Worthy

“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy.” (Revelation 3:4)

In His message to the church in Sardis, Jesus says to the pastor of the church that they were known by reputation to be alive, but they were actually dead. They were full of sin, actually not knowing Christ. It may have been a pretense to know Christ. I can say with confidence that they were not saved. People who are redeemed and have received the Holy Spirit may fall into sin, but they are not dead in sin. Dead in sin means they don’t have the Holy Spirit. They are still living in the kingdom of darkness. They have not been reborn of God. And they don’t have the nature of God, but of sin and darkness. Their spirits have not been reborn. (Revelation 3:1)

Then in verse 2, Jesus tells the pastor to strengthen the “things that remain.” Evidently things had deteriorated, but some things of the Gospel still remained, but faintly because they “are ready to die.” Jesus tells the pastor to strengthen them. And in verse 3 commands the church to repent.

Evidently there were some in the church who were born again and redeemed. They had not given in to idolatry nor had they abandoned the teachings of the Gospel. They had rejected any false doctrine. And their lives exhibited righteous living in the spirit and in Jesus. They receive a commendation from Jesus. They will “walk with Me in white.” Jesus reveals that they will be with Him in eternity. The term “in white” refers to the garments of rejoicing and celebration which Jews would wear in celebrations. We get the image of beings in heaven dressed in white robes because of specific verses in Revelation.

In Revelation 4:4 we get a glimpse of the elders around the throne dressed in white robes. “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. (Revelation 4:4) In Revelation 6:11, we get a glimpse of the martyred saints who receive white robes. “And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” (Revelation 6:11) In Revelation 7:9, a multitude of people stand before Jesus in white robes. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;” (Revelation 7:9) One of the elders asks John who the ones in white robes are. John replies that he knows who they are. And the elder reveals they are those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb during the Tribulation. “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14) And the church is given white robes which represents the righteousness of the saints. “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.” (Revelation 19:8)

Jesus also says that these saints in Sardis are worthy. They are not worthy because of their own righteousness, but worthy because they are born again and have received the righteousness of Jesus. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” (Romans 3:22) While we are here on earth, in this earthly body and living in this natural world, there is no possible way to be righteous on our own strength because we are flesh and blood and of this world. And anything in this world is tainted with sin. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2Corinthians 5:21) Our spirits have been reborn of God. In Jesus we are righteous. “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” (1Corinthians 1:30) It’s the righteousness of Jesus that we have received because we believe on Him. It’s because we are in Jesus that we can stand before the Almighty God in the very throne room and not be consumed by the wrath of God toward sin. It’s the blood of Jesus that covers us, cleanses us and makes us pure, clean and holy. So we can go before the Father like His child and petition for our needs and the needs of others. We can fellowship with Jesus and commune with the Holy Spirit. We can also say of ourselves that we are worthy in Jesus.