Zombie Church
REVELATION 2:1-7
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
The entire text of Revelation is a circular letter that was to be shared among seven churches located in separate cities in the Roman province of Asia Minor (which is modern-day western Turkey).
But at the beginning of the letter there is a specific message from Jesus to each of the seven churches in turn. Imagine Jesus handwriting a brief note at the top of the letter to each addressee respectively.
Today we begin with the message to Ephesus. And that message is: Beware lest you become a zombie church.
Ephesus was the greatest city in the Roman province of Asia, and one of the places Paul lived during his apostolic ministry.
The one with the seven stars and seven lampstands is Jesus (see chapter 1). He is walking among the churches (we learn in chapter 1 that the lampstands represent churches), which means he knows them intimately, both their good and their bad.
One of the major themes of Revelation is truth, and Jesus commends the Ephesians for their hard work and their commitment to truth. Apparently, there were people who claimed to be apostles but were charlatans, and the Ephesians correctly identified them as such. The way one discerns between true and false teachers in the church hasn’t changed: true teachers teach in accordance with the faith that’s been delivered to us from the true apostles; false teachers invent new teachings and doctrines. Always test everything you hear in church by comparing it with the vast, ancient body of Christian teaching. (And the same goes for this commentary!)
Though the Ephesians are courageously bearing witness for Christ in a hostile culture, nevertheless they have ceased to love God and each other in the way they did at first.
Truth is important, but true doctrines are nothing if they are not joined with loving hearts. To love is to will the good of the other.
What does it mean for the Lord to remove the lampstand of the Ephesian church if they don’t repent? I think it means that they would become a zombie church. In other words, they might not literally cease to exist as an organization, but because of their unfaithfulness, the life-giving Spirit would leave.
How many churches do you know that fit that description?
I’ll say more about the Nicolaitans in later commentary. As to what it means to “conquer", this is actually the central message of Revelation to the churches—what it will look like for them to “win”. We’re getting ahead of ourselves, but let me just say that to conquer in Revelation means bearing true witness to the truth of Jesus.
Anyway, I think the idea of the Spirit being removed from an unfaithful church is a convicting idea. Such a church would have “the form of religion, but none of the power.” A zombie church, in other words: one that looks alive, but is actually dead.
Lord, save us from such a fate.