[af_vet_1981]

There are seven churches of the one holy catholic apostolic Church in Revelation with lamp stands in the scriptures proving they are genuine. Works are mentioned twelve times concerning the genuine churches, teaching for all who have ears to hear how important works are to the Messiah, as if He has not already said so in the Gospels.

[MHGinTN]

FIRST, the seven churches have nothing to do with The Roman Catholic religion.

SECOND, the 'works' you seem to want to be proud of are not praise worthy in the majority of the gathering believers! That apparently went right over your head, or your coach is not giving you full disclosure.

THIRD, Jesus addresses the seven and that is all you need as evidence that they are genuine bodies of believers.

FOURTH, you completely missed the point of HIS lesson; the works are AFTER the believers are already alive forever more and THAT is why JESUS addresses the gatherings because they are in need of correction, not salvation. Now I realize that is a completely alien concept to a catholic steeped mind like yours, but the correction is not to get them 're-saved' it is to improve their strength IN THE FAMILY TO WHICH THEY ALREADY BELONG. How can I say that?... Their lampstand, even the Laodicean one, is in Heaven.

[Mark17]

Get a grip bro. Has anyone said that works are not important in a Christian’s life? Where your 1st Corinthians 2:14 problem comes in, if I read you right, and I think I do, since I am an ex catholic is, I believe you think your salvation is caused by your works. My YOPIOS, which is, shall we say, a tad bit more accurate, is that my salvation results in good works, but my good works do not cause it. I like that better. If you don’t, that’s on you bro. Not my problem. 😁🤣👍

[MHGinTN]

Two of the seven churches / gathering body of believers were not rebuked, five were. ALL were peopled by born again sinners. All needed the Father's 'raising them up in the way that they should go', some much more than others.

The most rebuked was the body of believers in Laodicea. They had everything of need, were comfy and fruitless. The distractions of the material world held their attention. Sound familiar to the present age?

If you doubt that the Father wants to chastise His children and does so, such that a born from above CHRISTIAN cannot persist in sin without chastisement, read Titus 2 beginning at verse 11.

[MHGinTN]

Then after reading chapter 2 verses 11 - 15, go on to read what PAUL teaches regarding works in chapter 3. You might notice the cause and effect difference between what Paul wrote and what the Roman Catholic and many Protestant denominations teach regarding works.