To the Church in Philadelphia
Revelation of Jesus
Revelation 3:7-8 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Good Works Commended
I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
The Antichrists Condemned
Revelation 3:9-10 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Reward to Overcomer
Revelation 3:11-13 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Obvious, the overcomer receives the reward according to the message he receives. Here is his revelation to the sixth age, the age of the open door:
These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.
This means he is the good shepherds like David was, and opens for the sheep to go into the kingdom of God. The key which he has is the name of the Father, which is also his name. Then look at the overcomer’s reward:
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Of course, the crown means they are to be kings just like himself, for David was a shepherd- king, and those who overcome become kings. Next, as he has the key of David which is his Father’s name, so he writes the same name upon them, after making them pillars in the temple or house of his Father. As the message they received so is their reward. The temple is holy and therefore the pillars within must be holy; so, they received the holy one, the true one, so also, they are made pillars in the holy temple, with his name upon them.
What were they to overcome? The system of organization that claimed to be the Jews, meaning the elect yet they were not. Who were that in the sixth age? They were the sects that claimed election and predestination saying that so long as you are elected it doesn’t matter how you lived, you will end up in heaven. And that if not predestinated, whatever you do doesn’t matter, you are already lost. So, the revelation of him who is holy fought against that assumption, for he says, “Be ye holy for I am holy,” and again, “Without holiness no man shall see God.” And again, “The Lord whose name is holy.”
Holiness is God’s strength as righteousness is His power. The name of His holiness is the key which He writes upon the overcomers making them as holy as He is. In Luther’s age He is the just one, the righteous one, and that is his power. But in Wesley’s age He is the holy one and that makes a sanctuary of strength by which His elect are defended.
Notice that holiness goes with truth, and that is because the most defiling thing is a lie. Why? A lie is a seed contrary to life and holiness, and by one receiving it commits whoredoms with devils; by that it defiles by which it corrupts and kills. On the other hand, truth sanctifies and makes a sanctuary, for Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them with the truth, thy word is the truth.” And the overcomer in the sixth age is he who kept the word of Jesus’ patience and therefore he is kept away from the denominational filthy lie that corrupts souls of men.
As I have said the real unholiness is caused by the lie. All religious doctrines are lies. God’s word is the revelation of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. Once you receive the truth you are sanctified by it and you become holy. Religious works are a lie for they don’t make truly holy, but the revealed word of God is the seed of life by which you become holy by birth. Unless the seed from which you are born is holy you can’t be holy, and anything else besides the revealed word by the Holy Spirit is a defiling lie.
Echoes From Paradise 