The Church at LAODICEA: Church of LUKEWARM FAITH
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Rev 3:14-22
The final church, Laodicea, let’s see how it relates to the current condition of the Church at larger, as well as look at it on a personal level to see how it applies to the individual believer.
Laodicea, the last of the seven churches addressed in Revelation, represents the visible church of the current age. It is one of two that illustrate the condition of the current church age, the other being Philadelphia, the invisible church. Unlike Philadelphia, the weak church who possess little or no worldly strength, Laodicea is the epitome of worldly wealth and strength. It’s quite possible this church is the end-times culmination of all those members of the previous churches, excluding Philadelphia, who haven’t followed the advice the Lord gives to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches and overcome the sin of that particular church. Perhaps this church represents those who refuse to repent, refuse to overcome.
The city Laodicea in ancient Asia Minor was a city noted for its wealth and prosperity. It was destroyed by a great earthquake that also destroyed Sardis and Philadelphia. Because of its self-reliance, Laodicea refused financial help from Rome that the other cities had accepted preferring to rebuild from its own resources. One of these resources, interestingly enough as we will see later on, was the production of black wool. Another noteworthy fact is that Laodicea was known for its medical school where spikenard for the treatment of eye and ear soars was manufactured. Banking also held a prominent place in society. One of the cities’ major weaknesses was the lack of a water supply, which, as a result of its wealth, was able to have piped in from the north.
Christ’s greeting to the Laodiceans is from the Amen, the one who IS a faithful and true witness. He wastes no time in getting straight to the point of the whole letter when he tells them he knows their works and they are neither hot nor cold. In fact, he wishes they were one or the other, but because they are lukewarm he will spew them out of His mouth. So utterly distasteful are they that he has to spew them out. This, indeed, is a powerful depiction of how the Lord feels about such Christians.
Isn’t it ironic that he goes on to tell them, who are widely known for their success in banking, black wool making and manufacturing of eye salve, to buy from him gold tried in the fire, white raiment and to anoint their eyes with eyesalve that they may see? This letter needs little explanation as its meaning is quite clear.
Of Laodicea Joseph Seiss wrote in his 19th-century work, Apocalypse:
“And it is self-satisfied, boastful and empty. Having come down to the world’s tastes, and gained the world’s praise and patronage, the Laodiceans think they are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing. Such splendid churches, and influential and intelligent congregations, and learned agreeable preachers. Such admirable worship and music! Such excellently manned and endowed institutions … So much given for magnificent charities! Such an array in all the attributes of greatness and power. What more can be wanted? “
“And will it answer to say that all this is not largely and characteristically the state of things at this very hour? Can anyone scrutinize narrowly the professed church of our day, and say we have not reached the Laodicean Age? Is it not equally a fact that this selfsame Christendom of ours is the wretched, and the pitiable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”
These words written 100 years ago aptly describe the current condition of the Laodicean church of today. Just take a look around you. Opulence and greed have risen to high, high places in the church today. The spectacle so-called Christendom has made out of Christ is absolutely shameful. Take for instance Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral or Jim Bakker’s kingdom on earth – Heritage U.S.A. Not to mention the traditional churches that have built up their kingdoms over hundreds of years with stately and grandiose structures.
Is there really a place for such things in Christ’s true church? We only have the Scriptures to discern the answer to that. There certainly is no shortage of religion in the world today or no shortage of those who believe they abound with riches. These words to the Laodiceans should be heeded:
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” Rev 3:17-18
Yes, there are many who call themselves Christians who think they are rich but the Lord admonishes them to buy from Him, as we saw in the above Scripture, three things: The first is gold tried in the fire that they may be rich. Rich in HIS glory for to be tried in the fire IS to be purified. 1 Peter 1:7 explains why we need to be tried in the fire: “That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” In each letter Christ has a criticism and the current day Laodicean church braces itself against godly correction by declaring that loving Christians do not criticize one another. To point out indiscretions, worldly behavior, false doctrines and lack of faith is to be condemnatory and unchristian-like. But the spirit and essence of the seven letters is patently different. Christ is critical of His church and anyone who takes on His name. He is jealous of His father’s name and reputation and will protect His father’s house from corruption and infiltration of faithless and sinful deceivers who are only hearers of the word and not doers.
The second is white raiment, that we may be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. There are several references in the Scriptures referring to putting on something as if it were a piece of clothing and we are wise if we seek to put these things on (or in) our spiritual bodies. Paul so aptly writes concerning this “putting on” in the Epistles: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” Col 3:12 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God lS created in righteousness and true holiness.” Eph 4:24
The third item the Lord tells us to buy from Him is eye-salve that we might see. Again Paul writes to the Ephesians: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. “ Eph 1:18
For us to purchase or acquire something we must first admit we lack something. This is the first step to take for the modern church, this is the first step in repentance. It is also the first step in overcoming. Until the modern Christian realizes he is poor in spirit and in need of these things he will remain blinded, poor, naked, miserable and spiritually wretched. The prosperity message is inherently wrong. Not that God, and Christ have no care for our needs; they do. But we must all endure and accept tribulation in the service of Christ. And make no mistake, Christ will spew the self-seeking Christian out of his mouth like a poisonous brew.
Alas, God’s mercy is all-encompassing and endures forever; for as many as he loves he also rebukes and warns them that they are to be zealous and repent. He stands at the door waiting to be invited into sup with those who truly have repented and opened their hearts up to him. Not just in lip service, but in deeds and actions. The unshakable honor of sitting with Him and His Father in His throne awaits those who overcome – even as He overcame. The disciples, John and James, came to Jesus and asked to sit With Him, one on the left and one on His right side in heaven. But Jesus told them that honor was prepared for the worthy ones by the Father. Here the promise is revealed. Those who come out of Laodicea and overcome their arrogance of worldly power and wealth “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” Micah 6:8 will be enthroned with Christ.
Yes, Jesus had to overcome and we must overcome just as he did. Listen…
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