Repentance 04

This is the fourth of seven messages Pastor Doug Riggs gave in his interviews with GeorgeAnn Hughes in her podcast, The ByteShow recorded November-December 2011.
Here are my notes:
o This session picks up the focus of repentance as called for by Jesus Christ to the seven churches in Asia (Revelation 2 & 3) needed at that time as well as the prophetic unfolding for the next 2,000+ years culminating in the day of the Lord and the rapture.
o I have these dates notated in my Bible from when years ago Doug taught on this passage. Though each church is primarily characterized by certain issues that are addressed and occur during the indicated time periods, elements of Thyatira, Sardis and Philadelphia continue to the end of the church age, the last period primarily characterized by Laodicea.
o Doug reminds us that these seven letters are written to Christians – not unbelievers. Christians are called to repentance in these letters.
o When Jesus warns the messenger of the church at Sardis that He will ‘come like a thief’, He’s not referring to the rapture. He’s warning of judgment on the church – the day of visitation – judgment beginning with the household of God – a fiery ordeal the church will soon face if the warning to repent is ignored. It’s time to wake up!
o What is the KEY to understanding the word of God? It’s the mystery revealed to Paul. The revelation of the mystery clears up all confusion and error when it comes to many doctrines – especially eschatology, the study of end times. “When you have that key, the entire word of God fits.”
o As Jesus will come to deliver a surviving remnant at His 2nd Advent, those Jews and believing Gentiles who are alive and survive the holocaust of the 7 year day of the Lord (Tribulation), so Jesus will come to deliver a surviving remnant, Christians who are alive and survive the day of visitation. This is ‘remnant theology’ rarely heard from the pulpits of churches. Jesus delivers remnants – this we find throughout the Bible. “Remnant theology is a core doctrine, and it is completely left out of all pre-tribulation pre-millennial teachers that I know of. And the key to understanding that is understanding the day of visitation.”
o “There’s another visitation coming at the end of the church age… Jesus is going to return to a prepared bride… a bride without spot or wrinkle; which means there’s going to be an elimination process.”
o “Remnant theology is a judgment that is a reduction – sifting – so that only a surviving remnant remains. This is the pattern that will close the church age.”
o “There is a judgment coming on the church that is corporate, and it’s going to sift out everything that is unholy. It’s radical – it’s a radical eschatology, and it’s just as radical an eschatology as we see and apply to the end of the Jewish period – the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Look at Revelation 6 through 18. That’s radical eschatology.”
o “The church will have to pass through her own tribulation prior to Israel and the nations passing through their tribulation.”
o “The church is not in the tribulation period, because it’s going to experience the judgments of God on the church first.”
o “’Knowing the time…’ To know the time means you have to be instructed in the word of God to know why you’re in the last generation.”
o Jesus’ sacrifice “was towards God, to maintain the integrity of God as Man for man. As God, He experienced the effects of sin on mankind because He’s God-Man, and as Man, He experienced the judgment of God on mankind representatively.”
o “We’re not only doctrinally correct, but our walk evidences the testimony of Jesus. That’s the recovery of Sardis.”
o “What’s the armor of light? That means the exterior – the light is the manifestation of the divine nature, the character of Christ seen. That’s the testimony of Jesus. It’s seen – light. The divine nature is in all of us at new birth, but it’s covered by the old man.”
o Ephesians 1 – 3: our position; our standing in Christ; Ephesians 4 – 6:9: bring into manifestation our position through our walk and conduct; Ephesians 6:10 and following: the warfare required for our position and our walk to be realized.”
o “The inheritance is far different than salvation. The inheritance is all that which embodies a full reward – attaining full reward, coming to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ, to being filled unto all the fulness of God… It’s ours in Christ – but it is a fight to get there.”
o “The day of visitation is a two-edged sword. It’s judgment upon that which is Thyatira; upon that which is Sardis; upon that which is Laodicea. And when it comes to that which is Philadelphian in character, it’s exaltation.”
o “The day of the Lord can’t come unless the great apostasy comes first… As we approach the end, we are either going to be in the category of Philadelphia… or Laodicea.”

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