Ezekiel 1-3, Revelation 2

No matter how righteous a man has lived it is impossible to stand before God. All our good intentions are stripped away and we lie as a dead man before the righteous judge of all. The Lord’s letters to the churches shows how decisive and intensively he views those who represent his name. He will not tolerate his name being compromised or trod in the mud of worldly living. We must be careful, therefore, to diligently maintain our relationship with him, enduring his rebuke humbly and striving to win our crown of life.