His whole premise is based upon the idea that the the early Catholic church adulterated the Gospel for the MISTAKEN benefit of the hordes of unconverted Pagans who were admitted to the church after Christianity became the official state religion. I don't have much problem accepting THAT because I can see the same thing happening right before my eyes, even as we speak.
Good morning Seeker,
Actually this is not Ray's premise at all, here is an excerpt from the "Lake of Fire" Part 7 http://bible-truths.com/lake7.htmlTHE SEVEN CHURCHES ARE ONE CHURCH
Jesus says that the seven messengers and the seven churches are all, "…in My right hand…" (Rev. 1:20). ONE hand—they are all ONE.
"These things say He that…walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks [addressed to Epheus, but for ALL SEVEN CHURCHES]" (Rev. 2:1).
"He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto…[unto WHOM? Unto Ephesus only? No, read it] …unto the churches" [ALL SEVEN CHURCHES]" (Ver. 7).
God wants ALL the churches to hear what He addresses to Ephesus. And He wants Ephesus to hear what He addresses to Smyrna, "He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches" (Ver. 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22). All the churches are to hear what is spoken to ALL the other churches.
To Ephesus, we find, "He…Who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks [plural]" (Rev. 2:1), must mean that He also walks in the midst of Smyrna too, and Pergamos, and Thyatira, and Sardis, and Philadelphia, and Laodicea ALSO.
Of Ephesus we read, "…to him that OVERCOMES will I give to eat of the TREE OF LIFE…" (Ver. 7).
Do those who "overcome" in Smyrna get "a crown of life" (Ver. 10), but are NOT allowed to "eat of the tree of life?"
Can those in Pergamos who overcome "eat of the hidden manna" (Ver. 17), but are NOT allowed to "eat of the tree of life" as are those in Ephesus?
Does neither Ephesus nor Smyrna get "a crown of life" as do the overcomers of Pergamos? Are the overcomers of Thyatira given "…power over the nations," albeit, they will NOT be allowed, "…to sit down with Me [Jesus] in My throne…." as will the overcomers in Laodicea (3:21)?
Are the overcomers in Pergamos given "…a new name…" (Ver. 17), but do NONE of the other churches also get this new name? The overcomers in Sardis have Christ’s promise that, "I will NOT blot out his name out of the book of life" (3:5).
Is it Sardis ONLY that has this promise? How could Smyrna not have her name in the book of life, since she is given "A crown of LIFE?"
Are not "thy works" mentioned in ALL seven churches? Is not "overcoming" mentioned in ALL seven churches? Are not rewards promised in ALL seven churches? How could Laodicea be "lukewarm" (Rev. 3:16), except that she also "left her first love" (Rev. 2:4)? Or how could Sardis be spiritually DEAD (3:1), except that she also "left her first love?"
Does Jesus "walk in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks [plural] (Rev. 2:1), but speaks by the words of God, "…He which has the sharp sword with two edges [Heb. 4:12]…" to Pergamos only (Ver. 12)?
Does Jesus Christ, Who has "…the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars…" (3:1), which are the seven messengers of the SEVEN churches (plural), speak by only one Spirit to one church (Sardis)? NO! Every church is admonished to "…hear what the Spirit says unto the churches."
Why should Smyrna or Pergamos listen to the Spirit’s message to Ephesus who "…left their first love?"
Is any so foolish as to think Jesus tells all seven churches to "…hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (all the other plural churches), so that they can compare themselves among themselves and see which one Jesus thinks is the holiest of them all? That is nonsense!
ALL seven churches individually, have ALL the problems and ALL the strengths of all the churches combined. It is ONE prophecy, of ONE church, in ONE hand of Jesus, which combine the characteristics of seven churches in Asia that shared all of the good qualities and all of the shortcomings. Some think that Smyrna and Philadelphia did not have any shortcomings. They did. The Scriptures prove it. We will cover that in Part VIII.
All seven churches were spiritually "lukewarm," which is like being spiritually "dead," because they all "left their first love," and they all had a members who "say they are Jews [spiritually circumcised and converted], and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan," and all the congregations of the churches of God down through the generations have been ruled over by the "Nicolaitanes."
ALL SEVEN CHURCHES HAD ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT EACH OTHER HAD, AND ALL OF THE CHURCHES OF GOD DOWN THROUGH THE GENERATIONS HAD ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION HAD. IT IS A PROPHECY OF THIS VERY CHURCH THAT EXISTS AROUND THE WORLD TODAY!
And that my dear readers is how these churches in Asia are all SYMBOLS for what the Church of God would be like from the time John saw this vision, down through two thousand years of Church history, and out into the future when Jesus purges all evil from His Church and brings them all into the Family and Kingdom of His Father!
I hope this clarifies.
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe