(NASB) Revelation 3:14-21
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
‘Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.
‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’"
Jesus Christ tells us that the time that He is referring to will be characterized by the church whose deeds are neither hot nor cold….and that *church* will be spit out of His mouth.
The time will be characterized by a church who says it is rich, wealthy, and in need of nothing. But yet it is wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s advice to us is that we buy gold refined by fire so that we can become rich. Rich in what? Rich in the knowledge that we need Him. Buy white garments so that we may cover our nakedness. What nakedness? We are not clothed in His righteousness. (Adam and Eve became naked when they ate the fruit of the tree – they became “worldly”.), And eye salve so that we may see. See what? His truth. the truth of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness.
Are we this church?
The seven letters to the seven churches has many applications. These were actual churches that existed at the time of that these letters were written. I believe that the purpose of the letters are that they address the heart state that each Christian has the potential to have, possibly at the same time or throughout our sanctification.
Each one of those churches could also depict periods of time in church history from Pentecost on through our Lord’s return. If you will allow, this is the gap between Daniel’s 69th and 70th week. The church age. The 70th week is coming. The Laodicean church is the Christian church in existence just prior to Daniel’s 70th week.
If we do not fear being Laodicean as a heart state and in the body of Christ today we may very well *be* in danger of being spit out of our Lord’s mouth. What does that mean? Hot water, as in a drink of hot tea is a pleasant beverage. Cold water is refreshing. Lukewarm water is good for nothing.
Can we pour out so loving as to not being pleasing to our Lord? Can we be immoderately *in* love with the world that we make allowances for evil? What were the warnings that our Lord gave to each of the churches? The warning to the Laodicean church is clear. We are in need of gold refined by fire. White garments because we have become naked. And eye salve so that we can see. When did we become impure, naked, and blind?
The book ‘Colossians’ references Laodicea. I believe the warning is to us today to not water down the message of the Gospel. How is the Gospel watered down? We forget to be like the Bereans and search out false teaching and stand firmly against it.
Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”
If Jesus Christ and His glory is not the complete and utter focus of all that the church does we are in danger of being spit out of His mouth. Even focusing on our own humility is an affront to Him, we are to be dead to this life. That is the gold. That is the white garments, that is the eye salve. We are nothing, our lives are about His truth. But this truth, His truth and all that He said, lived and died for, must not be compromised in any way. We are to not lie to one another. Is to deny the truth by approving of something against God, a lie? I believe that it is.
We are told to “put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him– a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. ~Colossians 3:12-17
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
Do I bear malice toward Rick Warren for not taking an opportunity to walk away from that which is evil, the promotion of abortion in all of its forms (including partial birth, and post-birth) which is President elect Obama’s policy statement, no I do not.
I pray that God is glorified.
There is a warning to all of us. I include myself in this because I take the Word of God very seriously and I believe His admonitions to be both truthful and crucial to our lives today.
We are to admonish one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual psalms…which *is* thankfulness to God from our heart. His Word is true.
So I will end with this:
“Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice deeds of wickedness With men who do iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies.” ~Psalm 141:4
and
“For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; Preserve my life from dread of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel of evildoers, from the tumult of those who do iniquity, who have sharpened their tongue like a sword.
They aimed bitter speech as their arrow, to shoot from concealment at the blameless; suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear.
They hold fast to themselves an evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly; they say, "Who can see them?"
They devise injustices, saying, "We are ready with a well-conceived plot"; for the inward thought and the heart of a man are deep.
But God will shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly they will be wounded. So they will make him stumble; their own tongue is against them; all who see them will shake the head.
Then all men will fear, and they will declare the work of God, and will consider what He has done.
The righteous man will be glad in the LORD and will take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart will glory.” ~Psalm 64:2-10
God is all-knowing, all powerful, He is a spirit and alive. He is personal, righteous, holy, just, all-knowing, alive, infinite, eternal, omnipotent, immutable, truthful, faithful, compassionate, patient, a provider, a grace giver, and He loves us.
He also rejects sin.
Should we not do the same in order to bring glory to Him? I believe so.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.” ~Psalm 111:10
I fear Him, do you?
Prepared Citizens 