All are commanded to “search the Scriptures.”  Now to be able to obey this reasonable command, either all must be instructed in the knowledge of Hebrew and Greek,—­the two languages in which the Bible was originally written, or the Bible must be translated into the languages of all nations.  But the former supposition is impracticable, and therefore the latter is dutiful.  And after all that has been done, and is yet to be accomplished, in translating the sacred writings into the languages of the nations of the earth, the “angels of the churches” will be employed by the chief Shepherd in feeding his flock.

CHAPTER III.

1.  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; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

2.  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die:  for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

3.  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.

4.  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.

5.  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.

6.  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Vs. 1-6.—­As hitherto in these epistles we do not discover a “presiding minister” above an elder, so neither do we in this one find any hint of a “bishop and pastors.”  All Christ’s bishops are elders, and “all are brethren.” (Acts xx. 17, 28.) Prelacy,—­that is, preferring one pastor before another in office, is expressly prohibited by the church’s only Lawgiver. (Matt. xx. 25, 26.) The attempts to annul this law of Christ has caused more sin and suffering to his disciples than any one external agency of the devil.  The whole history of the church furnishes the evidence of this.

The church in Sardis is addressed by him who “hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars,” who has authority by office to give the quickening influences of the Spirit to the dead, and his reviving influences to the dormant; for revival presupposes life.  Their “works were not perfect before God,” however they might appear to men.  The majority were in a languishing condition, had “given themselves over to a detestable neutrality” in the Lord’s cause.  And as the whole body is justly characterized by the major part; this church is described as “dead.”  “Be watchful,—­remember,—­repent.”  These duties point out the prevailing sins, namely, slothfulness, forgetfulness and security.  Where these predominate, “things that remain are ready to die.”  And there is no other remedy but that of applying to the “Seven Spirits of God,” which Christ is ready to shed abundantly on all who make believing application.