THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.A. A. Each time, Christ mentioned the Each time, Christ mentioned the

positive results first, if any. positive results first, if any. 1. Ephesus - doctrinal stability1. Ephesus - doctrinal stability

2 2  I know your works, your labor, your  I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and are not, and have found them liars; 3 3  and you have persevered and have  and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become name's sake and have not become weary. weary.

THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.A. A. Each time, Christ mentioned the positive Each time, Christ mentioned the positive results first, if any. results first, if any. 1. 1. Ephesus - doctrinal stabilityEphesus - doctrinal stability2. 2. Smyrna [only good mentioned, Smyrna [only good mentioned, collectively]collectively]3. 3. Pergamos - virtue in a difficult situationPergamos - virtue in a difficult situation

13 13  I know your works, and where you  I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan was killed among you, where Satan dwells. dwells.

THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.A. A. Each time, Christ mentioned the Each time, Christ mentioned the

positive results first, if any. positive results first, if any. 1. 1. Ephesus - doctrinal stabilityEphesus - doctrinal stability2. 2. Smyrna [only good mentioned, Smyrna [only good mentioned,

collectively]collectively]3. 3. Pergamos - virtue in a difficult situationPergamos - virtue in a difficult situation4. 4. Thyatira - abundance of worksThyatira - abundance of works

19 19  I know your works, love, service,  I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the your works, the last are more than the first. first.

THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.A. A. Each time, Christ mentioned the Each time, Christ mentioned the

positive results first, if any. positive results first, if any. 1. 1. Ephesus - doctrinal stabilityEphesus - doctrinal stability2. 2. Smyrna [only good mentioned, Smyrna [only good mentioned,

collectively]collectively]3. 3. Pergamos - virtue in a difficult situationPergamos - virtue in a difficult situation4. 4. Thyatira - abundance of worksThyatira - abundance of works5. 5. Sardis [nothing good mentioned, Sardis [nothing good mentioned,

collectively] collectively] 6. 6. Philadelphia [only good mentioned, Philadelphia [only good mentioned,

collectively] collectively] 7. 7. Laodicea [nothing good mentioned, Laodicea [nothing good mentioned,

period]period]

THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.A. A. Each time, Christ mentioned the Each time, Christ mentioned the

positive results first, if any. positive results first, if any. B. B. However, the Lord cannot ignore sin. However, the Lord cannot ignore sin.

23 23  For the wages of sin is death, but the  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. our Lord.

9 9  The Lord is not slack concerning His  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. should come to repentance.

THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.A. A. Each time, Christ mentioned the Each time, Christ mentioned the

positive results first, if any. positive results first, if any. B. B. However, the Lord cannot ignore sin. However, the Lord cannot ignore sin. 1.1.He did not emphasize the positive results to He did not emphasize the positive results to

the exclusion of the negative. the exclusion of the negative.

4 4  Nevertheless I have this against you,  Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. that you have left your first love. 14 14  But I have a few things against you,  But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. sexual immorality.

20 20  Nevertheless I have a few things  Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. and eat things sacrificed to idols.

THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.A. A. Each time, Christ mentioned the Each time, Christ mentioned the

positive results first, if any. positive results first, if any. B. B. However, the Lord cannot ignore sin. However, the Lord cannot ignore sin. 1.1.He did not emphasize the positive results to He did not emphasize the positive results to

the exclusion of the negative. the exclusion of the negative. 2.2.Nor did He "manufacture" good where there Nor did He "manufacture" good where there

was none. was none. 3.3.Divine love is tough.Divine love is tough.

19 19  As many as I love, I rebuke and  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. repent.

THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.THE EXAMINATION WAS BALANCED.A. A. Each time, Christ mentioned the Each time, Christ mentioned the

positive results first, if any. positive results first, if any. B. B. However, the Lord cannot ignore sin. However, the Lord cannot ignore sin. C. C. Difficult situations do not justify wrong. Difficult situations do not justify wrong.

13 13  I know your works, and where you  I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan was killed among you, where Satan dwells. dwells. 14 14  But I have a few things against you,  But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. sexual immorality.

The Lord will “judge righteous The Lord will “judge righteous judgment" as He examines the judgment" as He examines the church, here. church, here.

He will judge personally and impartiallyHe will judge personally and impartially He will look at both the whole and the He will look at both the whole and the

individual partsindividual parts He will emphasize the positive, but not He will emphasize the positive, but not

overlook the negative. overlook the negative. We must also use these same We must also use these same

criteria, when we examine a local criteria, when we examine a local church.church.