The Church in Smyrna was a suffering Church. She had to bear much from the enemies of the truth and from the arch-enemy of the Church of God, Satan. She was to be brought into the furnace of affliction and for a period of time endure much trial and persecution. Her lot was not to be an easy one. This is in some measure true of the Church of God in every age of time. She has ever been a suffering Church exposed to the ravages of the enemy. In the history of the Church of God through the ages of time, what relentless persecution she has been subjected to and endured. Christ warned His disciples of the opposition they would meet with from the enemies of the cross. “In this world,” He told them, “ye shall suffer persecution.” In writing to the church at Philippi the Apostle had to say: “Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for His sake.” We must not expect, therefore, that it will be any different in our day. The Church of God can expect to pass through deep waters and particularly as the darkness deepens in the land. There has been a great forsaking of God in the land and this must have its own effect upon the nation, increasing hostility to the truths of God’s Word and to any Church that maintains a witness to the doctrines of the truth. Our own Church may expect to bear a considerable share of this obloquy as witnessing in a marked way against the defections of the times. We are not to expect an easy passage in such a day as this but be ready to face opposition and hardship for the truth’s sake.
What is required of the Church of God in a dark day when faced with reproach and persecution? The answer is given to us in the message sent to the Church at Smyrna. It is — “Be thou faithful unto death.” There is no middle way, there is no easy road by which the difficulties and trials of the times may be avoided. We must pass through them whatever the cost may be, and we are called in passing through these times of trial to be faithful in the discharge of all duties and in holding fast to the pure and infallible testimony of God’s Word, however others may oppose or slacken their hold on that testimony. As a Church we have had committed to us, handed down from previous generations and in particular from the Fathers of our Church, a testimony second to none, and involving us in a faithful cleaving to the whole counsel of God. The Fathers of our Church were faithful in their day; we are called to be faithful in ours. Nothing less than this will do. It is no time for slackening our hold on the doctrines of the truth but for re-affirming these doctrines and holding fast to them amidst all the declensions of the closing decades of the twentieth century.
So far as the individual believer is concerned there is no let up in the warfare in which he is engaged against the world, the flesh and the devil. It is a warfare in which to the outward eye the enemy often appears to be getting the ascendency and to be winning the battle. While the outcome for the believer is assured, yet that does not mean that the conflict is not sharp, nor the struggle easy. The battle is real and is fought out on the battlefield of the soul by two contrary forces which can never be reconciled. One of them must have the victory at last and the battle is to go on until death. In that struggle the believer is called to be faithful unto death.
As it is with the individual believer, so it is with the Church of God. She is in conflict with the same forces. The world the flesh and the devil, yea — and the world in the Church, are seeking with all their combined energy and power the overthrow of the Church of God. The Church of God in the face of such irreconcilable foes must stand firm. She must not be moved away in the least degree from the Word of God but hold firmly to it against all opposition. This no doubt will expose her to the mockery and scorn of her enemies. She will be treated no doubt as antiquated and antideluvian in her outlook yet let her hold fast. It is true her enemies are mighty, too strong for her, but it is also true that there is One who is on her side who is mightier than them all.
“But yet the Lord that is on high,
is more of might by far
Than noise of many waters is
or great sea-billows are.”
Through Him she will obtain the victory. To the servants of the Lord encouragement is given in the Word of God: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord.” Let them then be faithful to their God and the outcome is assured. Let them be followers of Him who was faithful in all things, the One who was called Faithful and True and who had on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
To the Church at Smyrna was not only promised a suffering time but a time of reward and of rest from suffering. “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” What was promised to Smyrna is promised to the Church of God in every age and generation if only she will be faithful unto death. There is a reward — the reward of grace. The Apostle could assure his beloved brethren amongst the Corinthians that their labour was not in vain in the Lord. It would receive a reward. Azariah the prophet also in King Asa’s day encouraged the king saying: “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.” “I will give thee a crown of life,” the Church at Smyrna was assured. “When the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away,” the Apostle Peter could write to the elders of the church. Paul, on his part, could say: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only but unto all them also that love His appearing.” To Smyrna there was promised a crown of life, the possession of eternal blessedness — an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for her.
So are we called in our day to be faithful unto death. Only divine grace can make us constant and firm in the face of so many difficulties and so much opposition. Let us then seek grace so that we may stand firm in the evil day and be enabled to be faithful unto death and so obtain the crown of life.