The introduction of leaven

[kisstheson]

Originally Posted by aron

I am not looking for a once-for-all, definitive answer. The truth as we experience it is unfolding. But I want to go forward and today my vehicle of inquiry is primarily being fueled by the epistles in Revelations 2 & 3, and the questions I see being raised there. If the Spirit is speaking one thing, or two or three things at most, what is it speaking to the churches in those two chapters, in those 7 epistles?

Hello dear brother aron, beloved in Christ,

At the present time I do not have any answers to your big questions, but I do have one insight to share. One item the Spirit is clearly speaking to the seven assemblies is the crucial need for repentance. If I remember correctly, the word "repent" appears eight times in these seven epistles. These eight mentions of the word "repent" are not spread evenly throughout all the epistles, but we should remember that all seven of the assemblies read the book of Revelation as a whole, i.e. each assemlby read the epistles spoken to the other assemblies.

While I am not touching on the root cause of the problem of degradation, repentance is surely a big, big, part of the solution!

Humbling ourselves before the Lord and admitting our faults and shortcomings to Him, especially on a corporate basis, is too important! How many times in Church history can we see examples of this? Not enough times! May our dear Lord be incredibly merciful and gracious to us regarding this matter.