All this talk of churches lead me to do some research and I will share it with you.

In the book of Revelation it talks of the 7 churches , they actually existed , but there is so much more to it than that.

They exist now in the way the churches carry themselves.

The church at Ephesus-lost first love;

The church at Smyrna- persecuted church;

The church at Pergamos-faithful church, but tolerates false teachers;

The church rat Thyatira-church dominated by a false prophet;

The church at Sardis-spiritually dying church;

The church at Philadelphia- faithful witnessing church;

The church at Lodicea-lukewarm church.

The above characteristics of the churches seem to correspond with the churches through history.

Ephesus-Apostolic Church[30-100A.D.]

Smyrna-Persecuted Church[100-313A.D.]

Pergamos-State Church[313-590A.D.]

Thyatira-Papal Church[590-1517A.D.]

Sardis- Reformed Church[1517-1790A.D.]

Philadelphia-Missionary Church[1730-1900A.D.]

Laodicea-Apostate Church[1900- the present]

All churches have the same pattern.

1-Destination- to who the letter is written.

2-Description-The Lord Jesus Christ is described in the best manner that suits the church.

3-Commendation- the good qualities and strengths of each church is mentioned.

4-Deficiency- the serious faults of each church is mentioned, the church of Smyrna and Philadelphia have no faults and they still exist today.

5-Demand and Remedy- Lord shows what is wrong, offers a remedy to fix the problem.

6-Discrimination-Those that have spiritual senses are urged to act, those that don't will not change.

7-Promise-a promise is offered to encourage its reformation which shows God's mercy.

I will come back tomorrow with in depth study of each church in the physical sense and then in the spiritual sense of the church age and the churches of today.