The Church at Laodicea
Ruins at Laodicea
Revelation 3:14-22 (NIV)
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The letter to the church in Philadelphia contains no reproof..followed by the letter to the church in Laodicea, which contains no praise. The church was self-satisfied and unconscious of its need, a fact the more pitiful because the condition was actually so deplorable.
The spiritual decline and apparent apostasy of the church may have been due in part to the material wealth of it members, to the luxury with which they were surrounded, and to the temptation to worldliness.
The city was of considerable wealthy and commercial importance, and in connection with this letter it is interesting to note that two of its chief articles of trade were woolen cloth and eye salve.
The hot springs of Hierapolis, across the river Lycos, send forth water which, as it flows, soon becomes lukewarm and intolerable to the taste.
The independence of the city was shown in its rejection of imperial help after the earthquake of A.D. 60. Evidently the church of Laodicea showed the same spirit of self-sufficiency as did the city, and so came to offer an illustration of proud complacency accompanying a low and indifferent spiritual life.
The church which is a lukewarm church is one that compromises with the world and resembles its surrounding society: it professes Christianity, yet in reality is spiritually wretched and pitiful. Bible Alliance Commentary
In addressing the church Christ calls himself "the Amen" the positive divine affirmation, whose promise is certain to be fulfilled; "the faithful and true witness," whose counsel is authoritative and should be laid to heart.
"The Amen," the head of creation, bears his witness to the condition of this church and the title prepares the way for the severity of the following rebuke:
Revelation 3:15-16 (NIV)
15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
The one who has made no profession of faith and is conscious of his utter lack of moral life and spiritual condition is in a far more hopeful condition than one who thinks himself to be a Christian and yet has no real spiritual life and is oblivious to his desperate need.
This lukewarm church is unconscious of its condition and absolutely unconcerned. The church prides itself on its condition, which it ascribes to its own skill and effort. It is lukewarm and indifferent because of its self-deception and conceit. such in reality is this rich and self-complacent church.
Christ gives his admonition to purchase gifts at the cost of real moral effort and humble repentance and courageous faith.
Revelation 3:18 (NIV)
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Jesus loves them so the severe rebuke is spoken from a heart that yearns over his self-complacent and lukewarm church. And to this message Christ adds the most tender message found in any of his letters.
Revelation 3:20
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Christ may have been shut out and the church may seem devoid of spiritual life, but wherever one heart is open to receive him, there Christ will enter, and will abide in blessed fellowship.
Revelation 3:21
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
To win in the struggle against self-indulgence and self-confidence and self-satisfaction is to conquer self now. This is necessary to share in the perfect rule of the exalted Christ.
Revelation 3:22
22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
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14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The letter to the church in Philadelphia contains no reproof..followed by the letter to the church in Laodicea, which contains no praise. The church was self-satisfied and unconscious of its need, a fact the more pitiful because the condition was actually so deplorable.
The spiritual decline and apparent apostasy of the church may have been due in part to the material wealth of it members, to the luxury with which they were surrounded, and to the temptation to worldliness.
The city was of considerable wealthy and commercial importance, and in connection with this letter it is interesting to note that two of its chief articles of trade were woolen cloth and eye salve.
The hot springs of Hierapolis, across the river Lycos, send forth water which, as it flows, soon becomes lukewarm and intolerable to the taste.
The independence of the city was shown in its rejection of imperial help after the earthquake of A.D. 60. Evidently the church of Laodicea showed the same spirit of self-sufficiency as did the city, and so came to offer an illustration of proud complacency accompanying a low and indifferent spiritual life.
The church which is a lukewarm church is one that compromises with the world and resembles its surrounding society: it professes Christianity, yet in reality is spiritually wretched and pitiful. Bible Alliance Commentary
In addressing the church Christ calls himself "the Amen" the positive divine affirmation, whose promise is certain to be fulfilled; "the faithful and true witness," whose counsel is authoritative and should be laid to heart.
"The Amen," the head of creation, bears his witness to the condition of this church and the title prepares the way for the severity of the following rebuke:
Revelation 3:15-16 (NIV)
15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
The one who has made no profession of faith and is conscious of his utter lack of moral life and spiritual condition is in a far more hopeful condition than one who thinks himself to be a Christian and yet has no real spiritual life and is oblivious to his desperate need.
This lukewarm church is unconscious of its condition and absolutely unconcerned. The church prides itself on its condition, which it ascribes to its own skill and effort. It is lukewarm and indifferent because of its self-deception and conceit. such in reality is this rich and self-complacent church.
Christ gives his admonition to purchase gifts at the cost of real moral effort and humble repentance and courageous faith.
Revelation 3:18 (NIV)
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Jesus loves them so the severe rebuke is spoken from a heart that yearns over his self-complacent and lukewarm church. And to this message Christ adds the most tender message found in any of his letters.
Revelation 3:20
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Christ may have been shut out and the church may seem devoid of spiritual life, but wherever one heart is open to receive him, there Christ will enter, and will abide in blessed fellowship.
Revelation 3:21
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
To win in the struggle against self-indulgence and self-confidence and self-satisfaction is to conquer self now. This is necessary to share in the perfect rule of the exalted Christ.
Revelation 3:22
22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Click to Go To Judgment and Reward
Click to Return to Index
