# 7 - Letter To The Church At Philadelphia Series

Letter # 6 – Letter to the Church at Philadelphia

Revelation 3:7 – “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens’”

Jesus begins by introducing Himself to the Church at Philadelphia using five different words or phrases. Let’s look at them one at a time.

He who is Holy

One of the main attributes of God is the fact that He is holy, meaning that He is set apart. He is set apart from all other so-called gods and He is set apart from sin as well. There is no one like God. Since God is holy, He calls His people to live holy too. We read in 1 Pet.1:13-16 – “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”

We live in a world that is getting increasingly unholy, but then again we cannot question their behaviour because they don’t know any better. The problem is that to a large extent the church is getting unholier by the day that there’s hardly a difference between the church and the world anymore. Little wonder the world is becoming repulsed by the church.

He who is true

The second thing the Lord says about Himself is that He is true. In fact this is one of the things the Lord said about Himself in Jn.14:6 - “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Every word of God is true – there’s nothing false about God.

In today’s world it’s getting increasingly difficult to know what is true or false anymore – the lines are so blurred. What with AI videos that deceive people into believing lies as truth?

He who has the key of David

The third thing Jesus says about Himself is that He has the key of David. King David was the greatest king of Israel, and it was foretold that Jesus would be born in the lineage of David, and He would not just be the King of the Jews, but the King of kings and the Lord of Lords.

Jesus talked a lot about the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of heaven and He told many parables concerning this. Every believer is in the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven. We gain access into this Kingdom through faith in Jesus.

The One who opens and closes the door

While we enter this Kingdom right here on earth, there’s another day coming when we will forever enter this Kingdom, where we will be with the King forever. The decision on who enters and does not enter lies with no one but King Jesus. If He opens that door no one can shut it, and if He shuts that door, then no one can open it.

So Jesus seems to be saying very clearly in this verse that it is He, and He alone who can decide who enters the Kingdom of Heaven.

Revelation 3:8 – “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

I know your works

Jesus begins by telling this church at Philadelphia what He told the other churches as well – that He knew their works. Just like He praised the first four churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos and Thyatira, Jesus speaks of their works in a positive way, unlike the way He spoke of the church at Sardis.

Open door

Jesus then makes reference to the door for which He holds the Key of David. He says that He has set an open door for them and added that no one could shut that door. It appears like the Lord is saying that no matter what persecution or tribulation they go through here on earth, there’s a door open awaiting them in heaven, and no one can prevent them from entering that door.

This church did not look for earthly open doors through which they could enter and better themselves financially and materially. They lived on earth with a heavenly perspective, knowing that their real treasures were only in heaven.

Little strength, but…

This city church at Philadelphia seemed to be undergoing so much persecution that they had become weak, with little strength. But they were not willing to give up on their faith. They remained faithful to God’s word and lived it our well. In the face of persecution they were unwilling to deny the name of Jesus, but held fast no matter what.