THE SEVEN PERSONALITIES IN THE CHURCH

2Tim 316 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Rev 11 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

God gave The Revelation of Jesus Christ unto Jesus and God sent and signified it by his angel, Jesus, unto John his servant; to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass:

God- the FatherJesus- the SonHis Angel- Jesus Rev 1:11

John- the apostleServants- humans in submission to God

Rev 110 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

“the Lord’s day”- The Second AdventIsa 2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:

Jer 46:10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

Joel 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

Joel 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the

inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

Joel 2:11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

Joel 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Amos 5:18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.

Amos 5:20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

Rev 119 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

“Write the things which thou hast seen”- Rev 1:10 the Lord's day

“the things which are”- Rev 1:9 tribulation

“things which shall be hereafter”- Rev 20-22 the Mil. & Eternity

Rev 120 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

“the seven stars”- the angels of the seven churches

“the seven golden candlesticks”- the seven churches

1) Doctrinally this is to 7 local churches in the

trib. Rev 2:7 …hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…Rev 2:11 …hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…Rev 2:17 …hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…

Rev 2:29 ….hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Rev 3:6 …hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Rev 3:13 …hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Rev 3:22 …hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

2) Historically this is a prophecy of future spiritual leading.

Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write…Rev 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write…Rev 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write…Rev 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write…Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write…Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write…Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write…

2Thess 2:7-8 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let,

until he be taken out of the way. The Holy Spirit8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, The Trib.whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, Armageddon

and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: The 2nd Advent (Day of the Lord)

3) Practically this is a revelation of the Advantages, Disadvantages and Remedies of the 7 personality types found in the Church.

2Cor 517 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

THE SEVEN PERSONALITIES IN THE CHURCH I. EPHESUS – The Righteous Judge (Rev 2:1-7)

Rev 2:1-7 1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which

are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

EPHESUS – Righteous Judge

A. Advantages:

1)Hard worker

2)Justification based on facts 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

B. Disadvantages: Principles become the Master

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

C. Remedies:

1)Remember

2)Repent

3)Return (Rev 2:5)5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

John 629 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

EPHESUS – The Righteous JudgeII. SMYRNA — The Underdog (Rev 2:8-11)

Rev 2:8-11 8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

SMYRNA — The UnderdogA. Advantages:1)Works when others would quit (in poverty, and

tribulation)

2)Not looking for credit, Perceived as ‘second class’

9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

B. Disadvantages:

1)Temptation to Fear

2)Lose Faith when Bad turns to Worse. Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

A command from God means there will be a strong instinct to do the wrong thing.

C. Remedies:

1)Be Fearless (Revelation 2:10; Romans 8:35-39)Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Rom 8:35-39 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2)Be Faithful (Revelation 2:10)Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

3)Be Focused (Revelation 2:11)

Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

EPHESUS – Righteous JudgeSMYRNA — The Underdog

III. PERGAMOS — The Compromiser (Rev 2:12-17)

Rev 2:12-17 12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

PERGAMOS — The Compromiser

One of Satan’s most successful strategies is seen in Pergamos: What he can’t

accomplish by cursing or crushing, he can through cooperation and

compromise.

A. Advantages:1)A witness in the best (worst) place

2)Not ashamed of The Name, “not denied MY faith.”13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

B. Disadvantages:1)A bad trade is not a fair deal

If they respect me I must respect them too.

2)Follow man instead of God is less responsibility

Let someone else carry the responsibility of knowing right and wrong.

Rev 2:14-15 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat

things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

C. Remedies:

Speak the Truth  in love (Ephesians 4:15)

Eph 4:15 “Speaking the truth in love” does not always mean that you use soft, sweet words. Sometimes the most loving thing that you can do for a person is to rebuke them about their sin

Prov 27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.

If your motive from your heart is love and you speak the truth, then that is “…speaking the truth in love…” Many people think that love is when you tell someone what they want to hear and you make them happy. Sometimes that is hatred (Prov. 10:18).

Prov 10:18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

*So the motive in your heart determines if you are speaking in love. For example, there are false prophets in and they speak beautiful words that destroy people. They speak lies.

2Pet 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2Pet 2:2-3 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

2Pet 2:18-20 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the

latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

2Tim 4:1-3 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

THE SEVEN PERSONALITIES IN THE CHURCH

I. EPHESUS – The Righteous Judge

A. Advantages:

1) Hard worker

2) Justification based on facts

B. Disadvantages:

Principles become the Master

C. Remedies:

1) Remember

2) Repent

3) Return (Rev 2:5)

II. SMYRNA — The Underdog

A. Advantages:

1) Works when others would quit (in poverty, and tribulation)

2) Not looking for credit, Perceived as ‘second class’

B. Disadvantages:

1) Temptation to Fear

2) Lose Faith when Bad turns to Worse.

C. Remedies:

1) Be Fearless (Revelation 2:10; Romans 8:35-39)

2) Be Faithful (Revelation 2:10)

3) Be Focused (Revelation 2:11)

III. PERGAMOS — The Compromiser

A. Advantages:

1) A witness in the best (worst) place

2) Not ashamed of The Name, “not denied MY faith.”

B. Disadvantages:

1) A bad trade is not a fair deal

2) Follow man instead of God is less responsibility

C. Remedies:

Speak the Truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)