In 3:8 we see the condition of the church in Philadelphia. Firstly, this church had “a little power.” Many times we estimate the church in Philadelphia too highly, thinking that this church was strong and prevailing. Actually, it was not so. Some may think that when the Lord raised up the brothers in England one hundred fifty years ago, every one of them must have been like David. While we estimate the church in Philadelphia very highly, the Lord says that she had “a little power.” What pleases the Lord is not that we are strong, but that we use our little power to do the best we can. Do not try to be strong. The strong ones may not please the Lord as much as those who do their best with the little power they have. You can never surpass what the Lord gives you. Simply spend what you have received from Him. Do not usurp the Lord’s grace. None among us can say that he has received nothing from the Lord. Even the least among us has received a certain amount of grace from Him. You must spend that grace, using it to do your best. If you do this, the Lord will appreciate you and say, “Good. You have a little power, yet you have kept My word with the power you have.” Do not seek to be a giant. The Lord is not happy with giants; He is happy with the little ones who have an amount of grace. Although that grace may be limited in its capacity, as long as we use it, spending it to do as much as we can to keep the Lord’s word, He will be pleased.
In verse 8 the Lord said that the church in Philadelphia kept His word. One outstanding feature of Philadelphia is that she kept the Lord’s word. According to history, no other Christians have kept the Lord’s word as strictly as these in the church in Philadelphia. Likewise, by His grace, we are keeping His word today. Although many condemn us, saying that we are heretical, among today’s Christians no one regards the Lord’s word more than we do. We keep the Word of God, not in the traditional way, but in the way of the pure Word. This offends those who want to hold the traditions of their forefathers. The church in Philadelphia does not care for tradition; she cares for the Word of God.
In verse 8 the Lord also said that the church in Philadelphia did not deny His name. Since the brothers were raised up in England in the early part of the eighteenth century, they have not taken any name other than the name of the Lord. The word is the Lord’s expression, and the name is the Lord Himself. The apostate church has deviated from the Lord’s word and become heretical. The reformed church, though recovered to the Lord’s word to some extent, has denied the Lord’s name by denominating herself with many other names, such as Lutheran, Wesleyan, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Baptist. The recovered church has not only returned to the Lord’s word in a full way, but has also abandoned all names other than that of the Lord Jesus Christ. The recovered church belongs to the Lord absolutely, having nothing to do with any denominations (any names). To deviate from the Lord’s Word is apostasy, and to denominate the church with any name other than the Lord’s is spiritual fornication. The church as the chaste virgin espoused to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2) should not have any name other than her husband’s. All other names are an abomination in the eyes of God. In the recovered church life we have no teachings of Balaam (2:14), no teachings of the Nicolaitans (2:15), no teachings of Jezebel (2:20), and no mysterious doctrines of Satan (2:24); we have only the pure Word of the Lord. Amen! The recovered church has no denominations (names), but the unique name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The deviation from the Word to heresies and the exaltation of so many names other than that of Christ are the most striking signs of degraded Christianity. 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. This is why the church in the Lord’s recovery has the revelation and presence of the Lord and expresses the Lord in a living way, full of light and with the riches of life.
Because we have an all-sufficient name, the name above every name, we do not need the names Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, or any other names. We have only one name—the name of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is a serious matter to take a name. Suppose you are Mrs. Smith. If you take the name of Mrs. Jones, it indicates that you have committed fornication. The church should have only one husband, only one name, the name of Jesus Christ. In the past, some friends in the denominations have asked me, “Why do you call yourselves the church? Why do you say that we are not the church?” I answered, “You call yourselves Presbyterian. Don’t blame me for this—you have designated yourself in this manner. If you are the church, why do you designate yourself in this way? Are you Mrs. Smith? Then why do you call yourself Mrs. Jones? When I call you Mrs. Jones and say that I am Mrs. Smith, you are jealous. Don’t blame me for this, for you have called yourself Mrs. Jones.” After this, all their mouths were shut. Do not think that a name is a small thing. We are saved in the Lord’s name. Besides His name, we should never take any other name. George Whitefield, a contemporary of John Wesley, once declared that besides the name of Jesus Christ he would have no other name. Although Whitefield was an Englishman, he renounced the name of the Church of England, not belonging to that name anymore. The church in Philadelphia does not deny the Lord’s name; she has no name other than His.
Sometimes people have argued with us, saying, “We have never denied the Lord’s name.” We replied, “Yes, you have never denied His name, but you have taken another name in addition to and even above His name. Now you have two names. Why don’t you drop the other name you have taken? If you would drop this other name, then we could be one. All other names cause divisions. You call yourself a Presbyterian. I hate that name because taking it makes me a fornicator. Since you like it and I hate it, if you still hold on to it, how can we be one? But if you drop this name, we shall immediately be one in the unique name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Some have said that the name on the outside of their so-called church building is merely an outward sign, and that they do not really care about it. If they do not care about it, then they should prove their honesty in this manner by removing that sign. But some have said that it is too difficult for them to do that because the “church” board would hinder them. To this I replied, “Then you must bear the responsibility for division.”