Returning to the Orthodoxy of the Church
Message Seven
The Church in Philadelphia
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
And to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia write: these things says the Holy One, the true One, the One who has the key of David, the One who opens and no one will shut, and shuts and no one opens—Rev. 3:7.
I know your works; behold, I have put before you an opened door which no one can shut, because you have a little power and have kept My word and have not denied My name—8.
Word of Appetizer
What is the meaning of “the church in Philadelphia”?
The components of the Greek word Philadelphia mean “to have affection for” and “a brother,” hence, a brotherly affection, a love characterized by delight and pleasure. As a sign, the church in Philadelphia prefigures the church of brotherly love, the recovery of the proper church life, from the early part of the nineteenth century to the second appearing of the Lord.
Spiritual Burden
The church in Philadelphia prophetically depicts the church of brotherly love, that is, the proper church life. Faith in the Lord is the way for us to pass out of death into life; love toward the brothers is the evidence that we have passed out of death into life.
The return to the pure word from all heresies and traditions and the exaltation of the Lord’s name by abandoning every other name are the most inspiring testimony in the recovered church.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
As a sign, the church in Philadelphia prefigures the church of brotherly love. The recovery of the proper church life, from the early part of the nineteenth century to the second appearing of the Lord.
In Greek Philadelphia means “brotherly love”.
‘’The Holy One, the true One, the One who has the key of David, the One who opens and no one will shut, and shuts and no one opens’’.
‘’I have put before you an opened door which no one can shut, because you have a little power and have kept My word and have not denied My name’’.
The Experience of Life
1 John 3:14 “We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. He who does not love abides in death”. Love (the love of God) toward the brothers is strong evidence that we have passed out of death into life. There is an unspeakable feeling and taste toward each other; this feeling and taste are a proof that we have passed out of death into life.
Practice and Application
In Greek Philadelphia means “brotherly love”. We need the love for one another. To love the brothers is to be willing to deny oneself for the perfection of others and to have a heart that is willing to lay down one’s own life for his brothers.
‘’Because you have a little power and have kept My word and have not denied My name’’. We need to return to the pure word from all heresies and traditions and to abandon every other name.
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
And to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia write—Rev. 3:7.
We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. He who does not love abides in death.—3 John 3:14.
The church in Philadelphia—the church of brotherly love, the recovery of the proper church life
I. As a sign, the church in Philadelphia prefigures the church of brotherly love, the recovery of the proper church life, from the early part of the nineteenth century to the second appearing of the Lord; the church of brotherly love is a reaction to the dead reformed church.
II. In Greek Philadelphia means “brotherly love” :
• The components of the Greek word Philadelphia mean “to have affection for” and “a brother,” hence, a brotherly affection, a love characterized by delight and pleasure.
• In godliness, which is the expression of God, this love needs to be supplied for the brotherhood, for our testimony to the world, and for the bearing of fruit.
• “We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. He who does not love abides in death’’.
Key Verses (2)
And to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia write: These things says the Holy One, the true One, the One who has the key of David, the One who opens and no one will shut, and shuts and no one opens—Rev. 3:7.
III. “These things says the Holy One, the true One, the One who has the key of David, the One who opens and no one will shut, and shuts and no one opens”
A. To the church of brotherly love, the Lord is the Holy One, the true One, by whom and with whom the recovered church can be holy, separated from the world, and true, faithful, to God.
B. To the church of brotherly love, the Lord is also the One who has the key of David, the key of the kingdom, with authority to open and shut:
•This is the key of the treasury of the house of God, which is typified by the house of David, for the building up of the kingdom of God.
•The key of David opens the whole universe for God; the fact that Christ has the key of David signifies that He is the center of God’s economy.
Key Verses (3)
I know your works; behold, I have put before you an opened door which no one can shut, because you have a little power and havekept My word and have not denied My name—Rev. 3:8.
IV. “I have put before you an opened door which no one can shut, because you have a little power and have kept My word and have not denied My name”
•As the One who has the key of David and who opens and no one can shut, the Lord has given the recovered church “an opened door which no one can shut”.
•One outstanding feature of the church in Philadelphia is that she keeps the Lord’s word .
•The church in Philadelphia keeps the Lord’s word with the little power that she has.
•The Lord says that the church in Philadelphia has not denied His name .
• The return to the pure word from all heresies and traditions and the exaltation of the Lord’s name by abandoning every other name are the most inspiring testimony in the recovered church.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1 The components of the Greek word Philadelphia mean “to have affection for” and “a brother,” hence, a brotherly affection (Rev. 3:7)
(Please explain that the church in Philadelphia prefigures the church of brotherly love.)
T2 The brothers loved one another, and the mediatorial class was abolished (1 John 3:14)
(Please briefly describe the situation that Philadelphia was raised up in the early part of the nineteenth century.)
D2
T1 Love toward the brothers is the evidence that we have passed out of death into life (1 John 3:14)
(Please testify that when we love others, we feel happy.)
T2 The love for the brothers is something very special (1 John 4:7)
(Please testify that a person loves for no other reason than the fact that the other person is a brother.)
D3
T1 The love of the brothers is the love of God (1 John 3:16)
(What does it mean to love the brothers?)
T2 The Lord is the One who has “the key of David” (Isa. 22:22-24)
(Please explain that “the key of David” is the key for the keeping of all the treasures of the house of God, which are all the riches of Christ for our enjoyment.)
D4
T1 The key held by David is the key of God’s entire dominion (Col. 1:16, 18)
(Please explain that the key represents God and opens the whole universe for God. It signifies that Christ is the center of God’s economy.)
T2 “He who overcomes, him I will make a pillar in the temple of My God” (Rev. 3:12)
(Please explain that the Christ, holding the key of David, opens and shuts, not that we might be holy or spiritual but that we might be built up.)
D5
T1 The open door (Rev. 3:8)
(Please explain that the way to open the door is to love one another.)
T2 The Lord Jesus says, “You have a little power” (Rev. 3:8)
(Please explain that what pleases the Lord is not that we are strong but that we use our little power to do the best we can.)
D6
T1 “You have a little power and have kept My word and have not denied My name” (Rev. 3:8)
(Please explain that the return to the pure Word from all heresies and traditions and the exaltation of the Lord’s name by abandoning every other name are the most inspiring testimony in the recovered church.)
T2 The church should have only one husband, only one name, the name of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 11:2)
(Please explain that the church as the chaste virgin espoused to Christ should not have any name other than her husband’s.)
