View Points of the Seven Churches

1. Actual Churches that were either good or backslidden.
2. Symbolizing the condition of churches today.
3. Seven periods of church history and/or seven different kinds of churches throughout the church age. While to separate view points, they are similar.

“Church Age”

Dispensationalists (Harold Camping) believe that the 7 churches represent seven distinct periods in the history of the church and that the letters to the churches are descriptive details of the church during that period. They believe that the interpretations of the letters were hidden to the early church because the time for church history needed to pass to in order to develop the history. While Dispensationalists hold that the problems listed in the letters apply to the “Church Age” or period of time, the Blue Letter Bible Commentary adds that these distinctive characteristics of each church period does not disappear with that period but continues on down through the next period thereby increasing the imperfections of the visible church until the end.

• The messenger is Paul, the Church Age is 53-170, and Revelation describes this age in the Letter to Ephesus.
• The messenger is Irenaeus, the Church Age is 170-312, and Revelation describes this age in the Letter to Smyrna.
• The messenger is Martin, the Church Age is 312-606, and Revelation describes this age in the Letter to Pergamos.
• The messenge is Columba, the Church Age is 606-1520, and Revelation describes this age in the Letter to Thyatira.
• The messenger is Martin Luther, the Church Age is 1520-1750, and Revelation describes this age in the Letter to Sardis.
• The messenger is John Wesley, the Church Age is 1750-1906, and Revelation describes this age in the Letter to Philadelphia.
• The messenger is William Branham, the Church Age is 1908-????, and Revelation describes this age in the Letter to Laodicea.

In Opposition (Dr. Ken Matto) to the “Church Age” teaching you should note:

• There is no indication in Revelations 2 and 3 that would indicate that the letters are representing an era.
• The example of the Philadelphia period as a faithful period of time would indicate that there were no false doctrines or church existing during that period – obviously not true.
• The Bible speaks of two ages in the church:
• “Present Age” beginning at the time of creation and will not end until the last person will be saved on the last day. Scriptures referring to the “Present Age” Rom 8: 18, 1 Cor 7:26, Gal 1:4, 2 Tim 4:10, Titus 2:12, Mathew 13:40, Luke 20:34, John 8:23, Rom 12:2, 1 Cor 3:19, Eph 2:2.
• “Age to Come” eternal life. Heb 13:14, Heb 9:11, Heb 6:5, 1 Tim 6:19, 1 Tim 4:8, Eph 2:7, Eph 1:21, Luke 18:30, Mark 10:30 all refer to the time “to come” So in effect “A New Heaven and a New Earth.”
• The Bible only speaks of the present age where God is reaching out to his children and preparing them for the next age of eternal life.

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