The church of Laodicea is the story of a church that started out well but ended tragically – it is the church of the unconverted!
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Laodicea: The Church Of The Unconverted
Revelation 3:14-22
In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus dictates seven letters to seven different churches in Asia Minor which existed in the first century. Each one is different from the others. Of course, if we find ourselves in a situation similar or identical to theirs, then the instructions Jesus gave them are applicable to us as well.
Jesus wrote to Ephesus: the church that left its first love.
Smyrna: the church of impending martyrdom
Pergamum: the church that tolerated false teachers
Thyatira: the church that tolerated a false prophetess
Philadelphia: the church of the open door
Laodicea: the church of the unconverted
Now, why in the world would I call the church in Laodicea, the church of the unconverted?! I mean, after all, if it is a church, then by definition it is made up of converted people right? Well, yes, if you are talking about the true church, the church of Jesus Christ. But, no, if you are talking about a group of people who simply call themselves a church.
We had a church already which was similar to the church of Laodicea. Remember it? It is the church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1-6. Jesus tells them that they have a name that they are alive, but they are dead. However, everyone was not dead, because in Rev. 3:4 Jesus writes, “But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” In Sardis, the majority were lost and unconverted. However, in Laodicea it appears that everyone was unconverted.
Why would I say that?
- Because Jesus does not tell them that there are at least a few in Laodicea who have not soiled their garments as He does in His letter to Sardis. In fact, Jesus has absolutely nothing good to say about them.
- Because Jesus tells them He is going to vomit them out of His mouth – 3:16. They are disgusting to Christ. That doesn’t sound like a true church to me.
- Because they did not see a need for Christ. They felt they were fine on their own, thank you very much – Rev. 3:17.
- Because Jesus advises them to come to Him for purified gold, white garments, and eye salve – 3:18. These are emblematic for spiritual riches, divine righteousness, and spiritual sight – they all refer to salvation.
- Because Jesus is seen on the outside of this church seeking entrance – 3:20.
So, I believe Laodicea was the church of the unconverted. Let’s go back to this letter and look at it phrase by phrase.
1. The Recipients
Laodicea. What do we know about this city? Well, it was the last stop on the postal carrier’s route, directly east of Ephesus and about 45 miles south of Philadelphia.
This area was the Tri-City area of Asia Minor, because there were 3 cities close to one another: Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colossae. Hierapolis was six miles north of Laodicea, and Colossae was ten miles east.
Laodicea had two major problems – earthquakes and clean water. In 68 AD, an earthquake almost destroyed this city, but the wealthy citizens had rebuilt it even more spectacularly than it had been before, without government funds.
The other problem was a lack of clean water. It was built on a plateau, and so had no water supply. So what they did was to pipe in water in an underground aqueduct from a small town about six miles south. The water came from some hot springs, but by the time it reached Laodicea, it was lukewarm – not hot enough to be of a healing benefit, and not cold enough to refresh. Furthermore, it was loaded with calcium deposits.
Laodicea was famous for three things:
- Laodicea was a very, very wealthy city, situated at the crossroads of two major trade routes.
- Textile industry. Laodicea was known for the wool it produced – soft, raven-black wool.
- A famous medical school. An eye-salve had been developed there, which was purported to help cure eye diseases.
The church in Laodicea. Now, this church was not always in such a dismal and lost state. It seems to have started out well. It appears to have been planted by Epaphras. Notice what Paul says in Col. 4:12-13, “Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.” Now, we do know that it was Epaphras who brought the gospel to Colossae, and no doubt, planted the church there. Col. 1:7 says, “just as you learned the gospel from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf…” Well, we are told in Col. 4:12-13 that Epaphras had a deep concern not only for the Colossians, but also for those in Hierapolis and Laodicea. Probably, he had been the one that evangelized all three of those cities and planted churches there.
In Col. 4:15 Paul writes, “Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house. When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.” We learn several things by this statement. First, Paul tells the Colossians to greet the brethren who are in Laodicea. That means that when this church was planted, there were genuine Christians (brethren) there. The church was probably planted in the 50’s AD. The book of Revelation was probably penned in the 90’s. So, over the intervening 40 years, something tragic had taken place. A true church of genuine Christians had degenerated into a gathering of unconverted people.
We also learn from this text that Paul had written a letter to the Laodiceans which has not survived. Also, Paul urges them to read each other’s letters.
So, Laodicea is the story of a church that started out well, and ended horribly!
2. The Author
The Amen the faithful and true Witness. This is the only time in the Bible “Amen” is used as a title or name. It means “of a truth.” That’s why Jesus would say things like, “Truly, truly I say to you.” Literally He was saying, “amen, amen, I say to you…” Because Jesus is the Amen, He is also the faithful and true Witness. This designation comes from Rev. 1:5, “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness…” Perhaps Jesus used this title for Himself, because He needed to assure these people in Laodicea that what He was about to tell them was God’s truth, and they needed to heed it.
The Beginning of the Creation of God. The Jehovah’s Witnesses interpret this verse to mean that Jesus is the first thing that God created. However, that can’t be the meaning. Remember, that Paul urged the Laodiceans to read the letter he wrote to the Colossians. And what did Paul write to them? Col. 1:16, “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him.” Rather than being the first thing God created, He is described there as the One who created all things. Further in Col. 2:9 Paul writes, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.”
The word Jesus uses here “Beginning” is the Greek word Arche. It can have the meaning of “ruler, source, or origin.” That’s how the word must be intended. Jesus is the Source of all that has been created. “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (Jn.1:3).
So, Jesus here identifies Himself as the true and faithful witness and as the Creator God. Both titles are important because He is going to be bearing witness to some things that the Laodiceans would find very difficult to accept.
3. The Commendation
Actually, there is no commendation. All Jesus says is “I know your deeds.” However, He does not commend them for those deeds. Rather he rebukes them.
4. The Correction
You are neither cold nor hot. The “cold” and “hot” must refer to their deeds. Their deeds were neither cold nor hot. “Hot” would refer to deeds done for the Lord out of zeal. We sometimes talk of someone being “on fire” for God. “Cold” would refer to deeds done by someone that is openly hostile to Christ. These people in Laodicea were not on fire for Christ, and they were not openly hostile to Christ. They were simply apathetic towards Christ. They weren’t openly opposed to Him, but they weren’t zealously for Him either. And this describes millions of people in America today.
Jesus is describing their condition by referring to the water supply of the city. It started out as water from a hot spring but by the time it arrived in Laodicea it was lukewarm. It wasn’t hot with its healing properties, and it wasn’t cold and refreshing in invigorating. It was lukewarm and foul tasting!
I wish that you were cold or hot. But why would Jesus wish that they were cold rather than lukewarm? I think the answer is because if they were cold, at least they would know that they were actively opposed to Him. In their present state, they thought that they were at peace with God, saved, and headed for heaven, when in fact, they were still lost and unconverted.
Because you are lukewarm I will spit you out of My mouth. The word “spit” here is really not strong enough. The word actually means “vomit.” Jesus is saying this church disgusts Him. It makes Him sick, and He’s about to throw up. What would that mean? It would mean Jesus is going to reject them and cast them into Hell if they don’t repent and turn to Him.
You say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” This was their own estimation of themselves. This is how they saw themselves. Just as the citizens of Laodicea had rebuilt the city without any help from Rome after the disaster of the earthquake in 68 AD, so the people of this church felt they didn’t need any help from God. They were fine on their own without Him, thank you very much. These people did not see themselves as hell-bound sinners, in danger of the wrath of God. They saw themselves as needing nothing. They were like the Pharisee that prayed to himself in Luke 18:11-12, “God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.” His prayer was more like a bragging session. These Laodiceans were the same way. They were proud, boastful, arrogant and self-righteous.
You do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” That was the Lord’s estimation of this church. I don’t see how a true church of Jesus Christ could ever be described as wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Wretched and miserable. This tells us that though they thought they were very righteous people and didn’t need anything, in reality they were spiritually wretched and miserable. They were lost and didn’t even know it. They were headed for hell all the while thinking they were going to heaven.
Poor. They thought they were rich, wealthy, and had need of nothing, but in reality they were poor. They were spiritually poor. They had none of God’s true spiritual riches. The Lord is keying off of those things the Laodiceans were famous for to make His point. They were famous as a wealthy city, so the Lord uses that to tell them that in fact they were dirt poor when it came to the things that really mattered.
Isn’t it interesting how their estimation of themselves was so different from Jesus’ estimation of them? It makes me wonder if our view of ourselves is different from the Lord’s view of us.
Blind. Jesus tells them that they are blind, spiritually blind. The God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving (2Cor.4:4). The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised (1 Cor. 2:14).
Naked. They were destitute of the righteousness of Christ which covers and clothes all those who believe in Him. They stood in their own righteousness, and because they were sinners, they were spiritually naked.
I advise you to buy from Me gold, white garments, and eye salve. Jesus is keying off of the three things the city was famous for: banking, black wool, and eye salve. He’s saying to them, “Don’t trust in your own riches and gold. Buy purified gold from Me.” Now, don’t let the word “buy” throw you. Remember that Jesus said they were poor. They had no money to buy these things. This is a figure of speech intended to convey the meaning that they needed to come to Jesus to obtain these things.
Is. 55:1 “How! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”
They needed to come to Jesus to get white garments to clothe their nakedness. They needed to wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev.7:14).
They needed eye salve so that they could see. They were spiritually blind to God’s truth, and to the preciousness of Christ and His gospel, and their own sinful condition. Only Jesus could open their eyes to see their true condition so that they would turn to Him in repentance and faith.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” Some believe these people must be true Christians because Jesus said He loves them. However, there is a sense in which Jesus loves all people. There is also a sense in which God disciplines the lost. He convicts the lost of sin. 2 Tim. 2:25 says that we are to gently correct those who are in opposition to the truth. The word “correct” is the same Greek word for “discipline.”
Jesus Christ is calling these unsaved church members to truly repent, and come to Him for salvation.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. What do we have here? We have Jesus on the outside of the church. He has been shut out of the church! But, if anyone will hear His voice and open the door, He will come into him and dine with him. Notice the promises is to the individual – “come into him, and dine with him.” This is an invitation to fellowship and communion with Jesus Christ. If any individual within this unconverted church would hear His call and open the door, Jesus will come into that person and have a loving relationship with him.
5. The Promise
He who overcomes. Who is that? 1 Jn. 5:4-5 says it is the believer, the one born of God. So, if anyone welcomes Jesus Christ into their life to be their Savior, Lord, and Treasure, he is an overcomer. That is the one to whom these promises apply.
I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne… The promise is to co-rule with Jesus Christ. We are told elsewhere that the church will judge the world and angels. Just where and how we are going to rule with Christ is an open debate. Some believe this is talking about believers reigning with Christ during the Millennium. Some believe it is talking about the souls of believers who have died and gone to heaven reigning with Christ before the second coming. Others believe it is speaking about believers reigning with Christ now in this life. Others think it refers to believers reigning on the new earth.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Jesus’ words in this letter are what the Spirit says to the churches. May we learn His lesson for us in it.
Conclusion
- A true church can turn away from Christ and the gospel within a single generation. That is a frightening thought! We must be alert and sober. The devil would love to neutralize the effectiveness of every church by filling it with unconverted people.
- False converts are characterized by pride and self-sufficiency. They ultimately trust in themselves.
- A false convert may become a true convert if they will come to Christ in repentance and faith. They must renounce their own righteousness. They must own the fact that they are a sinner that deserves wrath. They must cling to Jesus Christ as their only hope of eternal salvation.
- To receive salvation an individual must personally receive Jesus Christ. They must welcome Him into their life to save and govern them. They must hear His voice and open the door.
- A true convert is promised fellowship with Jesus Christ. He will come and dine with him!
What about you? Are you a false convert or a true one? Are you cold, hot or lukewarm? Are you trusting in your own works or in the work of Jesus Christ? Do you know about Jesus or have you come to have true personal fellowship with Him on a daily basis? I hope you can say the latter! Let’s pray.
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