For a lot of people, Revelation is a scary and daunting to book to read. It talks of various seals, bowls, trumpets, angels, and plagues. It describes a dragon, a prostitute, and a leopard-ish, bear-ish, lion-ish beast with seven heads and ten horns. It speaks of much death and destruction, but also of the final victory of Jesus and the beauty of the New Earth. The book of Revelation is difficult to understand and difficult to interpret, so many try to avoid it at all costs.
But these people often forget that not all of Revelation is filled with frightening images and confusing apocalyptic language. They forget that the first three chapters of Revelation are actually letters from Jesus to seven first-century churches. While these short letters were written almost 2,000 years ago, they are still very applicable to the Church today. And one letter that is particularly relevant for the American Church is the letter to the church of Laodicea.
This letter begins as most of the other New Testament letters do and identifies its author-
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.” Revelation 3:14, ESV
This Amen is Jesus. He is both faithful (always keeping His promises) and true (always declaring what is truth). He has been a witness to the actions and attitudes of the Laodiceans, and His fidelity and truth make Him a reliable and trustworthy witness. Jesus, the Amen, also describes Himself as “the beginning of God’s creation.” He is not saying here that He was the first creation of God (that would be a heresy called Arianism). Instead, He is saying that He was present at the beginning of creation, for all things were created by Him, through Him, and for Him (Colossians 1:15-16). This detail shows that Jesus, as the sovereign Creator, has authority to judge the Laodicean church.
The letter continues with Jesus’ rebuke of Laodicea-
“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16
This section of the Laodicean letter is often misunderstood. “Hot” is understood as being committed and on fire for God, “cold” is understood as being totally against God, and “lukewarm” is understood as being apathetic, on the fence, not against God but not committed to Him either. But Jesus is not saying He wishes Laodicea would just pick a side. Being hot and being cold were both good things.
Laodicea was located in the Lycus River Valley, and the cities of Colossae and Hierapolis were nearby. Hierapolis was known for its hot springs, and Colossae was known for its pure, cold waters. Both are good and beneficial for different purposes. But if anyone attempted to send the hot or cold water to nearby Laodicea, it would become lukewarm and good for nothing. Jesus is saying that the Laodicean church, like their water, has become lukewarm, useless, and ineffective.[1]
Why is Jesus accusing the church of these things? We find out as He continues His rebuke-
“For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17
Laodicea was a wealthy city that was known for its production of black wool and Phrygian eye salve. It was a banking center where many rich people chose to retire. Because of all this, the citizens (and even the church members) of Laodicea were prideful, self-sufficient, dependent on their wealth.[2] The Laodicean church believed she was prosperous, but she had become spiritually wretched and pitiable. She believed she was wealthy, but she had become spiritually poor. She believed she was free from eye disease, but she had become spiritually blind. She believed she was clothed in fine fabric, but she was spiritually naked.
The church’s dependence on herself had caused her to become useless and ineffective for the kingdom of God. So, Jesus gives them a solution for their spiritual poverty-
“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” Revelation 3:18
It may appear that Jesus is offering them material solutions. But since we know that Laodicea’s problem is spiritual, not material, we can be assured that these solutions are also spiritual. The gold refers to sanctification, a holiness that is produced through life’s tests and trials and makes one more like Christ. The white garments refer to the righteousness that is received from Christ when He removes sin and shame. The salve refers to wisdom and understanding that allows God’s people to discern truth. And the Laodiceans cannot acquire this holiness, righteousness, and wisdom on their own; they can only come from Jesus.
He completes His letter by saying,
“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so 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 eat with him and he with Me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also conquered 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 3:19-22
Though this letter sounds condemning, Jesus reminds the Laodicean church that His reproof and discipline of them is out of His great love for them. Jesus loves His people so much that He doesn’t want them to stay in their sin. He disciplines them so that they may repent. He is calling the Laodiceans to repent of their self-reliance and instead rely upon Him. He is knocking on their door and waiting for them to open it so that He may bestow holiness, righteousness, and wisdom upon them and restore fellowship with them. And those who obey Jesus will be able conquer their sins and rule with Him in His kingdom.
The American church today is a lot like the church of Laodicea. John Stott once wrote,
“Perhaps none of the seven letters is more appropriate to the church at the end of the twentieth century than this. It describes vividly the respectable, nominal, rather sentimental, skin-deep religiosity which is so widespread among us today.”[3]
Like Laodicea, we’ve become quite self-sufficient and self-reliant. We live in a wealthy nation where even our poorest people are considered rich by the world’s standards. We have all the food, clothing, and medicine we could ever want or need. Because we are usually able to provide for our own basic needs, we often think we don’t need God unless we lose our jobs, get diagnosed with a terminal illness, or have some other tragic event happen in our lives.
You may be thinking – Well, of course I know I need God. Do you? Maybe you cognitively know you need God, but do you live it out? How often do you pray throughout the day about even the smallest of things? When you find yourself needing something, do you automatically go to God, or do you try to figure out how to meet your need on your own? If you’re anything like me, there are likely some days where you go through the entire day without giving God a second thought. And this tendency has rendered us ineffective in spreading the gospel and advancing God’s kingdom.
So, the next time a need arises in your life, don’t be a lukewarm Laodicean. Don’t be so quick to rely on yourself. Instead, open the door to Christ and rely on Him. Ask Him for holiness, that you may be made more like Him. Ask Him for righteousness, that you may live according to His Word. Ask Him for wisdom, that you may make good decisions. And He will make you truly rich, truly prosperous, and truly successful in your Christian life.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock… He who has an ear, let him hear…” Revelation 20a, 22a
[1] Edward Hindson, “7. Laodicea: Putrid Church” in The Book of Revelation: Unlocking the Future, Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series (Scofield Ministries, 2002).
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
