We have now read parts of the letter to the church in Philadelphia three consecutive times. It is clear by now that divine preservation (“I will keep thee”) and human effort (“hold fast which thou hast”) go hand in hand in this letter. It is also clear now that the Lord is the secret to human obedience and perseverance. It is the LORD who is holy and true. It is the Lord who has the key. The Lord opened the door and took care that no one could close it. It is the Lord who will convert enemies. This is the consistent Biblical message. Salvation is of the Lord, received by grace alone. The secret to obedience is, therefore, to be drawn by the Lord through his word and, consequently, through the Spirit, abiding in the Lord and His word.
Looking back on this letter, we read of a fourfold promise. The first is in verse 9, “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.” The Jewish mockers and adversaries will be conquered by the Lord. The conquered will then share in the victory of the Lord! All of this is in the way of repentance. The second promise comes to us in verse 10, “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.” We read the same thing in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “God will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” The full emphasis is here on the Lord. Jesus himself is the way of escape. The third promise we read in verse 12. “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out.“ The overcomers will become pillars in God's temple. A pillar is permanent. The overcomers will abide in God's house forever. David desired to stay in the Lord’s house forever. The fourth promise is also in verse 12. “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.” Christ will write on those who overcome the Name of His God, the Name of the New Jerusalem, and His own Name. Three sureties are promised here. What riches are here in this threefold surety!
In conclusion, this letter reveals that the church may have limited power, but God's faithfulness is boundless. This understanding should humble us, reminding us of our dependence on the Lord. The church's perseverance is not in its own strength, but in the Lord himself, in His promises, and in His faithfulness.