Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 3:2

"Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God." — Revelation 3:2 (ASV)

Be watchful. Be wakeful; be attentive and earnest—in contrast to the drowsy condition of the church.

Strengthen the things which remain. This refers to the true piety that still lives and lingers among you. Whatever religion there was among them, it was important to strengthen it, so that the love of the Savior might not become wholly extinct. An important duty in a low and languishing state of religion is to "strengthen the things that still survive." This involves cultivating all the graces that exist, nourishing all the love of truth that may linger in the church, and confirming, by warm exhortation and by a reference to the gracious promises of God's word, the few who may be endeavoring to do their duty and who, amid many discouragements, are aiming to be faithful to the Savior.

In the lowest state of religion in a church, there may be a few, perhaps quite obscure and of humble rank, who are mourning over the desolations of Zion and sighing for better times. It is the duty of the ministers of religion to comfort and encourage all such, for it is in their hearts that piety may be kept alive in the church—it is through them that it may be hoped religion may yet be revived.

In the apparent hopelessness of doing much good to others, good may always be done for the cause itself by preserving and strengthening what life there may be among those few, amid the general desolation and death. It is a great thing to preserve life in grain sown in a field through the long and dreary winter when all seems to be dead—for it will burst forth with new life and beauty in the spring. When the body is prostrate with disease, life just lingers, and death seems to be approaching, it is a great thing to preserve the little strength that remains and to keep the healthy parts from being invaded, so that there may still be strength to recover.

That are ready to die. This means things that seem just ready to become extinct. So sometimes, in a plant, there seems to be only the least conceivable life remaining, and it appears that it must die. So, when we are sick, there seems to be only the feeblest glimmering of life, and it is apparently just ready to go out. So, when a fire dies away, there seems only a spark remaining, and it is just ready to become extinct. And thus, with religion in the soul—religion in a church—religion in a community—it often seems as if it were just about to go out forever.

For I have not found thy works perfect before God. I have not found them complete or full. They fall short of what is required. Of what church, of what individual Christian, is this not true? Whom might the Savior not approach with the same language? It was true, however, in a marked and eminent sense, of the church at Sardis.