啟示錄3:1-6

3:1 「你要寫信給撒狄教會的使者，說：『那有上帝的七靈和七星的，說：我知道你的行為，按名你是活的，其實是死的。

3:2 你要警醒，堅固那剩下將要衰微（原文是死）的；因我見你的行為，在我上帝面前，沒有一樣是完全的。

3:3 所以要回想你是怎樣領受、怎樣聽見的，又要遵守，並要悔改。若不警醒，我必臨到你那裡，如同賊一樣。我幾時臨到，你也決不能知道。

3:4 然而在撒狄，你還有幾名是未曾污穢自己衣服的，他們要穿白衣與我同行，因為他們是配得過的。

3:5 凡得勝的必這樣穿白衣，我也必不從生命冊上塗抹他的名；且要在我父面前，和我父眾使者面前，認他的名。

3:6 聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！』」

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.  Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.  Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.  Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.  The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

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    撒狄教會雖然受到主大大的指責，但是主卻仍然鼓勵他們：「你還有幾名是未曾污穢自己衣服的，他們要穿白衣與我同行，因為他們是配得過的。凡得勝的必這樣穿白衣，我也必不從生命冊上塗抹他的名；且要在我父面前，和我父眾使者面前，認他的名。」

    人常常以責備人來顯明自己的好，但是主耶穌並非如此，即使再惡劣，再沒有可取之處，主耶穌從來不放棄，總是用鼓勵的方式！

    我們在教會中也當是如此，常常彼此鼓勵，興旺福音、建立教會。

啟示錄2:18-29

2:18 「你要寫信給推雅推喇教會的使者，說：『那眼目如火焰、腳像光明銅的上帝之子說：

2:19 我知道你的行為、愛心、信心、勤勞、忍耐，又知道你末後所行的善事，比起初所行的更多。

2:20 然而，有一件事我要責備你，就是你容讓那自稱是先知的婦人耶洗別教導我的僕人，引誘他們行姦淫，吃祭偶像之物。

2:21 我曾給她悔改的機會，她卻不肯悔改她的淫行。

2:22 看哪，我要叫她病臥在床。那些與她行淫的人，若不悔改所行的，我也要叫他們同受大患難。

2:23 我又要殺死她的黨類（原文是兒女），叫眾教會知道，我是那察看人肺腑心腸的，並要照你們的行為報應你們各人。

2:24 至於你們推雅推喇其餘的人，就是一切不從那教訓、不曉得他們素常所說撒但深奧之理的人，我告訴你們，我不將別的擔子放在你們身上。

2:25 但你們已經有的，總要持守，直等到我來。

2:26 那得勝又遵守我命令到底的，我要賜給他權柄制伏列國；

2:27 他必用鐵杖轄管（轄管：原文是牧）他們，將他們如同窯戶的瓦器打得粉碎，像我從我父領受的權柄一樣。

2:28 我又要把晨星賜給他。

2:29 聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！』」

"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:'The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

"'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come. The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. '

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    推雅推喇教會也是一個受到異端影響的教會，因為有一位假先知耶洗別，有不蒙上帝喜悅的教導，引誘上帝的僕人行姦淫，吃祭偶像之物。上帝也給她悔改機會，但她不願意，所以主叫她病臥在床。那些與她行淫的人，若不悔改所行的，主也要叫他們同受大患難。對於這樣的異端，主還用了激烈的手段：「我又要殺死她的黨類（原文是兒女），叫眾教會知道，我是那察看人肺腑心腸的，並要照你們的行為報應你們各人。」

    主當然也用祂的權能鼓勵那些真正愛主的人，「那得勝又遵守我命令到底的，我要賜給他權柄制伏列國；他必用鐵杖轄管（轄管：原文是牧）他們，將他們如同窯戶的瓦器打得粉碎，像我從我父領受的權柄一樣。我又要把晨星賜給他。」

    這也告訴我們，我們現在好像沒沒無聞，沒有人認識，但是上帝認識，祂必要高舉我們這些屬於祂的子民，讓我們與基督一同做王！

啟示錄2:12-17

2:12 「你要寫信給別迦摩教會的使者，說：『那有兩刃利劍的，說：

2:13 我知道你的居所，就是有撒但座位之處；當我忠心的見證人安提帕在你們中間、撒但所住的地方被殺之時，你還堅守我的名，沒有棄絕我的道。

2:14 然而，有幾件事我要責備你：因為在你那裡有人服從了巴蘭的教訓；這巴蘭曾教導巴勒將絆腳石放在以色列人面前，叫他們吃祭偶像之物，行姦淫的事。

2:15 你那裡也有人照樣服從了尼哥拉一黨人的教訓。

2:16 所以，你當悔改；若不悔改，我就快臨到你那裡，用我口中的劍攻擊他們。

2:17 聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！得勝的，我必將那隱藏的嗎哪賜給他，並賜他一塊白石，石上寫著新名；除了那領受的以外，沒有人能認識。』」

"And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:'The words of him who has the sharp two- edged sword.

"'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you:you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it. '

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    別迦摩教會也是一個受逼迫的教會，但是她得主稱讚是因為「堅守主的名，沒有棄絕主的道」。雖然在那裏魔鬼的勢力很大，是有撒但座位之處，甚至主忠心的見證人安提帕，在撒但所住的地方被殺。

    不過主也對她有所責備，因為「在你那裡有人服從了巴蘭的教訓」，因為巴蘭使上帝的子民「吃祭偶像之物，行姦淫的事」。這也讓我們看見，信仰混雜的是上帝所不喜悅的事。

    另外「尼哥拉一黨人的教訓」也進入別迦摩教會，也就是說猶太主義者，也在這教會興風作浪，使他們的信仰不單單服在耶穌基督，還服在猶太傳統而非聖經的教訓之下。所以，那裏是一個信仰混淆之處。

    然而成為上帝的子民是要有分別，所以主對她說：「你當悔改；若不悔改，我就快臨到你那裡，用我口中的劍攻擊他們。聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！得勝的，我必將那隱藏的嗎哪賜給他，並賜他一塊白石，石上寫著新名；除了那領受的以外，沒有人能認識。」

    這更清楚告訴別迦摩教會，「得勝的，我必將那隱藏的嗎哪賜給他，並賜他一塊白石，石上寫著新名；除了那領受的以外，沒有人能認識」。這就是上帝的分別，這是告訴我們屬上帝的人，明白上帝特殊的啟示——在耶穌基督裡的啟示。

啟示錄2:8-11

2:8 「你要寫信給士每拿教會的使者，說：『那首先的、末後的、死過又活的，說：

2:9 我知道你的患難，你的貧窮（你卻是富足的），也知道那自稱是猶太人所說的毀謗話，其實他們不是猶太人，乃是撒但一會的人。

2:10 你將要受的苦你不用怕。魔鬼要把你們中間幾個人下在監裡，叫你們被試煉，你們必受患難十日。你務要至死忠心，我就賜給你那生命的冠冕。

2:11 聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！得勝的，必不受第二次死的害。』」

"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

"'I know your tribulation and your poverty ( but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. '

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    士每拿教會是遇到逼迫的教會，因為有一群自稱是猶太人的，用猶太的傳統來壓迫他們。這一群猶太人有可能是拉比猶太教，他們是公開與基督徒為敵，咒詛基督徒的組織。所以，主耶穌稱他們：「乃是撒但一會的人。」

    撒但的意思就是阻擋者，阻擋基督者也就是阻擋上帝，這就是魔鬼的作為。甚至於魔鬼做迫害教會的事：「魔鬼要把你們中間幾個人下在監裡，叫你們被試煉，你們必受患難十日。」

    雖然如此，主耶穌卻鼓勵他們：「你務要至死忠心，我就賜給你那生命的冠冕。聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！得勝的，必不受第二次死的害。」

    讓這樣的應許也臨到我們身上，讓握們靠耶穌基督成為「得勝的」！經歷基督復活的大能，以至於「不受第二次死」。