These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars…
—Revelation 3:1

When we read the letters to the angels of the seven churches, Jesus’ words may frighten us, because we apply them to ourselves personally. After all, He was speaking to the churches, which means to believers, wasn’t He? First, Jesus did not speak these words to the churches but to the angels of the churches, and second, as I wrote earlier about the angel of the church of Laodicea, many of them were unbelievers. It is the same with the angel of the church in Sardis. Here it is even more obvious. Jesus says to him: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” [Rev.3:1] What name did he bear that shows a person is alive? Christian. After all, Christ is our life, and He said: “…he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” [Jhn.5:24] Jesus found the works of the angel of Sardis imperfect, because he did not believe in Him whom God sent [Jhn.6:29], and so he was dead, an unbeliever. If that is not enough, Jesus also said to him: “Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” [Rev.3:3]. For those who believe in Jesus, that day will not come as a thief, because Paul wrote: “…you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.” [1 Ths.5:4].

If the angel in Sardis was an unbeliever, how is it that Jesus holds him in His right hand? [Rev.1:16,20] Jesus holds believers in His hand, doesn’t He? There seems to be some confusion. But there is no confusion in the Word of God; we just need to let the Word itself explain to us whom Jesus holds in His right hand. What does the right hand symbolise? The righteousness of God. That is exactly why Jesus sits at the right hand of God: He is the righteousness of God. So those whom Jesus holds in His right hand are the righteous. And who are the righteous? “Believers, of course. After all, the just shall live by faith.” A correct answer, but not the whole answer. Such an answer points to a person and what he did to become righteous. In fact, the righteous person is the one whom God justifies. Paul writes: “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.” [Rom.5:18].

Why did people become sinners? Because Adam committed an offence. Why are people righteous? Because Jesus did a righteous act. Justification for whom — only for believers? Not only, because it is written: justification came “to all men.” Justification has been given to everyone; the names of all people are written in the book of life. “And what does the book of life have to do with it?” Just this: the names of the righteous are written in this book. David, moved by the spirit, said: “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous.” [Ps.69:28]. “So does everyone go to heaven automatically?” I didn’t say that. God has given salvation to all people, because Jesus died for the sins of all mankind. Likewise, thanks to Jesus’ righteous act, justification has been given to all men, and everyone has been given righteous white garments, but not everyone has accepted the gift of salvation and justification. In the parable of the minas everyone received silver [redemption], but one gave it back, not having accepted [used] the redemption from the Lord, but having hidden it away. In the parable of the wedding feast everyone was invited to the feast and given white garments, but one came without a wedding garment, because, as Paul wrote: “being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” [Rom.10:3].

That is why Jesus reminded the angel of Sardis: “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent“, for he had defiled his garments. Defiled them with what? With works, like Cain, and not with faith, like Abel, by trying to earn his own righteousness. Jesus said to him: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life…” [Rev.3:5] The one who overcomes is the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. [1 Jhn.5:5] White garments have been given to everyone, but the one who believes puts them on. Everyone’s name is written in the book of life, but the Lord will not blot out the names of those who overcome [believe]. The Word of God says: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” [Jhn.1:12]. Glory to the Lord for His victory and resurrection, through which He has given all of us His righteousness — the white garments that we have put on by faith.