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THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER VOLUME 1, NUMBER 20, JUNE 17, 2001 "I WOULD YOU WERE COLD OR HOT!" The final of the seven letters to the churches in Revelation 2 & 3, is to
the church at Laodicea. I find it to be the most disconcerting, and even
frightening, of all of the letters. It is found in Revelation 3:14 - 22. This is
how it reads; The city of Laodicea was located approximately 45 miles southeast of the city of Philadelphia in Asia Minor, in an area famous for hot springs that emitted a lukewarm water. In the suburbs of the city there was a renowned school of medicine. It produced a very well known eye medicine called Phrygian powder. The region in which the city was found was also distinguished as the breeding ground of a special breed of sheep that produced a very beautiful and glossy black wool. Most importantly, Laodicea was a center of commerce and was one of the wealthiest cities in the world. It had theaters, a magnificent stadium, fancy public baths, and a host of other leisure activities. It was a city of bankers and had a large retired community. All of these things help us to understand the condition of the church there. As always, Jesus knew exactly what was going on in that congregation, just as He does today. This was a congregation that could not be described as "cold", meaning that they had never really experienced the power or influence of the gospel. Nor could it be said that they were "hot", meaning filled with zeal and "on fire" for the Lord. Truth be told, they were just "lukewarm", and the Lord would rather that they be "cold", than to pretend to be faithful children of His. But what He truly desired was that they be hot, excited to be Christians and working hard to bring others to the Lord. The interesting and frightening thing about this letter is that it shows just exactly how the Lord feels about a "lukewarm" attitude in a Christian. It is nauseating to Him. Did you ever notice how a cold or a hot drink may be just the thing needed to quench a thirst, but a lukewarm liquid just doesn't taste right and can even make you gag? That is how the Lord feels toward those who are "lukewarm" toward Him. He told the brethren in Laodicea that if they did not repent, He would "spit you out of My mouth." Can you imagine thinking that you are a faithful Christian and the Lord feels that way about you? That ought to be enough to make everybody sit up and do some real self evaluation. The Lord didn't just leave it at that, He went on in verses 17 - 19, and told the Laodicean brethren what had brought them to this position and made an earnest plea for those thus afflicted to repent. Here was the problem. They figured that they were financially secure, had the things they wanted, weren't hurting for anything, and were pretty happy with themselves. This doesn't mean that the church consisted only of wealthy people, but it was a wealthy city and the majority of the church was probably comfortably "middle class". In that socio-economic level, there is a tendency for folks to become satisfied, complacent, and rather formulaic in the way they worship God. Personally, I believe that that happens to a large number of congregations today. Reasonably secure from a financial standpoint, situated in a nice building in a good part of town, Christians can become pretty happy with themselves. They will have two meetings a year, one in the spring and one in the fall, with well-known gospel preachers. They support a man or two, maybe even mail out a bulletin. But individually, there is very little personal evangelism taking place and when the opportunity for evangelistic work is presented, comparatively few will show up for the work. They are actually "lukewarm" spiritually. How did the Lord describe the actual spiritual condition of such complacent and unmotivated Christians? He said that they didn't even know that they were "wretched", which means distressed spiritually. They didn't even know that they were "miserable", meaning actually to be pitied. Here they were pleased with themselves and the Lord is saying, "No, you are to be pitied, not envied." They didn't know that they were "poor", spiritually speaking. From a material standpoint they were comfortable, not even realizing that the Lord was viewing them as spiritual beggars. Jesus said that they did not know that they were "blind", spiritually blind and unable to discern their own wretched condition. And He also called them "naked". They were not clothed in holiness as they might have thought. They were standing uncovered and naked before the Lord. Wow! What a terrible picture! However, it is a picture that is repeated many times today - congregationally, and even more frequently, individually. If I wanted to prove that I was a "lukewarm" Christian, how could I do it? Well, I could be sporadic in attendance. I could never darken the door on Sunday evenings or Wednesday nights and I could refuse to attend Gospel Meetings or Vacation Bible School no matter how fervently the elders plead for me to come. I could never read my bible, or see to it that my children read theirs. I could neglect to sing at the one service I do attend and glance at my watch occasionally to see just how long it is taking. I could never visit the sick or write them an encouraging card. If I never talk to anybody about their salvation or invite anyone to a service or a study, that would be pretty good proof too. I am sure that you can think of many other ways that I could use to prove conclusively that I was a "lukewarm" Christian. Here is what Jesus told the "lukewarm" Christians of Laodicea to do. "Buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich." The riches of the world will pass away - but faith tried by fire, tempered in the crucible of trials and tribulations through which the Lord has carried us, doesn't pass away. It is true riches. Jesus also urged them to buy from Him, "white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed." White symbolizes purity and holiness, and this reminds me of what Paul told the Philippian brethren in Phil. 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." In addition, Jesus told them to buy from Him, "eye-salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see." They were blind to what they were really doing, blind to their faults and to their terrible condition. Jesus was telling them to open their eyes and see themselves as they really were with no sugar coating. That is a tough thing to do. I wonder how they reacted to the Lord's rebuke. Jesus made it clear in v. 19, that when He issues a rebuke and a stern chastisement, it is because of His love and concern for the individuals and it should be understood as such. Even today, if all would understand the reasoning behind rebukes issued from the Word of God, there would be no getting angry, mad, or offended at sermons and lessons taken from God's Word. The reason for rebuke and chastisement is to turn people from sin, cause them to repent, and to be zealous (sometimes again) for the Lord. I don't ever want the Lord to say to me, after becoming a child of His and having salvation in hand, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot or cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." Greg Litmer
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