At first, some left the state churches. Later, the ones who left were, in turn, left behind by others. Originally, those who left the state churches did so because the state churches were dead. Then those who left became dead themselves and were left behind by others. The entire history of Protestantism is a history of being living in name but dead in reality. It is a history that swings back and forth between life and death. Some became living, and some became dead. Not all are dead, for there are always a few who have not defiled themselves, who are the prominent ones chosen and used by God. These are the giants in Protestantism. They are worthy to walk with the Lord in white. This is the entire history of Protestantism.
The church in Thyatira was rebuked. Sardis was rebuked as well. What is the way for the believers to go on?
Next comes the sixth church; it has the name Philadelphia. Phil means “love” and adelphia means “brotherly.” Philadelphia means “brotherly love.”
Among the seven churches, this is the only one which does not receive any rebuke from the Lord. The Roman Catholic Church was rebuked, and so were the Protestant churches. Only Philadelphia is not rebuked. One only finds praise in Philadelphia.
What are the characteristics of Philadelphia? Revelation 3:8 says, “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.” This is the characteristic of Philadelphia. The characteristic of Thyatira is the teaching of a woman. The characteristic of Sardis is a union between the church and the world and a constant need for separation; it is a continuous struggle between life and death. But the characteristic of Philadelphia is brotherly love. Here is a return to brotherly love. There is no worldliness here because all are brothers. There is no need to struggle to separate oneself from death. It is a return to the original state of brotherhood. Here we find brotherly love.
Just as Sardis comes out of Thyatira, Philadelphia comes out of Sardis. The Protestants came out of the Roman Catholic Church, and Philadelphia came out of the Protestants. This was clearly a new move of the Holy Spirit. This new move attracted people from the dead Sardis and put them on the ground of brotherly love. In other words, they stood on the Body ground. They did not recognize any other relationship except the relationship of brothers. They did not recognize any other fellowship except the fellowship of love. This is Philadelphia.
Philadelphia had two characteristics: They kept the Lord’s word, and they did not deny the Lord’s name. Here was a group of people who were led by God to keep His word. God opened up the Word to them, and others were able to understand His Word through them. They had no creed, doctrine, or tradition, only the Word of God. At the time of Philadelphia, we find a group of people returning fully to the Word of the Lord, who did not recognize any other authority, doctrine, or creed.
A man can understand and even preach a doctrine, but this does not mean that he understands the Bible. He can memorize creeds and proclaim his faith in them, but this does not mean that he understands the Bible. The Lord would have given us creeds long ago if the church needed them. Today men analyze the Bible and condense its teachings into creeds. Creeds are limited, but the Bible is unlimited. Creeds are simple, while the Bible is complicated. A foolish man can understand creeds if he studies them. But a foolish man cannot understand the Bible. Only a certain type of people can understand the Bible. Only under certain conditions can a man understand God’s Word. Creeds open a wide door and anyone can go in. But the door to God’s Word is not that wide, and only those with life can enter it. The door of the creeds is so wide that a smart mind is all one needs to enter it. But God’s Word is not that simple. Unless a man has life and is single before the Lord, he will not see or understand His Word.
Many people think that God’s Word is too narrow. They want to broaden it so that they can bring more people into it. But those in Philadelphia rejected all creeds and doctrines. They turned back to the Word of the Lord. The Lord said, “You...have kept My word.” In church history, there was never an age when men understood God’s Word more than those in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia God’s Word was given its rightful place. In other ages men accepted creeds and traditions. But Philadelphia accepted nothing other than God’s Word. It returned to His Word and walked in it. In church history there was never a time when the ministry of the Word was as rich as that which we find in Philadelphia.