Knowing the Church Series Part 22
Jesus, who told the angel to write, is the Amen or the source of truth. He is the faithful Elohim, who is bound to Himself as the Trinity and keeps His word of promise forever, stated 3,000 times by using His name—Elohim. He is the true witness. Furthermore, He is the beginning of God's creation.
Laodicea Began Neither Hot Nor Cold in the Church and the World
It was not until the 19th Century that modern "science" taught Americans that there was no God and that everything existed by random chance. Even insanity took on an heir of intellectualism in the Twentieth Century. Therefore, we now have multitudes that call themselves religious, Christian, or spiritual but stand behind evolution as if they were not mutually exclusive concepts.
The Deeds of Laodicea as Neither Hot Nor Cold
The deeds of Laodicea may be the most offensive of all. According to Jesus Christ, their deeds are lukewarmness, which will cause Him to vomit them out of His mouth. But they are far worse than neither hot nor cold. Indeed, they say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing." Their sense of self-awareness tells them with all arrogance that they are God; only God needs nothing. The Apostle Paul, when speaking to the intellectual Greeks, said, "The God who made the world and all things in it ...He is Lord of heaven and earth ...is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything ...He Himself gives to all [people] life and breath and all things; ...in Him we live and move and exist or have our being." (Acts 17:24-28).
The reality of Laodicea, contrary to how they see themselves according to Jesus, is this: " You do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked." Laodicea, neither hot nor cold but lukewarm, made them blind to their true disposition toward Christ.
Jesus advised Laodicea to be a Neither Hot Nor Cold Church
"I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and [that] the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see."
As stated, Jesus' advice is to Laodicea to do something about their condition. They are told to buy gold refined by fire, so they become what they only think they are: rich. What is the gold refined by fire? The answer is found in Jesus' statement following His advice. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline." Who does Jesus love and discipline? The answer: "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the LORD, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the LORD loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives." (Hebrews 12:4, 5).
This scenario is the perfect time for a person to put themselves to the test so they might know for sure that they are sons of God and not just deceive themselves. Is Christianity defined as the belief that believers come to get or to give? Do we believe in Jesus so that He will improve our already prosperous lives or give ourselves to the ministry by which we will come against an angry world as He did? Only you can decide, as only you can put yourself to the test.
They are then told to be zealous, and zeal is verified by their repentance. Repentance is more difficult to fake than all other attributes because authentic repentance makes a person noticeably sorrowful and humble. The key to what I just said is "noticeably." People have come to me consistently over their sins and shortcomings for no other reason than they were sorry their lives were not more pleasing to Christ. Christ's sufferings humbles a person like nothing else can. The authenticity of being a Christian is love for Jesus Christ.
The Remedy for a Laodicean Neither Hot Nor Cold Church is One's Identity.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I willH grant to him to sit down 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.'"
To the one who hears Jesus' voice and opens the door to dine with Him and have Him dine with them is the one that overcomes. The Son's identity is one with the Father. The person who is one with Jesus has Christ as their purpose for living. It is not saying that I am rich in God that makes a person rich spiritually. Spiritual riches are only obtained through sincere repentance, which reveals itself through zeal for Christ's will. Laodicea, neither hot nor cold, is a church member in danger of self-deception.
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