Useful Bible Studies > Revelation Commentary > chapter 2
At the end of his letter to Thyatira, Christ’s words differ slightly from the end of the previous letters.
He begins with his promise to those people who overcome. They overcome by means of their trust in him, because of his death for them. In this letter, Christ explains what the word ‘overcome’ means. It means to do Christ’s works until the end; in other words, to remain loyal to Christ.
Perhaps Christ explains this because some people in Thyatira had a wrong idea about how to overcome Satan (verse 24). They wrongly taught that Christians could do wrong and evil actions without any damage to their relationship with God (verse 20). Probably, they imagined that they were overcoming Satan by this means. However, Christ declared that they were wrong. In order to overcome, Christians must remain loyal to Christ.
Most people are constantly doing things for their own advantage. For that reason, they do many evil things. Perhaps they do those things because they allow their wrong desires to direct their lives. Perhaps, like those people in Thyatira, they are trying to gain power for themselves. When people behave like that, they are carrying out their own works. In other words, they are working for their own benefit.
Christ says that Christians should constantly carry out his (Christ’s) works. They should do what he directs them to do. They should not work for their own advantage; they should do his work in this world. The Bible often calls God’s people: the servants of God. God is their master; they should serve him.
Next part: The rule of God’s people (Revelation 2:27)
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© 2016, Keith Simons.