April 26: HUMILITY
“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:5-6
In keeping with His nature, Jesus closes the letter to Sardis by extending hope to this pathetic church: the hope of overcoming. Our Lord would never suggest something if it was not possible to accomplish. He stands ready at all times to come to our aid. Most of the overcoming that needs to happen is that of our own nature. The first of three promises, “he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments” is the same promise as to the faithful remnant in the previous verse! For He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) That essential element of repentance is something that the church in Sardis, as a whole, seemed to lack. But the individual with a heart of repentance will be guided along the safe path—all the way to Paradise! The condition of a church need never hold an individual back from following the Lord.
Neither should the backslidden condition of the individual Christian be pursued another day. If this is you, turn around this very minute! Seek to revive and restore your relationship with God. Your prayer of sincere repentance will be received with immense divine joy. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you with every challenge. Let Him amaze you as you dive into His word!
The next promise for the overcomer in Sardis: I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life. The humble soul who comes to the Lord in repentance will find the blessed assurance that his name will be preserved in the Book of Life. Such assurance affords real peace. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (John 6:37) “I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”
Our enemy has inserted the idea of “once saved always saved” into the mainstream of Christian teachings, hoping to insinuate the attitude of presumption into the thinking of the believer. This idea is especially appealing to human pride. Satan’s specialty is introducing counterfeit peace into the world (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11; Ezekiel 13:10, 16), and this is rapidly becoming the centerpiece of his last-day deceptions (1 Thessalonians 5:3). Discernment for distinguishing real peace from false peace accompanies true repentance. Simple humility before God is the exact opposite of presumption.
Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Psalm 19:12-13