Sardisean Church Age

The Age of Sardis extends from 1520 - 1750, and is marked by the successful uprising against the Papacy by Martin Luther and other reformers.

[edit] Summary

• The Ephesian Age left its first love,
• The Smyrian Age fought with Satan, and
• The Pergamian Age prostituted Christianity with paganism,
• The Thyariran Age was under the dominion of Jezebel,
• The Sardisian Age was the age of death, and few righteous

And unto the angel of the church of Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

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.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 3:1-6

Jesus says to this age that they have "a name that thou livest, and art dead". While each of the former ages held the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the reformers retained the Catholic use of Titles (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). Jesus also says that the works of this Age are not "perfect before God." Luther and the reformers turned in the right direction, but kept a foot in Catholicism by persecuting the Jews and other Christians and Catholics, and forming their own organizations which were often linked to politics.

In 1520, there were four main denominations: the Roman Catholic Church, The Eastern Orthodox Church, The Ethiopian Church, and the Assyrian (Indian) Church - divided primarily by location. By 1750, there were numerous organized Protestant denominations, including the Anglicans, Lutherans, Mennonites, Baptists, Hutterites, Moravians, Pilgrims, Armenians, Puritans, Quakers, and Huguenots. Many of these groups were persecuted by the Catholic Church, but also persecuted the Catholic Church and each other when the opportunity arose.

Many of these movements were genuine in their origin, but soon became organized and joined with politics as their popularity grew. Rather than holding to Christianity, Protestants and Catholics were now known by the names of their founder, rather than by their identity in Christ.

Just as Jezebel, an idolatress, ruled the kingdom of Israel, and her daughter Athaliah later ruled the kingdom of Judah, so Rome continued to extert its influence over part of Christianity, while the Protestant daughter began to exert her influence over another portion of Christianity.

Martin Luther, the Angel to the church at Sardis, translated the Bible into German, and was the inspiration of the Reformation. However, while his teaching of "the just shall live by faith" clothed him in a pure garment, he soon got his hands dirty in politics.

Those who did not defile their garments during this time can be traced to the many martyrs during the continued Inquisition, and to simple Christian who did not get involved in politics. Some of the more notable Protestants during this time who did not get their hands bloody with politics include (without giving regard to their actual doctrine):

• William Tyndale: Translated the Bible into English, and was burned alive on 6 October 1536. His final words reportedly were, "Oh Lord, open the King of England's eyes". Tyndale is quoted as saying "I defy the Pope, and all his laws; and if God spares my life, I will cause the boy that drives the plow in England to know more of the Scriptures than the Pope himself!" (Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Chap XII) Tyndale introduced the following phrases into English during his translation: "let there be light", "the powers that be", "my brother's keeper", "the salt of the earth", "a law unto themselves", "filthy lucre", "it came to pass", "gave up the ghost", "Jehovah", "Passover", "atonement", and "scapegoat".

• Isaac Watts: (July 17, 1674 – November 25, 1748) is recognised as the "Father of English Hymnody", as he was the first prolific and popular English hymnwriter, credited with some 750 hymns.

• John Bunyan (November 28, 1628 – August 31, 1688), a Christian writer and preacher. He wrote The Pilgrim's Progress, arguably the most famous published Christian allegory.

• George Fox: (July 1624 – January 13, 1691) was an English Dissenter and a major early figure — usually considered the founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers. Toward the end of his life, he wrote a letter for general circulation pointing out that Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and David were all keepers of sheep or cattle, and that a learned education should not therefore be seen as a qualification for ministry. (Marsh 1847, 364)

• Menno Simons: (1496–January 31, 1561) was an Anabaptist religious leader from Friesland. Quoted as saying "Christ is our fortress; patience our weapon of defense; the Word of God our sword. ... Iron and metal spears and swords we leave to those who, alas, regard human blood and swine’s blood of well-nigh equal value." "

• Jacob Hutter (died February 25, 1536) was an Anabaptist religious leader who practiced community of goods, nonviolence, and baptism of adult believers. He was tortured and burned alive on February 25, 1536.

While it is not known how bloody the reign of Ethiopian Emperor Fasilides was, he did expell all of the Jesuits from Ethiopia after he read of their bloody inquisitions in other nations, allowing Ethiopian Christianity to flourish independent of Rome or Protestantism for another few hundred years.

Jesus message to the Angel of Sardis indicates that there will be those who will have their names blotted from the book of life. While this article does not judge individuals, it does seek to contrast the lives of the men noted above, who sought righteousness and holiness, with the Popes of Rome and various Protestant people, who continued the promote the persecution of fellow humans throughout the Age of Sardis.

• The Spanish Inquistion in Spain, Sicily, Southern Italy, Mexico and Peru continued until 1834.
• Protestants and Catholics continued to condemn witchraft, and killed thousands in witchhunts.
• The Thirty Years' War was fought between 1618 and 1648, between Protestants and Catholics, resulting in deaths, and for the most part famine.
• The Portugese, Goa (India), and Roman inquistions continued.

• The French philosopher Voltaire wrote "Goa is sadly famous for its inquisition, which is contrary to humanity as much as to commerce. The Portuguese monks deluded us into believing that the Indian populace was worshipping the Devil, while it is they who served him." (Voltaire, Lettres sur l'origine des sciences et sur celle des peuples de l'Asie (first published Paris, 1777), letter of 15 December 1775)

• Pope Clement VII, who had an illigitimate son, denied Henry VIII's divorice (this website condones neither divorce, nor having illigitimate children).
• The Popes supported and commissioned Renaissance art, much of which was pornographic.

[edit] See Also

Summary of the 7 Church Ages