The State of The Church: What Does Jesus See? | Day 5: A Church Without Spot or Wrinkle

If Jesus returned today, would He find a Church that is ready for Him? Not a popular church. Not a wealthy church. Not a busy church. But a faithful church.

As we come to the final day of this series, we have journeyed through the departure of God's glory, the danger of compromise, the tolerance of sin, and the necessity of cleaning house. 

Today, we arrive at God's ultimate goal for His people: a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle, cleansed by Christ and prepared for His coming.

Family, God is preparing a bride.

From Genesis to Revelation, the story of redemption is the story of a God pursuing a people for Himself. He is not merely building an organisation. He is not merely establishing a religion, a ministry or a church. God is preparing a people who belong to Him.

The Apostle Paul describes this beautifully.

Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV), “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

We see here that Christ is not returning for a church that is perfect because of its own efforts. He is returning for a church that has been cleansed, sanctified, and transformed through His work.

The goal was never perfection in human strength. The goal is to surrender to Christ.

That is why God is not looking for a perfect church. He is looking for a faithful, repentant, holy, and surrendered people.

King Asa provides a powerful example of what that looks like.

When Asa became king, he inherited a nation that had drifted from God. Yet instead of accepting the spiritual condition he found, he chose to pursue the Lord wholeheartedly.

2 Chronicles 14:2-3 (KJV), “And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:"

Like Josiah after him, Asa understood that if God's people wanted God's blessing, they could not continue holding on to idols.

But Asa did not stop there.

In 2 Chronicles 15:12 (KJV), we read: “And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;"

That is the difference between religion and revival. Religion goes through the motions. Revival seeks God with the whole heart. The result was remarkable.

2 Chronicles 15:15 (KJV), ”And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about."

The nation experienced peace because the people sought God wholeheartedly.

Family, that still holds today. Many people are seeking peace without seeking God. Many want the blessings of God without the surrender that God requires. Many want heaven without holiness.

But God is calling His people to wholehearted devotion. Are we willing and obedient?

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God described the kind of people He desires.

Jeremiah 24:7 (KJV), ”And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart."

Not a divided heart. Not a half-hearted commitment. Not occasional obedience. A whole heart.

The prophet Zephaniah paints a similar picture.

Zephaniah 3:12-13 (KJV), ”I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth..."

Notice the characteristics of God's people: trust, integrity, humility, and faithfulness. Not perfection. Faithfulness.

This brings us to the Church of Philadelphia. Unlike many of the other churches in Revelation, Philadelphia received no rebuke from Christ.

Jesus said in Revelation 3:8 (KJV), “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."

Philadelphia was not praised because it was large. It was not praised because it was influential. It was praised because it remained faithful.

That is the kind of Church Jesus is looking for today: a Church that is faithful, not faithless; holy, not compromised; spiritually alive, not spiritually dry; repentant, not merely religious. Faithful like Philadelphia: loving, truthful, without legalism, and ready for the return of Jesus Christ.

Family, the final picture of the Church in Scripture is not one of defeat but of preparation.

Revelation 19:7-8 (KJV), “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

Did you hear those words? "His wife hath made herself ready."

Family, the Church is not to wait passively. The Church must be about preparing. The Church must be growing. The Church must surrender. The Church is allowing Christ to finish His work.

As we conclude this series, let us remember that the goal was and is never to condemn the Church. The goal is to become the Church Christ intended.

So let us end where we began—with a question. If Jesus were to write a letter to our church today, what would He commend, what would He rebuke, and what would He tell us to do before He comes?

And perhaps an even more important question: If Jesus were to write a letter to me today, what would He say? 

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