April 25: COMPLETE SURRENDER
“You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” Revelation 3:4
“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:38
There is an unbroken lineup of remnant Christians whose lives were—and are—defined by full surrender to Christ. If we will accept it, we are the beneficiaries of excellent examples. A favorite character of many is the Apostle Peter. When he said to Jesus, “Lord, I am willing to go with You both to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33) he was certainly sincere. Yet, he had some essential growing to do, for he did not realize the incompleteness of his surrender to the Lord Jesus. It happened that an accusation (by a young girl who was a stranger) of being associated with Jesus was enough to set him on an angry course of three denials of Him (v.56-60). In a short span of time, Peter was shown that the ridicule of people was more difficult for him to bear than prison or death. Could this be true of us today, right now? This revelation reduced Peter to bitter tears (v.62). Immediately after, Jesus was ridiculed, mocked and beaten. This critical turning point in the life of Peter placed him on a path toward full surrender to the Lord. Being on this path rendered him receptive to correction when his prejudice toward Gentiles was pointed out in a dream (see Acts 10).
Peter’s total transformation was echoed by others through the corridors of time, at every stage of church history. And like Peter, their recreated hearts led many of them to martyrdom for Jesus.
As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
The church of Sardis had two distinct advantages, both in “real time” and in the historical period symbolized by Sardis immediately after the Dark Ages (represented by Thyatira): 1) access to God’s word, and 2) the shining examples of those who lived by it. “Even in Sardis” it was possible to live for the Lord, in accordance with the Word.
A third ‘advantage’ can also be a handicap. The explicit reference to God’s remnant even in Sardis points to the unique challenge of living for Jesus when deadly persecution is not an issue. The papacy had been dealt a seemingly mortal wound (Revelation 13:3,14) in 1798 by Napoleon, bringing a decisive end to the 1260 years of unrestricted papal rule. The inquisitions, crusades, torture chambers, drownings, and public burnings at the stake were halted. But ridicule was not. And Jesus does not have a single commendation for the majority of church members in the Sardis church. Not one. These few names who are worthy are given the promise: they shall walk with Me in white, alluding to eternity, because in the “here and now” they have not defiled their garments. They wore the robe of righteousness provided by Jesus. And—this is key— they continued to follow Him, thus maintaining the cleanliness of their garments, claiming their heavenly citizenship while yet living in this fallen world (see Philippians 3:20).
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. Titus 2:11-12