The Church of the Laodiceans Revelation 3:14-22
14 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;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 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:
18 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.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 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.
21 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.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
In this article we will examine the seventh and last message to the Asian churches. Ancient Laodicea was a banking center located about forty miles southeast of Philadelphia in the Lycus valley along one of the major trade routes from Asia to Europe. The city was devastated by an earthquake in A.D. 62, after which the Roman senate offered financial aid to help rebuild it, but the city’s officials declined the offer. It was wealthy enough to finance its own reconstruction project and the city was quickly restored.
Laodicea was also famous for the cloaks and carpets woven from the choice black wool produced in the surrounding area. The city was also the home of a famous medical school and a center for production of the eye salve collyrium. The patron deity of Laodicea was Asclepius, the pagan god of medicine. All these activities and circumstances appear in the symbolism of the message to the church; there is also a reference to the emetic qualities of the nearby sodium-laden thermal springs.
Salutation (Revelation 3:14)
14 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;
An examination of Colossians 1:7; 2:1; and 4:12-16 indicate that Epaphrus may have founded the church at Laodicea. One serious flaw within the church was a spirit of compromise, for though the church had God’s truth it was reluctant to take a stand for fear of offending the rich and powerful. Such a spirit of compromise was in direct contrast to the truth and faithfulness of the Lord of the lampstands.
“…the Amen…”
This term is an adjective from the Hebrew word amen meaning so be it, and the Greek word amen meaning steadfast. Common usage defines it as an adverb by which a thing is confirmed.
Amen commonly concludes prayers. It is also a response when a speaker makes a particularly significant point, a custom that carries over from Jewish synagogues into the Lord’s churches today. When someone read, spoke or offered a prayer, those in attendance responded “Amen,” indicating their approval of what was said just as we frequently do.
Amen is a verbal adjective, but it occurs in this text as a noun. In that way this grammatical form refers to Jesus as the full embodiment of truth, the eternal and steadfast “Amen” of Almighty God.
“…the faithful…”
A faithful person is one who is trustworthy and can be relied upon. Jesus Christ is the One upon whom His people can rely when all others fail.
“…true witness…”
This means to be genuine. Many people are false, shallow and unreliable, but this can never be accurately said of Jesus. There is no counterfeit, deceit or falsehood in His person or His teachings. The definite article accompanies each of the three preceding terms, and could correctly be translated, “The Verity, The Trustworthy One, The Genuine One.” All three accurately describe the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“…the beginning of the creation of God…”
Many religions and even some denominations claiming Christianity teach that this phrase indicates Jesus was a created being, the first of the creatures God made, but that idea is a false one. The phrase in fact means that Jesus is the originating source of creation. Careful consideration of John 1:3; Colossians 1:15-18 and Hebrews 1:2 clearly describe Jesus as being not only existent at the moment of creation but actively involved in it. Jesus is the originator and the all and in all of the first creation, and in the new creation He is the first born of every creature.
Complaint (Revelation 3:15, 16)
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
“I know thy works…”
The Lord is omniscient, meaning he knows all. He knew everything about Laodicea just as He knew everything concerning the other six churches, and He knows all about His churches today. A church may hide its faults from the public, its neighbor churches, a visiting evangelist or even its own membership at times, but it can never hide anything from God. He sees all and knows all – our failures and successes alike – and He will administer righteous judgment on the basis of His full and perfect knowledge.
“…thou art neither cold nor hot…”
This clause is a symbolic term referring to both spiritual and moral conditions. In this text it applies to the Laodicean church, but because a church is comprised of individual members, it also applies to the individuals within the congregation. This reminds us that a church always and ultimately reflects the spiritual condition of its individual members. A church may be said to be cold when it is:
- unfriendly. In some churches no one greets a visitor who may drop in. The members might hurry to their seats, ignoring the visitor. No one offers a hymnal or a pew Bible, asks his or her name, or directs the visitor to an appropriate Sunday School class. When the worship closes, no one invites him or her to return for worship in the future. It is doubtful that a visitor who meets such a reception will be inclined to visit again. Even worse, a visitor may make the assumption that in all churches he or she will be treated similarly and determine never to darken a church door again.
- uninterested in the flow of worship. Members in the pews may not participate in the congregational singing. They thumb through the hymnal or read the words projected onto the overhead screen, or they may write notes, whisper to their neighbor, or even take a nap. During the response time they may gather their books and papers and coats in preparation for a hasty exit. Such conduct shouts that they consider church worship something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
- prayerless, failing to make prayer an integral part of their lives each day and not only on Sunday.
In contrast, a church may be described as hot when it is:
- friendly toward all who attend, members and visitors alike, with a spirit that says, “I really care about you and I am glad you have come to join us today.” Studies reveal that the greatest number of visitors who return and who eventually become members do so because they feel welcome. Surveys also show that a high percentage of visitors do not attend a church because of dynamic preaching or inspirational singing – they often are not primarily interested in the doctrinal position of a church, at least at first; they visit because someone invited them and they return because they were made to feel welcome when they arrived.
- concerned for others. This does not mean to be meddlesome or inappropriately inquisitive, but genuinely concerned over the welfare of others and to display the servile attitude of “How may I help?”
- prayerful, having a confident and consistent communion with God both publicly and privately.
- fervently interested in how to apply the principles of Scripture to everyday life, whether within the walls of the church building or outside them.
“…thou art lukewarm…”
Depending upon circumstances and preferences a person may find that either a hot or cold beverage can be refreshing. While tepid, lukewarm water may work to satisfy a basic thirst it is nauseating to the thirsty person. So it is with the Lord’s churches.
The Lord’s complaint against lukewarm Laodicea was that it was neither hot nor cold. If the church had been cold, the Spirit could convict it and thus cause the church to realize its condition. If the church had been hot, it would need no such censure but only encouragement. The church at Laodicea was neither. It was in a condition between, indicating a dangerous spirit of compromise and indecisiveness, to “just go along to get along,” so to speak. The figure here: the church was nauseating to God and He was about to vomit it out of His mouth, a statement of extreme disgust that meant it was about to lose its status as a church.
Condition (Revelation 3:17)
17 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:
Perhaps the greatest tragedy of the Lord’s complaint against the Laodicean church was that it was (perhaps even willingly) unaware of its true condition. A church that fails to be watchful and realize it is in trouble is a church in trouble indeed. The members of the Laodicean church displayed a spirit of pride and self-sufficiency, as is evident in their claims of material prosperity.
“…rich…”
The city of Laodicea was a center for banking and finance, and no doubt the church there abounded in great wealth and material resources. It seems, however, that the church had become caught up in the spirit of the marketplace to the point that its values had become twisted.
Similar conditions often prevail in the modern affluent world. Material prosperity is at an all-time high. As this is written in October of 2017, stock markets around the world trend toward ever-higher levels, and just as in Laodicea, man’s pride in material wealth often infects his spiritual life and plagues the spiritual effectiveness of the church.
“…and increased with goods…”
The word plousios in the Greek text means have gotten riches. The Lord’s churches in general worship in elaborate facilities. Pictures of their beautiful sanctuaries adorn their letterheads and websites and technology has increased to heights undreamed of a century or even a decade ago, enabling them to stage elaborate dramatic and musical productions with state-of-the-art equipment. Sadly, yet perhaps more often than we may perceive, it is with the intent to entertain their crowds rather than to enhance the worship of the Lord.
Thus the assessment by Jesus of the condition of the Laodicean church might well apply to many churches in the twenty-first century. The church regarded its bank account and real estate holdings as primary evidence of its wealth. This is but one temptation churches face today.
“…have need of nothing…”
The church at Laodicea thought that because of its wealth and material prosperity it had no need of anything else, but material prosperity had blinded the church to its spiritual poverty concerning spiritual treasure.
Let us be clear – there is no sin in being wealthy, and many godly characters in the Bible were men of great wealth. Job, Abraham, Isaac, David, Solomon, Nicodemus, Matthew and Joseph of Arimathea were among the very rich of their day, but material wealth was not a top priority in their lives. In like manner, money and what it will buy should not be the ruling factor in the lives of God’s children or His churches. Paul’s reminder is germane to this point: “For the love of money is the root of all [kinds of] evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1Timothy 6:10).
“…and knowest not…”
The church was unaware of its spiritual condition. God’s revealed assessment of Laodicea’s true condition is five-fold:
- wretched – in a spiritual sense literally meaning afflicted, undergoing toils and troubles.
- miserable – or in a spiritual condition to be pitied.
- poor – or reduced to spiritual beggary, destitute of wealth, influence, position, or honor.
- blind – literally darkened by smoke. The term symbolizes spiritual blindness, in which one’s spiritual vision is obscured by the smoke screen of sin and error. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 and 2 Peter 1:5-9 lend perspective.
- naked – unclad, or lacking the spiritual clothing of the righteous deeds of the saints. We will see this again in consideration of Revelation 19:8.
These five charges summarily symbolize the wealth and pride of Laodicea. The world had so infiltrated the church that it had rendered it impotent as an effective witness. The Lord’s churches must always be on guard against the Laodicean syndrome.
Counsel (Revelation 3:18)
18 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.
The Laodicean church regarded material riches and worldly power as the source of their wealth. However, the Lord summarizes the condition of the church in Laodicea in three words: poverty, nakedness, and blindness. In turn, these refer to the three assets for which Laodicea was famous and in which they likely took the most pride: material prosperity, textiles, and medical skills. The Lord counsels the church to accept His cure for all three conditions and to buy of Him true riches from the proper source – Jesus Christ.
It is clear that salvation of the soul from hell is not under consideration in this text, for such salvation can never be purchased by man; it is God’s free gift, as we find in Isaiah 55:1 and Ephesians 2:8-10. The Lord offers three specific remedies designed to meet the specific needs of the church.
Gold
Gold purified by fire contains no dross or impurities. This signifies the unsearchable riches of God’s grace as freely bestowed upon all who trust Christ as Savior. “Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). True riches can be found only in Christ, in whom there is no sin (James 1:17). It is of no lasting value that one should gain the whole world but lose his own soul (Mark 8:36).
In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus counseled that we should not labor for the material wealth of this world, which can be corrupted or stolen by thieves. We are instead to expend our energies to attain those heavenly (spiritual) treasures that cannot be polluted or plundered as we faithfully labor for and follow our Savior.
White Garments
This is a reference to the clothing of the Lamb’s wife, which was “granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness [righteous deeds] of saints” (Revelation 19:8). This text does not refer to the imputed righteousness of Christ which is salvation of the soul. Rather it is the righteousness of sanctification. At the moment of salvation Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us, and it becomes a part of our character. We are thereafter to make it a priority of our conduct.
Eye Salve
Eye salve is used for spiritual discernment of the Scriptures and God’s plan for our lives. This comes as a result of adding to our faith and spiritual lives the seven graces described in 2 Peter 1:5-8 as virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity. The result is increasingly abundant fruitfulness in the knowledge of the Lord. Failure to add these graces to our lives causes spiritual blindness, similar in many ways to the smoky blindness of a cataract (2 Peter 1:9).
“…buy of me…”
The three items in God’s therapeutic counsel are not literal gold, clothing or ointment; rather, they are metaphors of the spiritual graces which constitute true wealth. We acquire these graces by “buying” them as we would purchase any product in the mall. When we make a purchase we give up something in exchange for the merchandise or service we receive. This is a spiritual as well as material principle. When we “buy” the precious riches God offers we give up our own will in exchange for what He offers. Since His treasures are both eternal and expanding, and what we have to offer is both temporal and diminishing, the exchange is truly a bargain. One of the missionaries martyred in the Jivaro country of Central America said, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to obtain what he cannot lose.”
Chastening (Revelation 3:19)
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
“…I love…”
This is the word phileo, denoting deep, abiding affection. Every child of God at some time in life experiences the chastening hand of God. At the time chastening occurs it is never pleasant and no one really enjoys the pain it brings, but the long-term benefits are of eternal value. One of the benefits it offers is the assurance that chastening is reliable evidence of our salvation. God chastens the believer; He judges the unbeliever. He chastens only those who belong to Him, as we find in Hebrews 12:5-11. Any person who continues in sin without experiencing God’s chastisement is not His child.
“…I rebuke…”
Literally, as we see from John 16:8, this means to reprove, so as to convict of sin and turn to repentance; the work of the Holy Ghost, who should convict the world of sin. Verse 19 is then a solace and encouragement for the Laodiceans. They were required to make the sacrifice demanded of them, not so much that they might be punished for their transgressions but to prove themselves of the number of God’s elect [the saved]. The stern reproof administered was an act of pruning; again this is evidence of God love and care for them.
“… and chasten…”
It is common to associate this word with physical punishment, such as spanking a child; however, that is not the only meaning of the term. To chasten means to use whatever means are necessary to obtain the desired result of proper and acceptable conduct. It can include a spoken word, the taking away of a cherished object or the denial of an anticipated desire as well as the administration of physical restraint or punishment. It is the responsibility of the one administering the chastening to determine the proper measures to take. It is the responsibility of the one being chastened to allow those measures to correct the attitude or behavior that prompted the chastisement.
God loved the lukewarm church members in Laodicea even though they had turned away from Him to the gods of material wealth and pleasure. He planned to chasten them as proof of His love (found in Proverbs 3:11, 12 and Hebrews 12:5, 6). God permits churches to go through times of trial so that they might become what He wants them to become – His witnesses in the world.
“…be zealous…”
God wants churches to be heated to the boiling point with zeal for His work and the pursuit of good. The love the Laodicean church had at one time had for the Lord had grown cold. Remember, Paul had instructed Epaphras to take his Colossian letter to Laodicea and read it aloud to the church. That letter deals with the believer’s completeness in Christ. His message to the Laodicean church, then, was the same as to the Colossian church. Those who first heard the letter failed to instill its principles into the succeeding generation so that thirty years later the message had fallen into disuse. The Lord counseled the church to renew the zeal once manifested by the preceding generation.
“…and repent.”
This is often difficult for a self-sufficient, self-righteous, compromising child of God to do. A spirit of selfishness is the result of pride, which is the opposite of humility, and utter humility is a prerequisite for repentance. James warned “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). This means more than God’s saying a simple “no” to the proud. It literally means God sets Himself in battle array against the proud. The proud one is in a battle against God, a conflict he cannot hope to win. His only recourse is to surrender, to humble himself and admit his sin to God. That is the meaning of repentance. It is an about face, a 180-degree turn, a complete reversal of attitude and direction. It involves agreeing with God and turning from one’s own way. Only when one humbles himself and repents can he receive the benefits of God’s grace,
Consolation (Revelation 3:20-22)
20 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.
21 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.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
This scenario portrays the Lord as standing outside the door of the Laodicean church, knocking and seeking admission. A story is told that a wealthy man commissioned an artist to paint the scene described in verse 20. The artist went to work and after several weeks the painting was completed. The patron set a date to unveil the completed work and when the moment came, the covering was removed from the picture. The viewers praised the artist’s work, but the patron was displeased, noting what he considered to be a serious flaw – there was no handle on the door, implying that the artist had overlooked this detail. When questioned, the artist replied, “I made no mistake. The handle is on the inside, and it can be opened only from within.”
While this story may or may not be factual it illustrates a vital truth: only those on the inside may open the door when the Lord knocks. This is true whether we consider the matter as individuals or churches. It is up to each church to determine if it will admit the Lord to enter and direct its affairs just as it is up to each individual to determine if he will admit the Lord to enter his heart and direct his life.
The text pictures the Lord outside the church, knocking and asking admission. With all its work, its wealth, even its popularity, the church in Laodicea had no room for the Lord. The tragedy is that the church was unaware that He was outside. One might then be led to wonder if the Lord is standing at the threshold outside many of His churches today, knocking and asking to be admitted.
“…if any man hear…”
The invitation of verse 20 changes from the church collectively to the members individually. Any individual can experience sweet communion with the Lord regardless what others may do. One’s relationship with Jesus is personal.
The Promise
The Lord promises that the overcomer will be granted the privilege of ruling with Him in His kingdom. Jesus will reign over all the earth, and His saints will rule with Him for one thousand years. We will study about that millennial rule in future articles, but Matthew 25:21, 23; Luke 19:17, 19; Psalm 72:8 and Zechariah 14:9 can lend insight in the meantime.
Summary (Revelation 3:14-22)
The Lord offered no praise for the Laodicean church, only warning and censure. It was a wealthy church, “rich, and increased with goods” but the wealth of the church and its members contributed to a spirit of pride in their material abundance. How sad, then, that the wealth which should have been a source of blessing and missionary outreach instead became a source of rebuke and contributed to the ruin of the church. Yet in spite of the church’s deplorable spiritual condition and the threat of divine judgment there was still the offer of divine mercy, and the message holds the promise of sweet communion with the Lord of the lampstands to any and every individual who will open his or her heart to the Lord.
The Laodicean church represents the era of church history from about 1918 through present times and forward to the rapture. The predominant characteristic of churches on this era is liberalism and compromise. Churches that were once true to the “faith which was once delivered unto the saints” of which Jude writes in verse 3 of his stern letter have become liberal in their doctrine and practice. This is the essence of the Laodicean church: liberalism resulting in infidelity and modernism. However, this is not meant to imply that the churches of the Laodicean era will all apostatize completely. Although many individuals, churches and even groups of churches or entire denominations are departing from the New Testament faith and scriptural practices, the promise of Christ as recorded in Matthew 16:18 that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (His church) remains true.
The messages to the churches are now concluded, and in the next article we will begin to consider future events as the scene shifts to Heaven itself. Until then may the Lord’s peace and blessing be yours.