Most current church members relate to Jesus Christ's letter to the church in Philadelphia, often considered the best of the seven churches of Asia. With the belief that Christ's prophetic epistles depict eras of church history, many have gravitated toward believing the Savior speaks directly to them through His words to Philadelphia. However, this self-evaluation raises questions about whether Philadelphia is truly faithful, if it has faults, and whether spiritual pride could have caused God to scatter her. The Philadelphia church does not alone possess the key of David, as Revelation 3:7 clearly states it belongs to the One who is holy and true, Jesus Christ. He alone has the authority to govern the church and to open and shut doors before it. Recent history suggests the church, like Philadelphia, had an open door, but this metaphor likely points to Christ's role as Mediator, holding the key to access heaven and maintain a relationship with the Father, rather than symbolizing the church's power to evangelize. Philadelphia has fine characteristics, keeping God's Word and upholding Christ's name, yet Christ explicitly states it has only a little strength, a description proved true by the apostasy, offense, and deception during the church's scattering. It is not the Philadelphians' spiritual strength but Christ's that empowers the church's faith and accomplishments. Like Smyrna, Philadelphia is beset by those claiming to be spiritual Jews but who are not, revealed as wolves in sheep's clothing who led many from the truth of God's Word, though Christ promises these harmful tares will ultimately worship before the faithful. God will protect those of Philadelphia who patiently cling to His Word from the world's coming hour of trial, and even with faint spiritual strength, a remnant will faithfully endure to the end. True Philadelphians, despite their little strength, have the doctrinal truth, devotion, obedience, and grace from God to attain salvation if they hold fast and guard the truth He reveals. However, mere association with Philadelphia is not enough to receive its rewards, as Christ admonishes them to overcome the world, their nature, and satan, growing to produce godly fruit to please God and maintain their relationship with Him, ensuring entrance to His Kingdom as an absolute promise.

The Worldwide Church of God (WCG) identified itself with Jesus Christ's letter to Philadelphia in Revelation 3:7-13, particularly focusing on the mention of an open door as a symbol of preaching the gospel in a manner not seen since the first century. This identification shaped the belief that the WCG represented the Philadelphia era of the church, a period marked by divine favor as Christ expressed no criticism toward Philadelphia, unlike the other letters in Revelation 2-3. This favor, however, brought with it the risk of self-exaltation, as God's blessings could foster a sense of invincibility or infallibility if carnality was not kept in check. Jesus Christ's promise in Revelation 3:10 to keep Philadelphia from the hour of trial further reinforced the WCG's significance, as the open door was widely interpreted as a sign of protection from the Great Tribulation. This belief elevated the importance of the organization, leading many to prioritize maintaining good standing within it over a personal relationship with God. For some, this resulted in a superficial adherence to appearances rather than genuine spiritual growth, with the organization becoming more central than God Himself. Over time, loyalty to the WCG's hierarchy was often equated with loyalty to God, causing some to accept teachings without proving their truth, under the assumption that the church's favor ensured divine protection.

The identification of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) with the Philadelphia church or era, as described in Christ's letter in Revelation 3:7-13, shaped significant mental inclinations and spiritual effects among its members. The interpretation of the open door in verse 8 as preaching the gospel resonated strongly, especially given the WCG's powerful efforts in this area, making the association with Philadelphia seem fitting. God's clear favor toward Philadelphia, including the promise of protection from the hour of trial, elevated the perceived importance of the organization in members' minds. However, this led to an idolatry where the organization was valued above God Himself, mirroring ancient Judah's misplaced reverence for the Temple. The reference to the key of David in Revelation 3:7, seen as symbolic of government, became tied to the idea of church government within the WCG, wrongly equated with God's government. This fostered a belief among many members that church headquarters was nearly infallible, diminishing their personal responsibility to test all things and deepening reliance on the organization over a direct relationship with God. As long as the organization thrived numerically and financially, and a member remained in good standing, a false sense of security prevailed. When WCG leaders began corrupting doctrines in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the call to hold fast from Revelation 3:11 was interpreted by some as clinging to the WCG despite its changes, or to its former state by others, rather than holding fast to God as earlier scriptures emphasize. This focus on the organization over God Himself grew stronger, and as new groups emerged from the scattering, some sought to claim the Philadelphia mantle, leading to competition and exclusivity. The drive to demonstrate God's favor through an open door to preach intensified rivalry among these groups, ironically contradicting the meaning of Philadelphia—brotherly love—as walls were erected between members of different churches of God. The profound effect of seeing the WCG as Philadelphia serves as a caution against self-serving interpretations of Scripture and prioritizing organizational affiliation over holding fast to God and His Word. It also warns against seeking physical protection over surrendering to God's perfect will. While the letter to Philadelphia is a true prophecy from Jesus Christ, promising protection to end-time Philadelphians, God's people are better served by strengthening their faith and relationship with Him to be counted among this group, rather than assuming organizational membership ensures such favor.