QT 10/10/2024 Rev 3:1, What is your reputation based upon?

Revelation 3:1 (ESV) — “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“ ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

 

NOTE: How can one have a reputation for being alive, but be dead? First of all, this is in reference to spirituality. The person has a reputation for being spiritually alive but is in fact spiritually dead. How does that happen? What might a person look like in this case?

1. He would know (intellectually) truth, but it would not affect him in the inner man.
2. He would be active in the church, but not active in his relationship with God.
3. He would be passionate about external spiritual things, but not passionate about knowing God.
4. He would have works, but no effect on other people. People can see through facades.
5. He would talk a lot about certain spiritual things, but not about how God is personally changing him.

There is a verse in James 1:22 which means a lot to me and is what I think trips up many.

James 1:22 (ESV) — 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

I think people deceive themselves with knowledge of the bible, activity in church, and a reputation through those things. But inside, there is no love, no kindness, no compassion, and no real passion to know God. And all because they hear and do not do.

 

PONDER:

1. How am DOING?
2. Do I apply what God shows me or do I just apply it to others?
3. I have knowledge but does it make me more loving, kind, compassionate, and hungry to know God?

 

PRAYER: Father, open my eyes to myself. Help me to see where I am developing a reputation but not a changed life. I want to honor you with my life, I don't want to be honored by the life you have given, that is backwards.