Paul continues showing what a Spirit-filled life looks like in everyday relationships. Children are called to obey and honor their parents as an act of obedience “in the Lord,” echoing the fifth commandment and its promise of blessing (vv. 1–3; Exodus 20:12). Parents—especially fathers—are warned not to provoke their children but instead to raise them with loving discipline and instruction rooted in the Lord (v. 4, Deuteronomy 6:6–7). Paul then addresses slaves and masters, applying gospel principles to the realities of the first-century household. Slaves are to serve sincerely, as serving Christ Himself, while masters are commanded to lead with justice and humility, remembering they too answer to a heavenly Master who shows no partiality (vv. 5–9, Colossians 3:22–4:1).
Paul closes the letter by lifting the reader’s eyes to the larger reality behind daily obedience: the Christian life is spiritual warfare. Believers are called to be strong in the Lord, not in their own strength, and to stand firm against the devil’s schemes by putting on the full armor of God (vv. 10–13). This armor—truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God—comes from God Himself and equips believers to resist spiritual enemies, not human ones (vv. 14–17, Isaiah 59:17). Prayer undergirds everything. Paul urges constant, Spirit-dependent prayer for all believers and even asks for prayer that he would boldly proclaim the gospel, reminding us that faithfulness in the battle depends on God’s power, not ours (vv. 18–20). The letter ends with a benediction of peace, love, faith, and grace—fitting gifts for those learning to walk worthy of their calling in Christ (vv. 23–24).
🌀 Reflection: Where has God placed you under authority—or given you authority over others—and how can you reflect Christ more faithfully in those relationships this week?
💬 Mission Challenge: Pray intentionally today for another believer who is facing spiritual opposition, asking God to strengthen them to stand firm in Christ.
Paul calls believers to live like who they now are: “beloved children” of God (v. 1). The shape of that life is love—specifically, the self-giving love of Jesus, who “loved us and gave himself up for us” (v. 2; cf. 4:32). So Christian holiness is not cold rule-keeping; it’s imitation of our Father that flows out of being loved by Christ. That love shows up in what we refuse and what we replace. Paul is blunt: sexual immorality, impurity, and greedy desire don’t belong among the saints—not even as accepted, joked-about norms (vv. 3–4). Greed is not just “wanting more”; it’s a kind of idolatry that puts something else where God belongs (v. 5). And Paul warns against a deadly lie: that someone can claim Christ while living in a settled, unrepentant pattern of sin and still have peace with God (v. 6). Christians aren’t called to avoid all contact with unbelievers, but they must not partner with darkness by joining in its deeds (v. 7).
The reason is identity: you once were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord—so “walk as children of light” (v. 8). Light produces fruit—goodness, righteousness, and truth (v. 9)—and it learns to discern what pleases God in real-life situations (v. 10). Instead of participating in the “fruitless works of darkness,” believers expose them—carefully, wisely, and without slander—by the clarity of the Word and the contrast of a holy life (vv. 11–13). Paul even breaks into what sounds like an early hymn: “Awake, O sleeper… and Christ will shine on you” (v. 14). Then he urges wise living in an evil age: watch how you walk, redeem the time, and seek God’s revealed will—not secret clues, but Scripture-shaped wisdom for daily life (vv. 15–17). And at the center of wisdom is this: don’t be mastered by anything that distorts and controls (like drunkenness), but be continually filled with the Spirit (v. 18). A Spirit-filled church is marked by worship that overflows, gratitude that endures, and relationships shaped by humble, Christ-centered submission (vv. 19–21).
From there, Paul applies Spirit-filled life to the home. In marriage, wives are called to willingly submit to their own husbands as to the Lord, and husbands are called to love with Christlike sacrifice—laying down their lives for their wives’ good (vv. 22–25, 33). Paul roots this in the picture of Christ and the church: Christ is the Head and Savior who gave himself to make his bride holy, clean, and radiant (vv. 23, 26–27). Husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies because in God’s design the two become “one flesh” (vv. 28–31; cf. Genesis 2:24). And then Paul lifts our eyes higher: this “one flesh” union was always meant to point beyond itself—marriage is a living signpost toward the “mystery” now revealed, the covenant love between Christ and his church (v. 32).
🌀 Reflection: Where are you most tempted to treat holiness like a private matter—something you can “manage” while still flirting with darkness (vv. 7–12)? What would walking as a child of light look like in that area this week (vv. 8–10)?
💬 Mission Challenge: Redeem one opportunity today by doing a clear “light” action: encourage someone with worshipful words, give thanks out loud, or lovingly refuse participation in something you can’t do “to please the Lord” (vv. 10, 16, 19–20).
Paul turns from what God has done for us in Christ (chs. 1–3) to how we live because of it (v. 1). From prison, he urges believers to “walk in a manner worthy” of their calling—not by earning salvation, but by living in a way that fits the grace we’ve received (v. 1; cf. 2:8–10). The first “worthy” step is unity: humility, gentleness, patience, and a love that keeps bearing with each other (v. 2). The Spirit creates this unity; our job is to keep it, held together by peace (v. 3). Paul grounds that unity in seven “one” realities: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father over all (vv. 4–6). Unity isn’t built on personality or preference—it’s built on the shared life of the Triune God.
But unity doesn’t mean sameness. Christ gives grace-gifts to each believer, and He does it as the victorious, ascended King who has triumphed and now distributes gifts to His people (vv. 7–10; cf. Psalm 68:18). In particular, Christ gives gifted leaders—apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers—not to do all the ministry for everyone else, but to equip the saints so the whole church serves and the body is built up (vv. 11–12). The goal is a church that grows into maturity together: united in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, steadily becoming more like Christ (v. 13). That kind of maturity protects believers from being tossed around by confusing teaching and spiritual scams (v. 14). Instead, the church grows by “speaking the truth in love,” holding tight to Christ the Head, as every member does their part and the body builds itself up in love (vv. 15–16).
Then Paul gets very practical: don’t go back to your old way of life. The old life is marked by empty thinking, spiritual darkness, hard hearts, and unchecked desires (vv. 17–19). But Christians have “learned Christ”—the truth that is in Jesus calls for a real break with the past (vv. 20–21). Put off the old self that’s being corrupted, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self—created after God’s likeness in righteousness and holiness (vv. 22–24). That new life shows up in everyday relationships: tell the truth (v. 25), deal with anger quickly (vv. 26–27), work honestly so you can share with those in need (v. 28), and speak words that build up and give grace (v. 29). Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit who sealed you for the day of redemption (v. 30). Put away bitterness and harsh speech, and instead be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving—because God in Christ forgave you (vv. 31–32; cf. Matthew 6:12).
🌀 Reflection: Which “new self” habit do you most need today—truthful words, quick reconciliation, honest work, or forgiving kindness (vv. 25–32)? What would it look like to practice it on purpose in one specific conversation?
💬 Mission Challenge: Build up one person today with grace-filled speech. Send an encouraging text, write a note, or speak a timely word that strengthens them in Christ—truthful, kind, and fitted to the moment (v. 29; cf. Proverbs 25:11).
Paul reminds the Ephesians that his suffering and imprisonment are not random setbacks—they are part of his calling “on behalf of you Gentiles” (vv. 1, 13). God gave Paul a stewardship of grace: to announce and explain a “mystery” that was once hidden but has now been revealed by the Spirit through Christ’s apostles and prophets (vv. 2–5). That mystery is wonderfully clear: Gentiles are full members of God’s family in Christ—fellow heirs, fellow members of the same body, and fellow partakers of the promise through the gospel (v. 6; cf. Galatians 3:28–29). In other words, there aren’t “first-class” Jewish Christians and “second-class” Gentile Christians. In Christ, God has made one people (cf. 2:14–16).
Paul says this calling still amazes him. He knows what he used to be—a persecutor of the church—so he calls himself “less than the least” of the saints (v. 8). Yet God appointed him to preach “the unfathomable riches of Christ” and to bring to light God’s plan for forming this new, united people (vv. 8–9). And here’s the jaw-dropper: through the church—this reconciled, multiethnic body—God is displaying His manifold wisdom to rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (v. 10). The church is not an afterthought; it’s part of God’s eternal purpose accomplished in Christ (v. 11). Because of Jesus, believers now have confident access to God—not self-confidence, but Christ-confidence—through faith (v. 12; cf. Hebrews 4:16). So Paul urges them not to lose heart over his tribulations; God is using even suffering to produce glory for His people (v. 13; cf. Romans 8:17–18).
Then Paul returns to what he started in v. 1 and prays. He kneels before the Father who names every family in heaven and on earth (vv. 14–15). His request isn’t mainly for easier circumstances but for deeper strength: that the Spirit would strengthen believers in their inner being, that Christ would dwell in their hearts with power as they trust Him, and that they would be rooted and grounded in love (vv. 16–17). He prays they would grasp—together with all the saints—the vastness of Christ’s love, and that they would know it in a real, lived way, even though it will always be bigger than our understanding (vv. 18–19). And he closes with worship: God is able to do far more than we ask or think, and the goal of it all is His glory in the church and in Christ forever (vv. 20–21).
🌀 Reflection: Do you treat the church like a spiritual “add-on,” or do you see it the way Paul does—as God’s living display of His wisdom and grace in the world (vv. 10, 21)? What would change in how you love, serve, and show up?
💬 Mission Challenge: Encourage someone who is suffering. Send a message or have a conversation that gently reframes hardship through the lens of Ephesians 3—God is not absent, and He can use trials to strengthen faith and spread glory (vv. 13, 16–17; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:16–18).
Paul starts by telling the truth about who we were without Jesus: we were spiritually dead—stuck in trespasses and sins, shaped by the values of this world, pushed along by Satan’s influence, and controlled by the desires of our flesh (vv. 1–3). Even worse, we were “by nature children of wrath,” meaning God’s judgment was not a distant possibility but the verdict hanging over us because we belonged to Adam’s fallen family (v. 3; cf. Romans 5:12). There was no “try harder” solution here; dead people can’t fix themselves.
Then comes one of the greatest turns in the Bible: “But God” (v. 4). Because He is rich in mercy and full of great love, God acted when we could not. He made us alive together with Christ, raised us with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places—so that forever His people would marvel at the riches of His grace and kindness (vv. 4–7; cf. 1:20–21). Salvation is not a paycheck for religious effort; it is a gift: by grace you have been saved through faith, and even that whole rescue—grace, faith, salvation—is not from ourselves (vv. 8–9). Yet grace doesn’t leave us unchanged. God recreates His people as His workmanship—new creations in Christ—so we can “walk” in the good works He prepared for us (v. 10; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Paul then zooms out from individual salvation to church unity. Gentiles once lived “far off”—cut off from the covenants and promises and without hope (vv. 11–12). But now, in Christ, they have been brought near by His blood (v. 13). Jesus Himself is our peace: by His cross He tore down the dividing wall, set aside what separated Jew and Gentile under the old covenant, and created one new humanity—one people—reconciled both to God and to each other (vv. 14–18; cf. Isaiah 57:19). So Gentile believers are no longer outsiders; they are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, built together on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone (vv. 19–20). The church is now God’s living temple—Jew and Gentile together—where God dwells by His Spirit (vv. 21–22; cf. 1 Corinthians 3:16).
🌀 Reflection: Where do you still think you have to earn God’s welcome—like you’re a “near” person because you’re doing better lately—rather than living like someone who was “far off” but has been brought near only by the blood of Christ (v. 13)?
💬 Mission Challenge: Cross one boundary today. Reach out to a believer you don’t naturally connect with (age, background, personality, history) and take one step toward real unity—invite them to coffee, encourage them, or pray with them—because Jesus didn’t just save you from sin; He made you part of one new people (vv. 14–16).
Paul opens Ephesians by reminding believers who they are: “saints” set apart for God, and “faithful” because they are in Christ (vv. 1–2). Then he launches into one long, worshipful sentence that praises God for His rescue plan. The Father chose His people in Christ before the foundation of the world—not because they were worthy, but because He is gracious—so that they would be holy and blameless before Him (vv. 3–6). In love, God predestined believers for adoption, making them His true heirs, and all of it is “to the praise of his glorious grace” (vv. 5–6).
That grace shows up most clearly in Jesus: in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of God’s grace (vv. 7–8). And God is not only saving individuals—He is revealing His “mystery,” His long-planned purpose to unite (or “sum up”) all things in Christ—things in heaven and things on earth—when the fullness of time arrives (vv. 9–10; cf. Colossians 1:20). In Christ we have obtained an inheritance, because God works all things according to the counsel of His will, and He will finish what He planned (vv. 11–12; cf. Romans 8:28–30). When the Ephesians heard the word of truth and believed, they were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit—God’s own mark of ownership and protection—and the Spirit is the down payment that guarantees the full redemption still to come (vv. 13–14; cf. 2 Corinthians 1:22).
Paul then thanks God for their faith in Christ and love for the saints, and he prays they would not just know the truths of salvation but feel their weight in the “eyes of their hearts” (vv. 15–18). He asks God to give them spiritual wisdom to grasp their hope, God’s precious inheritance in His people, and the immeasurable greatness of His power toward believers (vv. 17–19). That power is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him above every rule and authority—far above every rival power in this age and the age to come (vv. 20–21; cf. Psalm 110:1). God has put all things under Christ’s feet and made Him head over all things for the church, which is His body—His living people who represent His reign in the world (vv. 22–23; cf. Psalm 8:6).
🌀 Reflection: Ephesians 1 trains your heart to start with worship, not worry. If God chose you in Christ, adopted you, redeemed you, and sealed you with His Spirit, what fear or shame are you still carrying like it gets the final word (vv. 4–7, 13–14)?
💬 Mission Challenge: Pray Paul’s prayer for someone in your church today: ask God to open the “eyes of their heart” to hope, inheritance, and power in Christ (vv. 17–19). Then tell them one specific gospel blessing from this chapter that is true of them “in Christ” (vv. 3, 7, 13).
We’re back in our study of Revelation called The KING is Coming, where we’re taking a verse-by-verse approach to see what the book truly reveals—Jesus Christ Himself. As always, I’m joined by Jamie Harrison, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to walk through this study together. Today, we’ll be looking at another of Jesus’s letters to the churches, this time turning to the church in Philadelphia. This week’s passage is Revelation 3:7–13:
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.8 “ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. 12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’[1]
Keith Harris: Greetings, Sojourners, We’re excited to dive into this letter today. How excited are we?
Jamie Harrison: I am almost as excited as you are. Almost. Almost.
Keith: Too many cups of coffee.
Jamie: Too many cups of coffee — and that’s T-W-O, actually number three. I had one before I got here. This is not good.
Keith: Well, I’m glad you’re excited. Since you’re excited, why don’t you filter that excitement into Revelation 3 — the letter to Philadelphia.
Jamie: This letter — this letter is… it’s a little deep. It’s a little controversial. There’s one particular verse in here that’s the only one I ever hear quoted when people say Jesus is going to come back before the tribulation. It’s always this one.
But I want to say up front — Keith and I have made very clear from the get-go that these kinds of controversial things are not our focus. Our focus is: What does the Bible say about Jesus?
Keith: And we’ve said this at least once every episode. We don’t have the answers to all the popular questions. We’re not seeking to. What we try to do is what I would call good, practical, healthy Bible interpretation — where the clear things are important and the important things are clear. And that which is less clear? That’s above our pay grade. So we’re going to tell you — to the best of our ability — what the Bible says, and do what Nehemiah 8:8 says:
“They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”
That’s what we’re going for — to point people to Jesus. And if something cannot be known, we’ll tell you that. And then we’ll move on.
Jamie: That’s right. Amen. Let’s go.
So as we get started here, remember the letters are all set up kind of in the same order, for the most part. And here we start off again with our salutation: “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia…” — referring to the pastor of said church. And then Jesus is going to jump straight in and give some attributes about Himself. And He says: “The words of the Holy One, the True One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens.” (CSB) So He gives quite a few things about Himself here. And just to briefly dive into each one a little bit: First off, He describes Himself as the Holy One. Please understand — this is Jesus declaring that He is God. Don’t ever be confused about that. Some people will say, “Well, Jesus never said He was God.” Well, first off — He did. And second — here’s one example. When He says He is the Holy One, He is declaring that He has full authority as a member of the Godhead. He is God — and that is exponentially important to understand. Jesus has the same authority that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit do.
Keith: Because we’re not talking about three gods. We’re talking about three persons of the One God. Because it says the Holy One, the True One, clarifying that while Jesus is a member of the Trinity — which is just a word we use to describe this multifaceted God — He is one God, and His name is Jesus.
Jamie: And so He goes from there — He says the Holy One, the True One, like Keith said. Now, the city of Philadelphia — not Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, because that didn’t exist yet.
Keith: That’s accurate.
Jamie: Coincidentally, this city was actually destroyed [once] by an earthquake — but we digress. Philadelphia was called “the Gateway to the East.” They were situated on a main route of the imperial post from Rome to the East. So it was a very important city in terms of traffic — people passing through, mail being delivered — things like that. But along this route, because there were so many travelers, there were also many, many temples to other gods.
Keith: Which was very common — not just in the Roman Empire, but especially in the Roman Empire. They wanted to keep people happy, keep people placated. And one way to do that — especially if you’re trying to gather a lot of people together — is to make it easy for them. So you think about cities today that have mosques and temples and synagogues and churches and this and that. It’s along the same vein — gather the people in, get them for your purpose. And, I mean, that’s what gathers them.
Jamie: That’s right. And so Jesus here — when He says the True One — understand: He’s not fake. He’s not man-made. He’s not a copy. He is God. He’s saying, “I’m not like all these other false gods and temples you see along the way. I am God.” Revelation 6:10 refers to Jesus as the One who is holy and true. In other words — again — He is God. So He is making an emphasis here, so that the church in Philadelphia understands: this is who is speaking.
Keith: And I think it’s 1 John 5:20 that says — specifically about Jesus —
“He is the true God, and eternal life.” (ESV)
So this is consistent — same author as Revelation, by the way. The same John who wrote Revelation also wrote 1 John. So the message is consistent: Jesus is God.
Jamie: So then the third attribute He gives here is: “The One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens.” (CSB) I just want to briefly hit on this. If you look back at Isaiah 22:15–25, you’ll see kind of where this idea — the “key of David” — comes from. And the story that happens in Isaiah 22 is this: Assyria invades Judah, and the Jewish leaders — instead of calling on God to defend them — they call on Egypt to defend them. And one of those leaders was named Shebna… Shebna? Shebna? However you want to say it.
Keith: Just say it fast.
Jamie: Say it fast. Nobody knows.
Keith: Confidence. That’s the key.
Jamie: That’s right — confidence.
So Shebna used his office for personal gain, and so God removes him and puts Eliakim in his place. And gives him the keys of authority — these “keys of David.” Whoever this steward is has control over the distribution of resources. So again, Shebna uses it for personal gain. Eliakim comes in — he’s a very good man, according to the Bible. But even though he’s a good man, we’re told in the story that he will give way — that his shelf will be removed, so to speak — because he’s still just a man, and he’s not able. He’s not able to do what Jesus can.
So when he’s removed, the keys are going to be given to Jesus. Only Jesus can be trusted with our lives. He is the heir to the throne of David. So when He says, “The One who has the key of David,” that’s what He’s referring to. He is, so to speak, over the house. He is the treasurer. He’s in charge of the distribution of resources. In other words — He’s the man, okay? I think that’s the best way to say it. He has the key.
So if you ever hear anybody else say that they have the key of David — they are a liar.
Keith: And in a very real sense — an antichrist. Not the Antichrist, but an antichrist. If the Bible says this is what Jesus has — and they’re not Jesus, or Eliakim from centuries ago — then they’re lying. And they’re dangerous.
Jamie: Very, very dangerous. And I do encourage — as we go through this study — look in the Word. Don’t take our word for it. We’re big on that when we’re teaching or preaching in church. Our pastor, Big John, is always like, “Man, go back to the Word. Don’t just take my word for it — go to the Word.” So again, that was Isaiah 22:15–25 — check it out, read it for yourself.
Keith: Specifically verse 22 is where that key reference is — that Jesus is pretty much quoting word for word.
Jamie: Absolutely.
So what does Jesus do with these keys of David? Well, it tells us: “The One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens.” (CSB) Well, what is He opening and closing? You can look straight to the Bible on this — because again, the Bible is going to tell us what the Bible means. And if you look in Acts 14:27, 1 Corinthians 16:9, 2 Corinthians 2:12, Colossians 4:3–4 — and there are others — but if you look at those, all of them refer to a door being opened for ministry, for the gospel to be spread. So Jesus has the authority — as a full member of the Godhead — to close and open doors. And what doors is He closing and opening? They’re doors to ministry, the spread of the gospel, for you to go and do the works you’ve been placed here to do. Paul talks about this in a couple of his letters — Keith, help me with the exact one — but he wanted to go to a particular country to the East and wasn’t allowed to go.
Keith: Yeah, and at one point in time, he was planning on going to Spain — and we know he didn’t make it there.
Jamie: That’s right. Wanted to go to Rome, but wasn’t allowed to go at that time because the Holy Spirit closed that door. And so that’s the idea we’re looking at here.
So Jesus, once again, is explaining — in three different ways — “I’m part of the Godhead, and I’ve got all authority.” And then He goes on from there and says: “I know your works. Look, I’ve placed before you an open door that no one can close, because you have but little power, yet you’ve kept My Word and have not denied My name.” (CSB) So — you have but little power. He’s opening these doors not because they have wealth, not because they’re a large congregation, not because they have some qualification like X, Y, Z — He opens the door of ministry because of their faith.
Keith: It’s a clear contrast here to [Jesus’s last] letter. If you look back at Matthew 7, Jesus says, “You said you did this in My name, and that in My name — we raised the dead, we prophesied…” And Jesus says, “But I don’t know who you are.” Here, Jesus is saying, “I do know who you are. And I’ve picked you — not because you’re strong in and of yourself — but because I’ve given you a ministry that no one is going to be able to stop.” The contrast is the strength of Jesus that He gives to those He has saved — those He has made alive. That’s what it takes for ministry. It’s not based on your gifting or your ability or your works — because the world will tell you (and a lot of times, even religion will tell you): “Do this, and you earn that.” But Jesus is saying: “You get this because I am this. I used My key. I unlocked the door. They can’t shut it.”
Jamie: That’s right. That’s a huge deal. Very much so.
So He says: “You’ve kept My Word, you’ve not denied My name. Note this: I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.” (CSB) So first — you’ve kept My Word and not denied My name. In other words, they’ve survived persecution. They’ve survived trials. These people are stepping out in faith. They’re doing the things the Lord told them to do. They’ve kept His Word. They’ve survived persecution. They’ve survived trials.
Keith: Which, in contrast, obviously means there are some who — because of the persecution and the trials — denied His name. They just walked away from Him. That was a common practice — not just back in ancient times, but even now. If you’re living in a country that is hostile to the gospel, they will absolutely give you the opportunity to renounce that belief — to say, “No, just kidding. Jesus isn’t my Lord. Allah is,” or “Caesar is,” or whoever. And these people — in the midst of that, having the opportunity — said: “No. Jesus. Period.”
Jamie: That’s right. Period. So with this next verse — verse 9 — talking about the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying — you can jump back to Revelation 2:9–10 and you get the same kind of idea. They are Jews outwardly, but not inwardly, so to speak. In other words, they’re not who Jesus would want them to be — who God would want them to be. They’re being led by Satan to persecute these believers. Now, if you’re a Jew reading this letter back during this time, you might say, “Are you trying to say I’m part of the synagogue of Satan?” Well — if you’re doing Satan’s work, then that’s what you are.
Keith: It says what it says.
Jamie: That’s right. And He says: “I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.” (CSB) You can also look at Philippians 2:5–11 and Revelation 5:11–13 for similar language.
And then He says: “Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world, to test those who live on the earth.” (CSB) Then verse 11: “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown.” (CSB) And here’s that verse I mentioned earlier — the one that some people quote when they say Jesus is going to come back before the tribulation. It’s this phrase: “I will keep you from the hour of testing…” Now — when you read that, you might assume that it means He’s going to remove you from the trial, that He’ll take you off the face of the earth and move you to heaven before the trial starts. So I think we have to look at that word “keep.” What does it mean? Is Jesus saying, “I’ll take you out of the Great Tribulation”?
Now, mind you — He’s just commended them. There’s no admonition in this letter, no rebuke. It’s all praise. He just told them, “Great job working through persecution. Great job working through trials.” In other words, as Christians — we’re going to go through these things. The Bible’s clear about that. So again, what does the word “keep” mean? This particular Greek word — and Keith, you can pronounce it better than I can…
Keith: I believe it’s tēreō.
Jamie: Sounds great. We’ll go with that. It means: “To cause to continue, to guard, to watch over, to protect.”
So let’s read that verse with each of those meanings plugged in. “I will also cause you to continue from the hour of testing.” “I will guard you from the hour of testing.” “I will watch over you from the hour of testing.” “I will protect you from the hour of testing.” So when you read it that way, it doesn’t sound like you’re being removed. It sounds like you’re being protected through the hour of testing.
So let’s look back at a couple of places where that same word — keep — is used. First, let’s go to John 15:20–21. This is where Jesus is speaking to His disciples. He says: “Remember the word I spoke to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.” (CSB) There’s that same word — keep. Verse 21: “But they will do all these things to you on account of My name, because they don’t know the One who sent Me.” (CSB) So these two verses say that we’re going to go through persecution — it’s going to happen.
Now jump to John 17:6–19. This is where Jesus is praying for His disciples. And I think it’s important to read this whole section: “I have revealed Your name to the people You gave Me from the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that everything You have given Me is from You, because I have given them the words You gave Me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from You. They have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I’m not praying for the world but for those You have given Me, because they are Yours. Everything I have is Yours, and everything You have is Mine, and I am glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name that You have given Me, so that they may be one as We are one. While I was with them, I was protecting them by Your name that You have given Me. I guarded them, and not one of them is lost except the son of destruction…” (CSB)
Keith: — referring to Judas.
Jamie: Right — “so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.” Then He says: “Now I am coming to You, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have My joy completed in them. I have given them Your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not praying that You take them out of the world, but that You protect them from the evil one.” (CSB)
Keith: That word protect — same word again: tēreō. That’s the word we’re looking at.
Jamie: Exactly. He says: “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. I sanctify Myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.” (CSB) Now, one of the keys to studying the Bible is knowing that the Bible is going to confirm what the Bible says. And if it doesn’t, then it’s probably one of those things that we’re not supposed to know about.
Keith: And when something is only mentioned vaguely, or only mentioned in one place — it depends on how it’s used, whether or not we can be clear about it.
Jamie: Right. So here in Revelation, Jesus says He will “keep” them from the hour of testing. And in John 17, He uses the same word — and He literally says: “I’m not praying that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one.” In other words, while they’re going through the tribulation of the world — the persecution — He is protecting them through it, not removing them from it.
Keith: And we’ve been looking at that word keep as a verb — but the noun form of it literally means something like a warden or a guard. It’s related to how we use the phrase “keep an eye on.” And “keep an eye on” doesn’t necessarily mean you rescue someone from everything — it means you make sure they can make it through. If you’re keeping an eye on your kids, you don’t necessarily mow everything down in front of them — even if you want to.
Part of that is them learning how to navigate things, knowing you’re there. As kids grow into adulthood, they’ve got to be able to do things on their own. So, like, if I’m keeping an eye on my kids while they’re cooking, I can’t run over every time they touch the stove knob and slap their hand away. They know I’ve got them — but they’re still learning. And that’s the idea behind this word keep.
Jamie: So I think to kind of finish this out — if you’re still with us (and hopefully you didn’t click off because you disagree with what we just said) — I want to say this: Is Jesus coming back before the Tribulation? Is He coming back halfway through? Is He coming at the end? The answer is: I don’t know. I’m not Him. And He told us that no one knows — only the Father.
Keith: One thing we can definitively say is that He’s not coming back before any tribulation — because we know from the book of Acts, the church has already been going through tribulation. And I think about 1 Peter 5:8–9 — where Peter’s writing to believers who are going through trials and tribulations. He talks about their adversary, the devil, prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour and destroy. And he says: “Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” (ESV)
I hear people in the church today talk about, “Well, what are we going to do when persecution sets in?” If you’re living a godly life in the middle of a secular world, you’ve probably experienced it on some level. But all around the world today — and for the last 2,000 years — there are Christians who’ve faced the choice: “Will you renounce Christ and live, or remain faithful and die?” So we can definitively say — whether or not He comes back before the Great Tribulation — there’s already great tribulation happening in a lot of places.
Jamie: A lot of places. Here in America, we’re kind of shielded from that — or spoiled. That’s a better word.
Keith: Spoiled. Good word.
Jamie: So again — the answer is: We don’t know. Sure, I’m rooting for a pre-tribulation return…, but I also have to look at it objectively and say: If believers at the beginning of the church suffered immense persecution… We could talk all day about the torture techniques used on them. Some of it would blow your mind — might even make you puke. The early church suffered.
Keith: And I love how Shane Viner put it when we discussed this a while back. He said, “I want more than anything for the pre-trib view to be right… but it sure is good news to know that if it’s not — He’s got us.” That’s it. That’s such a beautiful sentiment. Do we want Jesus to come and rescue us beforehand? Absolutely. But we can also look at those who are suffering now around the world and say — “He’s still got them. And He’ll still have us — no matter what the world throws our way.” I’ve heard someone say, “The world’s greatest threat — death — brings the Christian’s greatest reward.”
Jamie: So Jesus goes on from there and says again: “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. The one who conquers, I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God — the New Jerusalem — which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.” (CSB) So here we go — “the one who conquers.” Again, 1 John 5:4–5 tells us the one who conquers is the one who is saved. He says, “I’ll make him a pillar in the temple of My God.” Now, I think it’s interesting — in Philadelphia, they were constantly scared of earthquakes. They were constantly having to evacuate the city. And we mentioned at the beginning that it was actually destroyed by an earthquake in 17 BC. So this language would’ve hit home — when Jesus talks about a pillar. A pillar holds a building up. They had seen buildings collapse — often. So this is personal.
Keith: And ideally, the pillar stays.
Jamie: That’s right. So here Jesus says: “I’ll make you a pillar in the temple of My God.” In other words — this temple will never be destroyed. You will be there forever. And of course, we know this temple isn’t a literal building. Revelation 21:22 tells us that there is no temple in heaven — because Jesus Himself is the temple. We also know that the believers bear His name (Galatians 2:9). He says: “I’ll give you the name of My God, the name of the city of My God — the New Jerusalem — and My new name.” (CSB) Ezekiel 48:35 says the New Jerusalem means: “The LORD is there.” And that’s exactly what we have here in Revelation. The Lord is there. There’s no sun, because He is the light. There’s no temple, because He is the temple. And we will be there forever with Him. Now as far as where it says He’ll write on us His name and His new name — Some people say, “Well, what is that name?” I don’t know. Because He didn’t tell us.
Keith: And if He doesn’t tell us, we’re not supposed to know.
Jamie: That’s right. I can give you a few other verses in Revelation that mention His new name — that’s Revelation 2:17, 3:12, 19:12, and 22:4. Check those out. But again — it doesn’t say what the name is. Who knows? But I know it’s going to be pretty cool — because it comes from Him.
Keith: It’s one of those things like — have you ever tried to explain something to someone, and finally just said, “You had to be there”? Well, this is going to be one of those things. You have to be there — with Him — to know. And that’s good. Because again — we’re talking about a Savior who keeps us through persecution, who gives us perseverance. If we are His, we will be with Him forever. So we don’t have to know everything right now. We can have assurance in this: We know Him. And He knows us.
Jamie: And of course, the last verse: “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.” (CSB) Or maybe it says, “has ears.” I don’t know. That’s horrible. There’s some guy in the world without ears right now who’s reading the transcript going, “I don’t think that’s very funny.” Yeah, I apologize to you, sir.
Keith: Most of what comes out in these podcasts starts as writing, but this — oddly enough — is meant to be heard. These conversations — while we joke — the idea here is: Don’t just hear what we said. Hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Not just these churches in Revelation — but to your church as well. If you’re saved, you should be part of a local church. And this letter is written to yours, too. Are you going to be like the churches that Jesus rebuked for their works? Or like the ones who had no works at all? Or are you going to be like this church — where Jesus says: “I know that you have little power — but I’ve given you work to do, and you’ve done it.” This letter is meant to apply to your life. Before Jesus gave any of the future stuff in Revelation, He gave these letters — to deal with the now. So… are you part of the synagogue of Satan? Are you claiming to be part of God’s people, but lying? Or are you bowing at His feet, knowing full well that He loves you — and because He loved you, you love Him? With this letter to the church at Philadelphia — dear Sojourner, this is our plea: Seek to apply this. Do you belong to God?
Has He saved you? Have you confessed Him as Lord, and believed in your heart that God raised Him from the dead? Because if you haven’t — You’ve got nothing to hold fast to. If you haven’t — There’s no amount of works, no amount of Bible reading, no obsession with prophecy that can save you. Jesus is the True One. And if He has opened the door to you — no one can shut it. That’s good news.
Alright. We have thoroughly enjoyed this. Jamie, thank you for being here.
Jamie: Oh, thank you.
Keith: We’ll see y’all next week with the last of the letters — the letter to the church in Laodicea.
Paul closes Romans with something that feels very personal: gospel relationships. He commends Phoebe, a trusted servant (and likely courier of the letter) from the church at Cenchreae, and urges the Romans to welcome her in the Lord and help her in whatever she needs, since she has been a generous supporter of many believers (vv. 1–2). Then Paul pours out a long list of greetings—Priscilla and Aquila who risked their lives for him, the house church that meets in their home, early converts like Epaenetus, hard workers like Mary, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Persis, and dear saints like Rufus and his mother who had cared for Paul (vv. 3–15). The sheer variety of names highlights something beautiful: the church in Rome was made up of men and women, Jews and Gentiles, and people from many social backgrounds, all united in Christ and honored for faithful service rather than status (vv. 6–13). Paul ends this section by calling the church to express genuine family affection—“greet one another with a holy kiss”—and reminds them they are connected to the wider family of churches (v. 16).
But Paul doesn’t only end with warmth—he also ends with vigilance. He warns them to watch out for people who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine they have been taught, and he tells them to avoid such voices (v. 17). These teachers sound appealing, but they are driven by self-interest and use smooth talk to deceive the unsuspecting (v. 18). Paul rejoices that the Romans are known for obedience, and he urges them to be wise about good and innocent about evil (v. 19). Then he gives a striking promise: the God of peace will soon crush Satan under their feet—echoing God’s ancient promise of victory over the serpent (v. 20; cf. Gen. 3:15). After greetings from Paul’s ministry companions (including Timothy) and from Tertius, the scribe who wrote as Paul dictated, Paul ends with a doxology praising God who strengthens His people through the gospel—once hidden but now revealed through Scripture to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith—so that glory belongs forever to the only wise God through Jesus Christ (vv. 21–23, 25–27; cf. 1:5).
🌀 Reflection: Romans ends by reminding us that doctrine is meant to produce devotion and durable relationships. Who has “worked hard in the Lord” around you that you’ve overlooked or taken for granted (vv. 6, 12)? And are you just as intentional to guard unity and truth as you are to enjoy community (vv. 17–19)?
💬 Mission Challenge: Encourage one faithful servant in your church this week—someone who labors quietly like so many in Romans 16 (vv. 6, 12). Then protect unity by refusing to platform gossip, flattery, or divisive voices, and instead point someone back to the gospel that strengthens God’s people (vv. 17–18, 25–27).
Paul finishes his teaching on “the strong and the weak” by making the “strong” own the responsibility: real strength doesn’t insist on its own way—it bears with the failings of the weak and aims to build others up (vv. 1–2). Christ is the model. Jesus did not please Himself; He endured reproach and suffering in order to do the Father’s will and serve others (v. 3; cf. Ps. 69:9). Paul also reminds the church why the Old Testament still matters: what was written before was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (v. 4; cf. 2 Tim. 3:16–17). This leads into Paul’s prayer for unity—harmony that results in one voice glorifying God (vv. 5–6)—and his central command: welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God (v. 7).
Then Paul lifts their eyes to the bigger story: Jesus became a servant to the Jews to prove God’s truthfulness and confirm His promises to the patriarchs, and He also saved Gentiles so they would glorify God for mercy (vv. 8–9). Paul strings together OT texts from the Law, the Writings, and the Prophets to show this was always God’s plan: Gentiles rejoicing with God’s people, praising the Lord, and hoping in the Root of Jesse—the Messiah who rules the nations (vv. 9–12; cf. Deut. 32:43, Ps. 117:1, Isa. 11:10). Paul ends this section with a prayer that fits the whole point: that the God of hope would fill them with joy and peace in believing, so they overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (v. 13).
In the rest of the chapter, Paul explains why he wrote so boldly to a church he didn’t plant: God gave him grace to serve as Christ’s minister to the Gentiles, and he sees his gospel work like a priest presenting an offering—Gentile converts made acceptable and sanctified by the Spirit (vv. 15–16). He boasts only in what Christ has done through him—by word, deed, and the Spirit’s power—as he preached from Jerusalem to Illyricum (vv. 18–19). Paul’s ambition has been pioneer mission work, preaching where Christ hasn’t been named (vv. 20–21; cf. Isa. 52:15), which is why he has been hindered from visiting Rome (v. 22). Now he hopes to come to them on his way to Spain and be helped by them (vv. 23–24, 28–29), but first he must deliver a collection from Gentile churches to the poor saints in Jerusalem—an act meant to strengthen unity between Jewish and Gentile believers (vv. 25–27). He closes by urging them to strive with him in prayer—for protection, for the gift to be received well, and for joyful fellowship when he finally arrives (vv. 30–33).
🌀 Reflection: Where do you most feel the pull to “please yourself” instead of building others up? Romans 15 says Christian maturity looks like Jesus—willing to carry burdens, pursue unity, and treat Scripture as a steady source of endurance and hope (vv. 1–4). The church’s unity isn’t a side issue; it is meant to make God’s glory visible as we worship “with one voice” (vv. 6–7).
💬 Mission Challenge: Pray for and support gospel work beyond your normal circle. Choose one missionary, church planter, or local evangelistic effort this week: encourage them with a message, intercede specifically for their protection and fruitfulness (vv. 30–32), and if possible give toward their work as a tangible act of partnership in the mission (vv. 24, 27).
Paul turns to a real-life church problem: believers disagreeing over “disputable matters”—issues Scripture neither clearly commands nor forbids. In Rome, some Christians felt freedom to eat anything and treat all days alike, while others (with more tender consciences, often shaped by Jewish law or pagan backgrounds) avoided certain foods and still honored particular days (vv. 2, 5). Paul’s command is simple but challenging: welcome one another—not to argue and win, but to live in peace as one family (v. 1). The “strong” must not despise the “weak,” and the “weak” must not condemn the “strong,” because God has welcomed them both (v. 3). Ultimately, each believer is the Lord’s servant, and it is before Christ—not one another—that we stand or fall (v. 4).
Paul grounds this unity in the lordship of Jesus. None of us lives to ourselves, and none of us dies to ourselves—we belong to the Lord (vv. 7–8). Christ died and rose again to be Lord of the living and the dead (v. 9). That means judgmental attitudes are out of place: we will all stand before God’s judgment seat and give account of ourselves (vv. 10–12). So instead of “judging” each other, Paul says we should “judge” something else—make a careful decision to avoid putting a stumbling block in a brother’s path (v. 13).
In the second half, Paul clarifies that nothing is unclean in itself (v. 14), yet conscience matters: if someone believes an action is wrong, to do it anyway is sin for them (vv. 14, 23). Love must govern liberty. If your freedom grieves or pressures a fellow believer, you are no longer walking in love (v. 15). The kingdom of God is not about food and drink, but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (v. 17). Therefore, we pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding (v. 19), willingly limiting our freedoms when needed so we don’t harm God’s work in others (vv. 20–21). Faithful maturity doesn’t flaunt freedom—it uses freedom to serve.
🌀 Reflection: Are you more passionate about being “right,” or about building up your brother or sister? Romans 14 calls us to hold convictions with humility, to honor conscience, and to measure our “freedom” by love. Real maturity looks like Jesus—strong enough to lay down rights for the good of others (vv. 15, 19).
💬 Mission Challenge: Reach out to a believer whose preferences or convictions differ from yours. Listen without mocking or correcting, and encourage them in what you share in common—Jesus is Lord, and you both belong to Him (vv. 8–9). Then choose one practical way this week to pursue peace and build them up (v. 19).
Just Keith Harris 