The Lukewarm Church

The Destination

Revelation 3:14 NKJV

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write…”

As with the other churches, the church of Laodicea is not mentioned much throughout the New Testament. The only other place it is mentioned outside of Revelation is in Colossians.

Apparently, the church at Colossae and the church at Laodicea were very similar in their genetic make-up. Paul told the Colossian church, once they had read their own letter from Paul, to swap that letter with the one he wrote to the Laodiceans. It seems as if each letter was applicable to both churches, so Paul encouraged them to work together and read one another’s letters.

Colossians 4:16 NKJV

16 Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

To provide some background context concerning the city, John MacArthur writes:

Revelation 1–11: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The City

One of a triad of cities (with Colossae and Hierapolis) in the Lycus valley, about one hundred miles east of Ephesus, Laodicea was the southeasternmost of the seven cities, about forty miles from Philadelphia. Its sister cities were Colossae, about ten miles to the east, and Hierapolis, about six miles to the north. Located on a plateau several hundred feet high, Laodicea was geographically nearly impregnable. Its vulnerability to attack was due to the fact that it had to pipe in its water from several miles away through aqueducts that could easily be blocked or diverted by besieging forces.

Laodicea was founded by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus II and named after his first wife. Since he divorced her in 253 B.C., the city was most likely founded before that date. Though its original settlers were largely from Syria, a significant number of Jews also settled there. A local governor once forbade the Jews from sending the temple tax to Jerusalem. When they attempted to do so in spite of the prohibition, he confiscated the gold they intended for that tax. From the amount of the seized shipment, it has been calculated that 7,500 Jewish men lived in Laodicea; there would have been several thousand more women and children. Even the Talmud spoke scornfully of the life of ease and laxity lived by the Laodicean Jews.

With the coming of the Pax Romana (peace under Rome’s rule), Laodicea prospered. It was strategically located at the junction of two important roads: the east-west road leading from Ephesus into the interior, and the north-south road from Pergamum to the Mediterranean Sea. That location made it an important commercial city. That the first-century B.C. Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero cashed his letters of credit there reveals Laodicea to have been a strategic banking center. So wealthy did Laodicea become that it paid for its own reconstruction after a devastating earthquake in A. D. 60, rejecting offers of financial aid from Rome.

The city was also famous for the soft, black wool it produced. The wool was made into clothes and woven into carpets, both much sought after. Laodicea was also an important center of ancient medicine. The nearby temple of the Phrygian god Men Karou had an important medical school associated with it. That school was most famous for an eye salve that it had developed, which was exported all over the Greco-Roman world. All three industries, finance, wool, and the production of eye salve, come into play in this letter to the Laodicean church.

The Description

Revelation 3:14 NKJV

14 “… ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

The word “Amen” is actually a transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning “truth”, “affirmation”, or “certainty”. It refers to that which is fixed, firm, and unchangeable.

This title for Jesus is used only here in Scripture. Jesus is certainly the Amen and claimed to be so when stating, “I am the truth (John 14:6).” But this title brings more to the table than just that.

2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV

20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see many promises of grace, mercy, fulfillment, hope, and eternal life. All of those promises culminate in the person and work of Jesus the Christ. He accomplished all of the tasks He was sent here for and in doing so, brought fulfillment to every promise of God. So He is not only the Amen in the sense that He alone is truth, but also that He confirmed all of God’s Word to be true by the fulfillment of its promises. This also adds an unprecedented amount of hope to the future promises of God’s Word. Knowing that Jesus fulfilled all of the promises before us to the letter, we also know that each promise that deals with our future will be met with the exact same level of perfection and fulfillment.

The title “Faithful and True Witness” only add to what has already been said. His faithfulness is unwavering and everything He does and says is in line with absolute truth.

Revelation 19:11 NKJV

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

The last title He uses of Himself is that He is the Beginning of the creation of God. This does not mean, as some false teachings suggest, that Christ was the first created being, but rather that He is the source of which creation came. It was “by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him (Col. 1:16).”

The Discernment

This is normally where Jesus would commend the church for the things they were doing well. Unfortunately for this church, there was nothing well to be commended. Jesus jumps straight to the issues at hand.

The Dilemma

Revelation 3:15–18 NKJV

15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 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— 18 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.

This church was full of people who hung out in the middle. They were neither on fire for God or completely cold towards God; they were lukewarm. To make it as plain as possible: a person who is hot is a person on fire for God; a person who is cold is a person who does not believe in God and is unashamed of that fact; a person who is lukewarm is a person who attends church (whether sporadically or regularly), claims to know the Lord, yet bears no spiritual fruit for the kingdom.

The fact that this church was full of lukewarm people made God sick. He told them that He would vomit [them] out of [His] mouth.

These people were deceived concerning their spiritual condition. They thought that physical wealth and well-being equated to God’s blessings. It can, but not always. There are plenty of rich, wealthy people who do not know the Lord. There are plenty of people who are in need of nothing physically speaking, but are dead spiritually. These people were far from God but felt no need to grow closer because of their physical well-being.

Jesus corrects them in saying, you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

You are not as well off as you think you are. “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26). It may have seemed to them that they were well off, but these materialistic things could not save them, any more than they can save us. Materials come and go. We need something more concrete and consistent. Furthermore, we need something that goes beyond the grave.

So Jesus then cautions them to seek better materials, something of more lasting value. “By from Me...” Jesus said:

Gold refined in the fire

that you may be rich

Gold refined in the fire is pure gold. It is not loaded with a bunch of infirmities. All of those things have been removed, or burnt away. This is a picture of true value. Salvation is that of which Jesus speaks. Salvation has true value for it goes beyond the grave. It extends into eternity. It is true and genuine. It is not fake, it does not put on a show. It is the substance of greatest value and it only comes from God.

White garments

that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed.

The nakedness spoken of here represents the shame of one’s sinfulness. As in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were ashamed of their nakedness once they had committed sin. Sin is shameful before a Holy righteous God.

As discussed in previous lessons, white represents purity. These white garments represent the grace of God that covers the shame of our sinfulness. It is the forgiveness and mercy of God that He now offers. Regardless of the sin, God’s grace is bigger than any sin and should be sought after by any who seek the righteousness of God in their lives.

Eye salve

to anoint your eyes, that you may see.

To be blind is to be ignorant of the things of God. These people were blind. They thought their physical wealth was good enough. Jesus tells them that their eyes need to be opened to the truth. The physical things of this world have nothing of lasting value to offer. Only God can grant those things, but also, only God can grant this realization.

This is an arm of invitation from Jesus to this church to receive the truth of the Gospel. This is an invitation of salvation. Have your eyes opened that you might perceive the truths of God.

The Demand

Revelation 3:19 NKJV

19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

Even though Jesus has as much negative things to say about this church as He does any of them, He makes it very clear that the only reason He is writing this letter is because He loves them. Regardless of their sinfulness, Jesus still loves them and wants to see them redeemed. He says that He only rebukes and chastens those whom He loves. Therefore, the call to them was one of repentance. To be zealous is to have an active passion for something. It is to be passionate and enthusiastic about something. Jesus tells them it is time to get serious. There is no more time to play games. I need you to understand the gravity of this situation, find your passion for the things of God, and repent.

The Declaration

Revelation 3:20–22 NKJV

20 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. 21 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. 22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”

This final declaration is a startling one. He begins with the captivating word “Behold”. This word demands attention. It demands you stop and look and listen closely to that which is at hand, for it is of grave importance.

Jesus tells them that He stands at the door and knocks. Remember that this letter is written to the church, so it seems as if Christ is standing outside the door of the church. Salvation is an individual matter, but He here seems to indicate that not even one single individual within the church was a believer.

At the end of the verse, He says that He would come in to dine with any individual who believed. The fact that Jesus is not doing that already would seem to indicate that there is no relationship between Christ and the members of this church. Otherwise, He would not have to wait outside and knock. He says that if anyone hears His voice and opens the door, He would enter that place. Just one person coming to salvation would open the door for Christ to enter the church. Revival can and most often does start with one person who encounters God on a different level.

To him who overcomes, Jesus promises that they will reign with Him. He will grant them the ability to sit with Him on His throne. He is passing along the same reward that was granted to Him by His Father.