articlesforchristians

The Lukewarm Church: A Warning

To the Church at Laodicea

Revelation 3:14-11

• 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.

History

Laodicea was located about 50 miles southeast of Philadelphia, in the Lycus River
valley near Colossae and Hierapolis (cf. Col. 4:13-16). It was also located forty miles from Ephesus and was steeped in Greek culture. The city (and region) had experienced many earthquakes over the years.

The city was a cultural center with schools, libraries, and a banking center that brought strong economic and financial resources.
Two widely used eye and ear salves were produced in the city, as it was also a well-known medical center of its day. Its name means “People Ruling,” and represents the unbelieving, materialistic church of all ages.

Notes

• Christ is the beginning of the creation of God in the sense that He is the origin and source of God’s creation
  • Col. 1:15-18
    •  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
    • For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
    • And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
    • And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
• Christ is the head of the new creation
  • 2 Cor. 5:17
    • Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
• The church is likened to lukewarm water, or as being virtually worthless, Christ says He will “spew them out,” or eject them from His company.
  • The hot waters of nearby Hierapolis were known for their medicinal qualities
  • Colossae was known for its cold, pure water.
  • Laodicea was forced to receive water by aqueduct from other areas. By the time it arrived at Laodicea it was lukewarm and provoked nausea.
    • The works of the Laodicean church were as worthless as the city’s lukewarm water.
      • The description does not refer to a backslidden condition, but rather to their lack of genuine faith.
• Laodicea was famous for its wealth, its bankers, its medical school, its popular eye salve, and its textile industry.
  • Christ says that spiritually the people of the church are poor, blind, and naked.
  • True wealth is found only in God’s grace. This church had no spiritual value (gold), virtue (white raiment), or vision (eye salve).
    • He urges the Laodiceans to repent of their lack of genuine faith and of spiritual understanding.
• In light of the spiritual condition of the Laodiceans described in verses 17, 18, the invitation of verse 20 seems to be evangelistically addressed to individual members of an apostate church, so they might receive Christ genuinely as Savior and Lord.
  • To sup (dine) means to have fellowship (cf. ; ) and to enjoy Christ’s blessings.
    • Luke 22:30
      • That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
    • John 14:23
      • Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
  • The promise to sit with Christ in His throne refers to reigning with Christ in His kingdom.
    • Matt. 19:28
      • And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
    • Rev. 20:4
      • And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.