The Lukewarm Church

We are finally at the last letter sent to the Church of Laodicea in the Book of Revelation. This church was as lukewarm as the water piped into it from several miles away through underground aqueducts.  These aqueducts would have been made by the Romans hundreds of years after King Antiochus, the second king of Syria, founded this city and named it in homage to his wife, Laodice. It was a prosperous city that traded in dye like Sardis. And yes, the ancient city of Laodicea, now known as Denizli, was also located in Türkiye (Turkey) between Philadelphia and Colossae on the Roman Road. In Colossians 4:1, Paul instructed the Colossians to let the Laodiceans read the letter sent to their church and that they should read the letter sent to Laodicea. This may have been a lost epistle that did not make it into the Bible, but I would be curious to know what Paul wrote to them, as Jesus wasn’t too happy with this church.

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. 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 dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit 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. ” Revelation 3:14-22

Interestingly, Jesus speaks of Himself similarly to the description in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossian Church, “the firstborn over all Creation…He is before all things.”  After reading that letter, the Laodecian Church would have understood who this letter was from. He also called Himself “Amen,” which comes from a Hebrew word that means certainty, truth, reliability, and faithfulness. Jesus is all that and more. There is no other witness more faithful and true who could have spoken about what was happening in the church of Laodecia. He was going to vomit them out, as He had tasted and seen that they were no good. Did Jesus save the worst for last? He had some very harsh words for this church that had no zeal for Him. Let’s see what McLaren’s Exposition states about this church, which was neither cold nor hot.

Further, this defectiveness of Christian feeling is; accompanied with a large amount of self-complacency: - ‘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.’ Of course it is so. A numbed limb feels no pain. As cold increases the sensation of cold, and of everything else, goes away. And a sure mark of defective religious emotion is absolute unconsciousness on the man’s part that there is anything the matter with him. All of you that have no sense that the indictment applies to you, by the very fact show that it applies most especially and most tragically to you. Self-complacency diagnoses spiritual cold, and is an inevitable and a constantly accompanying symptom of a deficiency of religious emotion.  Then again, this deficiency of warmth is worse than absolute zero. ‘I would thou wert cold or hot.’ That is no spurt of impatience on the part of the ‘true Witness.’ It is for their sake that He would they were cold or hot. And why? Because there is no man more hopeless than a man on whom the power of Christianity has been brought to bear, and has failed in warming and quickening him.

It is never good when a Christian feels they need nothing because of all the material possessions they have. Their comfort leads to complacency regarding the things of the Lord, and they no longer rely on Him. This is spiritually dangerous and displeases the Lord. The Church of Laodecia found itself in this position, so it was no longer connected to the Branch, Jesus. They were in a sad state of affairs. They thought that they were rich, but actually they did not understand how poor they were.  Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary explained their wretched state, which caused Jesus to have what The Expositor’s New Testament described as “moral nausea roused by tepid religion.”

They had not the garment of justification, nor sanctification: they were exposed to sin and shame; their rags that would defile them. They were naked, without house or harbour, for they were without God, in whom alone the soul of man can find rest and safety. Good counsel was given by Christ to this sinful people. Happy those who take his counsel, for all others must perish in their sins. Christ lets them know where they might have true riches, and how they might have them. Some things must be parted with, but nothing valuable; and it is only to make room for receiving true riches. Part with sin and self-confidence, that you may be filled with his hidden treasure. They must receive from Christ the white raiment he purchased and provided for them; his own imputed righteousness for justification, and the garments of holiness and sanctification. Let them give themselves up to his word and Spirit, and their eyes shall be opened to see their way and their end. Let us examine ourselves by the rule of his word, and pray earnestly for the teaching of his Holy Spirit, to take away our pride, prejudices, and worldly lusts. Sinners ought to take the rebukes of God's word and rod, as tokens of his love to their souls. Christ stood without; knocking, by the dealings of his providence, the warnings and teaching of his word, and the influences of his Spirit. Christ still graciously, by his word and Spirit, comes to the door of the hearts of sinners. Those who open to him shall enjoy his presence. If what he finds would make but a poor feast, what he brings will supply a rich one. He will give fresh supplies of graces and comforts. In the conclusion is a promise to the overcoming believer. Christ himself had temptations and conflicts; he overcame them all, and was more than a conqueror.

We may fool ourselves and others, but we cannot deceive the Lord. He knows when our religion is stale and is merely repetitive rituals to appease ourselves, but it doesn’t please Him. His rebuke and discipline are out of love, so that we can repent and return to Him. Will we allow Him to search our hearts and show us any wicked way in us? We must not leave Jesus out in the cold, but rather we should let Him come in to dine with us and ignite our hearts for Himself.