rediculous

What is false are your own words as I gave several verses to prove what I stated was true. And those are in ANOTHER forum, not this one. Absolutely you are a very disagreeable person and Id prefer not to have any further interaction especially since you are adding nothing to the conversation but negativity.

 

[Absolutely]

What is false are your own words as I gave several verses to prove what I stated was true. And those are in ANOTHER forum, not this one. Absolutely you are a very disagreeable person and Id prefer not to have any further interaction especially since you are adding nothing to the conversation but negativity.

Nope

You blew it

Badly

You are way otta whack.

Using an indirect verse( which the greek illuminates vividly into understanding) to try and REFRAME elijah and enoch into not going to heaven.

Plain shameful and heretical.

You need to change your ways ma'am

Oh
..and by no means do you have any authority here.

None