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Beyond that, they face the very real prospect of imprisonment and death for refusing to worship the emperor as a God. Not unlike 21st century congregations, these ordinary churches in the book of Revelation were sustained by the hope that Jesus would return to earth to vanquish their oppressors. Moreover, just as the rest of Scripture transcends time and place, these letters were meant not only for first century churches in turkey but for believers across the ages. Each of the seven churches would have read them collectively to glean the whole of Jesus' wisdom as well as an inventory of their own individual virtues and flaws.
Speaking in a vision to the exiled Apostle John on the isle of Patmos, Jesus calls His disciples to a radical obedience with no room for self-righteousness. We are to live boldly for Christ despite our cultural challenges, secure in the knowledge that the Spirit will empower us to cope with them, and that good eventually will surmount the evil that seems to control this world.
Jesus also warns us to beware of wolves in sheep's' clothing, i.e., those who bear the name Christian but do not follow Christ's teachings. Amid bitter earthly struggles, believers are reminded that the world is at war with God and that friendship with the world makes us enemies of God. Finally, faithful disciples of Christ will be rewarded with ineffable splendor in the next life. We harken back to the enigmatic yet comforting words of the Apostle paul: "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4).
