It has been said by many individuals within the "churches" of God, that ONLY the Philadelphians will qualify to
enter into God's Kingdom. Have you really checked to see what your Bible says about this?
We are now in the Laodicean era of God's Church. God says that the WHOLE Church is caught up in it, and that we have
ALL slumbered and slept (Matt. 25:5).
But WHO does Christ Himself say will qualify to enter into His Kingdom? Let's look at His Word. He after all, IS
the Word.
Notice beginning in Revelation chapter 2 where Christ begins to address the seven era's or conditions of His Church.
In verse one of course He begins with Ephesus. But notice VERSE 7, breaking into the middle of the verse Christ says:
"To him who OVERCOMES I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." In other
words - ETERNAL LIFE or inheritance of the Kingdom of God!
Now to the next era - Smyrna, notice verse 11. Christ says: "He who OVERCOMES shall not be hurt by the second death."
In other words- ETERNAL LIFE!
As you will see here as we go on, the point is that Christ grants entrance into His Kingdom to OVERCOMERS from
each era or condition of His Church, NOT just Philadelphia. Notice verses 17 and 26. The SAME promise of ETERNAL LIFE
for the OVERCOMERS!
Now on to Revelation chapter 3. Verse 12 is the reward of the Philadelphians because they HELD FAST to what God gave
them (verse 11). That reward is ETERNAL LIFE.
But NOTICE now something a little different about the Laodiceans. Verses 15 thru 20 is all a STERN CORRECTION from
Christ! Then he concludes that correction with a command to REPENT (turn back). And to those who do and reclaim what was given
us in the previous era, He says in verse 21: "To him who OVERCOMES I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also
OVERCAME and sat down with My Father on His throne."
Yes even the Laodiceans have the same opportunity for ETERNAL LIFE, (IF) they REPENT and OVERCOME! Overcome what?
The Laodicean condition of being "self-right" and lukewarm for God's truth. And REPENT of what? Repent or turn back from
the Laodicean condition and back unto the standard that they fell-away from in the first place. The condition they were in
just before they became Laodicean! That does NOT mean we can become "Philadelphian" again. That is impossible. That
is a time period or era that is now history and behind us. But we CAN hold to that standard and all the truth given to us
during that time. Philadelphia was indeed the only era that Christ had nothing corrective or bad to say about. And
it was the ONLY time God gave His Church an OPEN DOOR to preach the gospel.
BUT NOTICE! Even still it is NOT the Philadelpians or Philadelphian "era" who will inherit God's Kingdom. Christ
tells each era that it will be the OVERCOMERS who will inherit Eternal life!
If ONLY the Philadelphians enter into God's Kingdom, then there would be no hope for ALL who lived before that time
in the previous Church eras, and EVEN BEFORE the Church age. All the way back to righteous Abel and to Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, king David and the prophet Daniel, and all the prophets of old that God used. All those righteous men and
women would not "qualify" for God's Kingdom. And why? BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PHILADELPHIANS!
So we should be able to see then that the idea that only Philadelphians inherit God's Kingdom, is NOT Biblical!
It is the OVERCOMERS that will inherit the Kingdom of God. Just as Christ Himself says.
May God help us all to OVERCOME this Laodicean condition, and REPENT and HOLD FAST to what was given to us DURING
the Philadelphia era!
