As I've been studying the individual messages to the 7 churches (Revelation 2-3), I've been very struck by the way Jesus addresses both each church collectively, and also the individuals within it.
Take the message to Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) as an example.
Jesus addresses the whole church
In verses 2-6, all of the "you" words are "you" in the singular. That's all the pronouns:
- your deeds (2)
- your perseverance (2)
- against you (4)
- your first love (4)
- I will come to you (5)
- remove your lampstand (5)
That's also all the (second person) verbs:
- you cannot tolerate wicked people (2)
- you have persevered (3)
- you have endured for my name (3)
- you have not grown weary (3)
- you have forsaken (4)
- remember the height (5)
- repent (5)
- do your first deeds (5)
- if you do not repent (5)
- you have this [in your favour] (6)
- you hate (6)
It's clear that Jesus is addressing the church collectively, corporately. This church is marked by deeds, by perseverance, and by an intolerance of wicked people / false apostles. This church has lost its first love. This church must remember its former heights, repent, and do again the things they used to do. If not, this church (symbolised by its lampstand) will be removed, because Jesus will visit the church.
Jesus addresses the individuals
But churches are made up of individuals. And this message (as with each of the 7 messages in Revelation 2-3) ends with an address to each individual within the church:
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
The singulars and plurals are slightly confused there in English, because the NIV is trying to gender-neutral so opts for "them" to avoid using "him". But it's actually quite clear. Jesus addresses each person who has ears (singular), and invites him (or her) to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Then it's plural: To those who are victorious (who take on board the challenge Jesus issues to this church), Jesus will give to them (plural) to eat from the tree of life.
Regardless of what the Ephesian church does in response to this message, and regardless of what Jesus does temporally in response, each individual has to make their response. That response has repercussions into eternity.
You're not defined by your church
For those in healthy churches, this is a sobering warning. We cannot piggy-back on a faithful church. If a church, collectively, is faithful to Jesus, he will bless that church. But the individuals within that church must each make their own response to Jesus. Their access to the tree of life / deliverance from the second death / access to the hidden manna, share in Jesus' eternal rule over the nations / etc. — all hinge on whether they personally responded to Jesus' call to love him to the end.
Some Christians struggle to find a church to join that shares the things they hold dear. The great news here is that they can join a local church, with all its struggles, failures and weaknesses (and the joys you only discover as you become a part of it), and their destiny is not tied to that of the church. At the end of the day, different people respond differently to Jesus in every church.
Listen in stereo
Which means that, as we listen to any part of the Bible (because this is wider than just Revelation 2-3), we need to be asking two questions: 1. What is this saying to us, as a church? 2. Regardless of what response the church makes, what is Jesus saying to me, as an individual?
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