Outline
C
The characteristic of the overcomers in Philadelphia is their arriving at the highest peak of the divine revelation of God's economy:
１
One church in Asia was unique and highly appraised by the Lord—the church in Philadelphia; the Lord appreciated them because they kept His word, which means they did not turn away from the word of the apostles' teaching, the healthy teaching of God's economy, the highest peak of the divine revelation—Rev. 3:8; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Tim. 1:3-4.
２
For the overcomers to be pillars in the temple means that they will be pillars in the Triune God, for the temple is "the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb"; God is built into them to make them living and precious stones, and they are built into God to make them pillars of stone in God for their incorporation with God as the mutual abode of God and man—Rev. 3:12a; 21:22, 3; Psa. 90:1; John 14:23; cf. 1 Kings 7:15-22.
３
That the name of God, the name of the New Jerusalem, and the Lord's new name are written upon the overcomers indicates that what God is, the nature of the New Jerusalem, and the person of the Lord have all been wrought into them, labeling them with the Triune God and making them God in life and in nature but not in the Godhead—Rev. 3:12b; 22:4b.
D
The characteristic of the overcomers in Philadelphia is their God-man living by enjoying the riches of Christ—3:7; Isa. 22:15, 20-24:
１
The overcomers in Philadelphia have a little power; this indicates that what pleases the Lord is not our doing much for Him but our doing our best for Him with what we have—Rev. 3:8; 2 Cor. 12:7-10; Mark 14:8.
２
The overcomers in Philadelphia keep and love the Lord's word, which is better to them "than thousands of pieces of gold and silver" (Rev. 3:8; Psa. 119:72, 140); they receive the God-breathed Scripture by means of all prayer to be men of God with the breath of God and by remaining in the healthy teaching of God's economy (Eph. 6:17-18; 2 Tim. 3:14-17; cf. 1 Tim. 6:3-4).
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 3:8 …I have put before you an opened door which no one can shut, because you have a little power and have kept My word and have not denied My name.12 He who overcomes, him I will make a pillar in the temple of My God…
One church was unique and was highly appraised by the Lord—the church in Philadelphia. The Lord highly appraised them and even appreciated them because they kept the word (Rev. 3:8). This means that they did not turn away from the apostle’s proper teaching. Although they were weak, the Lord still appraised them highly, telling them that they had a little power and that they had kept His word.
To turn away from the proper teaching is a terrible thing that will result in degradation and in picking up other teachings…I hope that we would follow the pattern of the church in Philadelphia—keeping the Lord’s word even though we only have a little strength. Let us keep the word of the Lord, which is to remain in the teachings of the apostle, to remain in the healthy words, to remain in the unique revelation from the Lord with the proper leadership. (CWWL, 1986, vol. 1, “Elders’ Training, Book 7: One Accord for the Lord’s Move,” pp. 173-174)
Today’s Reading
The believers are symbolized by pillars [Rev. 3:12]. First, the pillars are the prominent ones among the believers in the church today. This is indicated in Galatians 2:9 where Paul speaks of “James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars.”The pillars are also the overcomers among the believers in the temple of God in the coming age and in eternity. [In] Revelation 3:12…we see that the overcomer will be made a pillar built into the temple of God. Because he is built into God’s building, “he shall by no means go out anymore.” This promise will be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom as a prize to the overcomer.
The Lord makes us pillars by transforming us, that is, by carrying away our natural element and by replacing it with His divine essence. Therefore, the meaning of “make” in 3:12 is to constitute us into something, to construct us in a creative way…The Lord’s work in the church is to work Himself into us as the divine flow to carry away our natural being and replace it with His substance that we may be gradually processed by His transforming element. As the result of this transforming work, we become pillars in the temple of God.
Verse 12 tells us that the overcomers will be pillars in the temple of God in the coming age. However, 21:22, speaking of the New Jerusalem in the coming age and in eternity, says, “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” Here we see that in the New Jerusalem the Triune God Himself will be the temple. This means that for the overcomers to be pillars in the temple means that they will be pillars in the Triune God. This involves being mingled with the Triune God and constituted of Him. This is a mystery.
Even in today’s church life, the overcoming saints are pillars in the Triune God. Furthermore, these saints sometimes have the consciousness that the church is actually nothing other than the Triune God. This fact is indicated by the golden lampstands as a symbol of the church (1:12, 20). Furthermore, the lampstand is the embodiment and expression of the Triune God. The gold of the lampstand signifies the nature of the Father; the form signifies Christ as the embodiment and image of God; and the seven lamps signify the Spirit as the expression…It is not too much to say that, in actuality, the church is the Triune God, because the lampstand is the church and also the embodiment of the Triune God…In the coming age these overcoming believers will be pillars in the temple of God, which is God Himself. From this we see that being made a pillar involves the Triune God being mingled with and constituted into the faithful overcomers. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 1214-1216)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1984, vol. 2, “Elders’ Training, Book 2: The Vision of the Lord’s Recovery,” ch. 8