We are familiar with the Seven Churches as found in Revelation 2 and 3; however I’d like to look into why each church was either alive or dead, and what can be learned about each one.

Now a church is a group of people attending together worshiping God, so the churches themselves fall into these groups when the members themselves do the same.

Fifth warning: The danger of claiming to be alive while being dead

This warning comes from the church of Sardis in Revelation 3: 1-2

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

I'm sure you've seen the application before. It's everywhere; these supposed great churches full of members who are all spiritually dying. Said death comes when the warnings mentioned before in this series are alive in the members of the church. 

Now, after the removal of the cancer that causes churches to die, for those, all is not lost. Whether they return or not is up to them, but in this regard, the goal of the church is to focus on those who strive to worship in truth. Those who are growing and who are alive should be encouraged. Or as 1 Corinthians 5: 4-8 put it

 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,  deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

That’s why, while it is difficult, church discipline is necessary. For those who are cut off, if they realize their sin, repent, and strive to live a godly life, we are to accept them back, of course, but until that time, they can not have the opportunity to try to persuade others to fall away.