The letters to the seven churches are for Christendom today

A. EVERY CHURCH IS UNDER CLOSE SCRUTINY
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive. And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass. And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God

B. WORKS MATTER AFTER SALVATION AND WILL BE JUDGED
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

C. FAITHFULNESS MATTERS AFTER SALVATION AND WILL BE REWARDED
And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. 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.
But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

D. DEFICIENCIES MUST BE ADDRESSED AND REPENTED OF
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

E. CHRIST COMMENDS THAT WHICH IS COMMENDABLE AND KEEPS A RECORD
But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

F. THERE ARE ETERNAL REWARDS FOR THOSE WHO OVERCOME
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.And I will give him the morning star.
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.
He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

G. SALVATION IS OFFERED TO THOSE WHO ARE UNSAVED YET PROFESS CHRIST
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

H. THERE IS SEVERE JUDGMENT FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT REPENT
And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

I. THE SPIRIT IS SPEAKING TO ALL THOSE WHO WILL LISTEN
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

In deed.

I would say G. is to the saved who are not living in their true identity in Christ.

The call is for them to acknowledge they are "lukewarm" as in professing/thinking they have it all together and no have need of Him, in reality they are in desperate need.

They are for our learning ...BUT not written to us in this administration of grace.

Amen and he also warns if they don’t repent he’s going to spit them out

[/QUOTE]

i agree that the seven letters are written to the whole complete church

We have no more grace than those 7 churches of Asia Minor. The letters were written to believers after Jesus' ascension to heaven.

It is the same administration of grace.

Message to Ephesus.
2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks [a]among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

2 ‘I know your deeds and your labor and [b]perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have [c]perseverance and have endured on account of My name, and have not become weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the [d]deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’

Message to Smyrna
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

The first and the last, who [e]was dead, and has come to life, says this:

9 ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the [f]slander by those who say they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. [g]Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

Message to Pergamum
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:

13 ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a [h]stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. 15 So you too, have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with the sword of My mouth. 17 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.’

Message to Thyatira
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

The Son of God, who has [i]eyes like a flame of fire, and [j]feet like burnished bronze, says this:

19 ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith, and service and [k]perseverance, and that your [l]deeds of late are greater than [m]at first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of [n]her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with [o]plague, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the [p]minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. 25 Nevertheless what you have, hold firmly until I come. 26 The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the [q]nations; 27 and he shall [r]rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Message to Sardis
3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

He who has [a]the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are dead. 2 Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 So remember [b]what you have received and heard; and [c]keep it, and repent. Then if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 But you have a few [d]people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who overcomes will be clothed the same way, in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Message to Philadelphia
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:


8 ‘I know your [e]deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have followed My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Behold, I [f]will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My [g]word of perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the [h]testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole [i]world, to [j]test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly; hold firmly to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. 13 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Message to Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the [k]Origin of the creation of God, says this:

15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to apply to your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. 22 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

amen

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;

but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:11-14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

never gonna change

Amen those who are waiting for Jesus return from heaven waiting for our testament to be fulfilled like the ot was when Jesus came the first time to fulfill that covenant

Yes. And they are fully applicable to all churches today. The specific application of those messages will depend on what is happening in each church.

Having grace (which has been present throughout the OT) is different than being in the administration (dispensation) of grace. (Eph 3:2) Which encapsulates the administration of the mystery of the one body.

How much grace is their in Revelation ???

It is used twice …. once in the opening salutation Rev 1:4 and once in the closing verse Rev 22:21.

Compare that to the 72 times it the seven Church epistles of Romans through Thessalonians. ….. If you want to include Acts (10x) and Timothy through Jude (34x)… as they they pertain to the administration of grace but not directly written to the church …. that is 116x.
Being fair…. I would deduct 27x from all of the epistles where grace is used as an opening and closing salutation. Which would leave us with 89 total times grace being referred to …. but if we deduct the salutations from Revelation there would be ~ zero ~


For the record
37 x throughout the entire OT
4x in gospels

Not hardly ... take look at these stats on grace #14 ....Which is just the beginning of things I could point out...things that change prior to the beginning of sorrows.
Something inflicts that change... which is the gathering together unto him.

The first time I've read this chapter about the 7 churches I felt like it was for me.Like all the churches for some reason.
God did show me something in a vison that felt real that took place over days/weeks.This local pastor that I've talked about before came over with his wife and apologized because the Lord revealed to him that he was giving his cloak to me.But right after that he became angry and said he wont give his cloak, and he'll be back, while we exchanged an aggressive handshake.
God did say that he was going to give me a cloak but I didn't believe him because I didn't understand what it meant.
A few days later suddenly people were knocking on my door and falling at my feet and saying that God loves me.
Over a course of the day people kept coming over and I started finding it annoying because these people have been persecuting
me for years.
Then the pastors wife came by and she fell at my feet and said God loves me.And in her hands was the pastors cloak.
Soon after that was the time of The Two Witnesses and that pastor didn't show.He was too prideful that he was 'fired.'

I don't have a good understanding on the 7 churches but maybe because we have the fullness of God in us it means that we have the 7 spirits of God in us and that it makes up the 7 churches within our individual body.But also the people who make up the church as a whole.Maybe individually we might have more of this spirit,or that spirit.

Has anyone else felt like what was written of the 7 churches spoke to them?

There is two interpretations I have heard for this verse and one is as you say pertaining to salvation. The other Christ is on the outside knocking to get back into the church because they have become so worldly. I can't find either to be accurate. For one Christ has mentioned he is in the midst of the candlesticks. He is in the middle of the church. He also says where two or more are gathered he is there. So I can't find that as plausible. The other is salvation because we see the sup as spiritual and not physical.

I am thoroughly convinced the sup is physical as in actually eating a physical meal. Which the places that this word, sup........
deipneó, is used that is the way this word is used.

I believe if I recall properly that you are pre-trib. I find that Revelation 3:20 is our pre-trib departure.

As you have pointed out there is definite structure in the way that Christ addresses the churches. One structure that I will just focus on is the coming and arrival. To Ephesus he says, I will come unto thee quickly. Pergamum.....I will come unto thee quickly. Thyatira......Hold fast till I come. Sardis.......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. Philadelphia...Behold, I come quickly. Laodicea.....Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.

I find when I look at the structure and context of that structure it is a message of I am coming and now I am here.

I also find that the sup is physical eating because of how it is used. it is only used as such in 3 other places all pertain to physical eating. Two of those are the institution of the Lord's supper, or Lord's table, or communion. Also as the Passover meal to remember being passed over from God's judgement and wrath.

Luke 17:8, And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup/deipneó , and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

Luke 22:16-20, 16For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20Likewise also the cup after supper/deipneó, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

I Corinthians 11:23-26, 23For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped/deipneó, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

We see in these verses that this sup with Christ will only be done after he comes and in the kingdom. Yet the invitation by Christ when he is knocking is for this exact sup......Revelation 3:20

Christ also said at the Lord's supper, Luke 22:29-30, 29And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; 30That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Revelations 3:20-21 says, 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Also in the structure of how he spoke to the churches, we find only two had a clean bill of health, Smyrna and Philadelphia. There is no mention of coming unto Smyrna at all. What he says to them, Revelations 2:9-11,
8And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

9I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

I believe it is because if you look at Smyrna and at Philadelphia it shows the two physical states of the church those who are dead and those who are alive and remain. Why there is no mention of coming from Christ to Smyrna, because they are dead so they will come back with him.

Both are promised the crown of life to Smyrna he says, be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. To Philadelphia he says, Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

I believe this is the crown of life for Philadelphia because James says, James 1:2-4, 2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Then verse 12, 12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

There is much more expounding that can be done on these individual scriptures and how it pertains, however, I wanted to be as brief as possible to just show why I think Revelations 3:20 is ground zero for those of us who hold to the pre-trib view.

Are you suggesting that there are no unsaved church members in churches who need to get saved? Check out how these people described. Also "if any man" means that Christ is speaking to individuals to gain entry into their hearts.

You have the response to your wonder in stating that our Savior is standing in the midst of His Church, that is to say, He is standing in the midst of the Spirit which embodies the remaking Body of Messiah in this age.