To the Church of Laodicea
“To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in Laodicea write: “These are the words of the Amen, the trusted and faithful and true Witness, the Beginning and Origin of God’s creation: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust]. Because you say, “I am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [without hope and in great need], I counsel you to buy from Me gold that has been heated red hot and refined by fire so that you may become truly rich; and white clothes [representing righteousness] to clothe yourself so that the shame of your nakedness will not be seen; and healing salve to put on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will]. Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me. He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant to him [the privilege] to sit beside Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches’ ” (Revelation 3:14-22).
Laodicea was a city located in Phrygia, which is now part of modern-day Turkey. Antiochus II Theos, the Greek king of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire, founded it. Laodicea was named after Antiochus II Theos’ first wife, Laodice, who was later believed by many to have poisoned him. Laodicea was situated along a major trade route; although it was very prosperous, its water supply was inadequate. The city’s residents had to rely on various water channels for a lukewarm and enriched mineral water supply.
Jesus disapproved of the condition of the Laodicean Church. They were in a lukewarm state. Jesus desired for them to be either hot or cold, but they couldn’t be in between. This meant that they either had to choose God or Satan, but there was no way to worship both, nor would He accept them doing so. Jesus detested it to the point of saying that He would vomit them up because He found it to be repulsive. He wanted their whole hearts and not just a piece of them. The Bible says: “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons” (1 Corinthians 10:21). There are many in the Body of Christ today who try to hold on to the world while claiming that they are a Christian. They feel that they can do both when one can’t. You must make a choice. You must either serve God or the devil. You must be either black or white, but gray will not suffice. The Bible says: “But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Laodicea thought they were self-sufficient and did not need God. They looked to themselves as having it all together. Jesus, however, called them worthless, pathetic, deprived, blind, and bare. They thought that they were balanced and good, but were living in a state of delusion. God wanted them to lean on Him and wear the garments of His righteousness, so that their eyes could be opened to see. The Bible says: “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Romans 1:28). So, what are some of the signs of being in a lukewarm or Laodicea state? The lukewarm believer:
a. Goes with what’s popular instead of what’s biblical. The Bible says: “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2).
b.
Easily offended by biblical truth instead of being offended by
sin. The Bible says: “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever
rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise
and they will love you.
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the
righteous and they will add to their learning” (Proverbs 9:7-9).
c. Rejects the teaching and preaching of sound doctrine and prefers seeker-friendly churches. The Bible says: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
d. Confident in their own works instead of the work Jesus did on the cross. The Bible says: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away” (Isaiah 64:6).
e. Comfortable with outward Christian appearances rather than real inward change. The Bible says: “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
f. Satisfied with giving God the leftovers of their lives instead of making Him their first fruits. The Bible says: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
g. Find it easier to return to former sinful habits. The Bible says: “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation” (Matthew 12:43-45).
God loves His children and therefore rebukes them when they are in error. He called the Church of Laodicea to repentance, and He desires the same for His church today. The Bible says: “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in” (Proverbs 3:11-12).
When we hear the voice of God, we are to answer it and obey His commands with a humble heart. To all who are victorious, they will sit with our Heavenly Father. Let us be sure to listen to what Jesus said to the churches in the past and apply it to our lives as Christians today.
REMINDER: There will NOT be any Bible Study Group on Friday, July 4, 2025. However, we will resume the following Friday at our regularly scheduled day and time. Take care and God bless!
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