Revelation 2:1-7

“When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent’ (Mat 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” —Martin Luther, 95 Theses (Thesis #1)

“There is no evidence in the annals of ancient Israel or in the pages of the New Testament that churches were ever much better or much worse than they are today. A random selection of seven churches in any century, including our own, would turn up something very much like the seven churches to which St. John was pastor.” —Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder