Dead But Appearing To be Alive GR 820

In Revelation chapter 3 we have the messages that Jesus Christ sent to the seven churches in Asia Minor. These were sent toward the end of the first century, about 95 A.D. when John would have recorded these letters as part of the revelation that he received from Jesus Christ. These churches represent not only seven literal historical churches of the time but they portray all of the church that will exist down through history including the churches that are present today in the world. The church at Sardis reflects much of what is accepted as the evangelical church today in the western world. It is a church that has a reputation for spiritual life but it is a church that in God's evaluation is said to be spiritually dead.
The church by nature is a group of God's people who have been called out from the world so they do not fit any longer. Attempts to make the church to fit into the world, destroy the church as God intended it to be.