Revelation 3 1-6

“To the angel of the Messianic Community in Sardis, write: ‘Here is the message from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars: “I know what you are doing — you have a reputation for being alive, but in fact you are dead! Wake up, and strengthen what remains, before it dies too! For I have found what you are doing incomplete in the sight of my God. So remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and turn from your sin! For if you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief; and you don’t know at what moment I will come upon you. Nevertheless, you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes; and they will walk with me, clothed in white, because they are worthy. He who wins the victory will, like them, be dressed in white clothing; and I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life; in fact, I will acknowledge him individually before my Father and before his angels. Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities.”’
Complete Jewish Bible

Devotional

The church in Sardis was dead; that is, basically populated by unredeemed, unregenerate people. Here the reference is not to Christ’s second coming, but to His sudden and unexpected coming to His unrepentant, dead church to inflict harm and destruction. Defiled means to smear, to pollute or to stain, and garments refer to characters. There were a few whose character was still godly. The white garments of all the redeemed speak of holiness and purity. Such white robes are reserved for Christ., holy angels and the glorified church. In the ancient world, white robes were commonly worn at festivals and celebrations. A divine journal records the names of all those whom God has chosen to save and who, therefore, are to posess eternal life. Under no circumstances will He erase those names as city officials often did of undesirable people on their rolls.