
Another Article from The Laodicean Pen
Dearly Beloved,
Here is a question: why, over the last century and a half, have churches across the west fought so strongly to not be identified as the Laodicean church? A simple answer would be, they did not and do not want to be identified as the “lukewarm church.” At face value this makes perfect sense. In Revelation 3:16, our Lord says that He will “spue them out of His mouth.” This is something no follower of Christ would want to be identified as – vomit out someone’s mouth.
Allow me to propose to you a completely different perspective on this well-known “Last Days Church.” You see, I believe that I am of the Laodicean church…and I am not ashamed of it. In fact, I rejoice in it! Ponder this polarizing view with me.
Each of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation is given a reward for overcoming whatever Christ has given them to overcome. In Ephesus, overcomers are granted to eat of the tree of life in the middle of the paradise of God. Smyrna, they will not be hurt of the second death. The church of Pergamos is given “hidden manna” and a white stone with a new name that only the receiver of the stone will know. Thyatira is given power over nations, ruling with a rod of iron, and given the morning star. For Sardis, they are to be clothed in white raiment and will have their names confessed by Christ to the Father. The Philadelphian church overcomers will be made into a “pillar in the temple of God,” they will have the name of God and the name of the city of God written upon them. Then we come to the “dreaded” Laodicean church.
The Laodicean churches reward is to sit with Christ in His throne, even as He is sitting with the Father in His throne. What a reward! I would impress upon you the magnitude of such a reward. This is not something to be dreaded, but rather a reward to weepingly rejoice in. To be given the opportunity to sit with our Redeemer in His throne – not to mention the fact that Laodicean is the last age before the return of Christ. Why is this something we would not want?
I understand your hangup- you don’t want to be considered lukewarm. Let me encourage you! There are three groups of people described in or rather three states of people described in the Laodicean church in Revelation. It is almost like Christ is describing options to this church. You have the cold, the hot, and the lukewarm. I tend to look at it this way: you have the regressed Christian, the progressing Christian, or the “I cannot decide” Christian. Again, this shows me there are three types of Laodiceans. The “hot” Laodiceans being the understood overcomers that are mentioned at the end of the chapter.
Christ doesn’t just throw up His hands, so to speak, with an attitude of “all hope is lost- you’re the vomit church”. Instead, He gives them counsel and command, a roadmap to becoming a Laodicean overcomer.
1. Buy gold tried in the fire.
This is complete contrast to the “wealth” status that is described of the Laodiceans. In fact, they are described as having increasing goods and need of nothing. What we come to understand is that those goods and wealth are nothing in the eyes of Christ and so He gives them an alternative. So, what is this gold tried in the fire?
Here’s a couple verses that lend us some insight into what that might be in God’s eyes.
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: - 1 Peter 2:7
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. - Zechariah 13:9
We see here that Peter describes the “trial of our faith” to gold tried in the fire. In Zechariah, he writes that a tried, tested, refined people are those that understand who their God is, even through the fire.
When I couple these two thoughts together, I come to the conclusion that to buy gold tried in the fire means to put all our worth and identity into an unapologetic submission to who our God is and what He has called us to do. Instead of our worth and identity having to do with congregation size, the lights and sounds, the multi-site, or dare I say the denomination we identify with, Christ calls the Laodicean church to re-prioritize their worth in their tested faith. We must rest each day, confident that if it all goes away that God being our God is still enough. If we didn’t have the book publications, the speaking engagements the viral podcast moments, being a people loved and redeemed by God should be enough for each of us.
This is not written in condemnation, but moreover in embarrassment as a realization of there being times when I wonder in my own life what motivates my drive for the gospel of Christ.
2. To buy white raiment to hide the shame of our nakedness.
This is simpler to understand than the prior counsel given. To me, this is understood spiritual nakedness. For generations, western churchgoers have sought to hide their nakedness with their own self-righteousness. Sure, trusting Christ as Savior and applying His righteousness to our eternal state is taken care of. But when it comes to the sanctification process that we all require, I fear as though we revert to our own ways of purification. Through “holier-than- thou” standards we have tried to clothe ourselves in our fake white raiment to hide the fact that we are just as “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” as the unchurched. The one and only difference is Jesus Christ.
To buy true white raiment, His white raiment, we must surrender our pre-conceived ideas of what righteousness looks like. This may mean taking a long look at personal and collective standards and convictions that we may have been birthed with the purest of intentions but over time have distracted from the true message of the gospel. I believe this is easier said than done because if done in an honest and biblical way, it will cost us something.
3. To anoint blinded eyes with eye salve to see.
I believe that this is a metaphorical preference to restoring spiritual vision. Each of these three counsels from Christ have been about perspective in the Laodicean church. For too long the church has allowed the enemy to distract our vision from the commands of God. Making disciples has taken a back seat to meeting budget projections and funding the building project. Don’t get me wrong, none of that is bad in and of itself, but when it becomes our only perspective and the only filter by which we run the ministry the enemy has won a victory.
We must diligently and prayerfully work keep the focus of our ministries and our lives the furthering of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every decision we make personally and collectively should be through the filter of, “how does this make disciples.”
4. Be zealous and repent.
Christ calls us to a passionate changing of mind about how we do life. He doesn’t call us to be timid, but to repent with zeal.
5. Open the door of fellowship with Christ.
We are asked to allow Christ into all that we do. It’s as simple as opening the door. While I don’t believe any one is knowingly closing the door of fellowship with Christ, is there perhaps ways that we could make Him feel more welcome in our personal lives and our ministries. Like that of a guest in your home – not an afterthought.
When I look at this church and I see counsels, I am encouraged! By the power of the Holy Spirit, I believe that each one of these things is attainable. They have to be, otherwise Christ wouldn’t have made place for a reward.
I am tired of living in fear of being a Laodicean, if I am, so be it. I won’t apologize or be ashamed. I will do my best everyday to follow the counsel of Christ in Revelation 3 in order that I might gain the honorable identity of a “hot” Laodicean.
Sincerely,
Ryan H.
A Laodicean who is trying...
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