seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The commentary is really lengthy. It's also very, very informative.I have always wondered why Jesus talked about eye salve. He used mud when He healed the man who had been blind since birth. Now, thanks to the commentary, I get it. Look at this....
The church of the Laodiceans: Laodicea was also a noted commercial center, and some of its goods were exported all over the world. “It is frequently noted that Laodicea prided itself on three things: financial wealth, an extensive textile industry, and a popular eye-salve which was exported around the world.” (Mounce)
And there is this... speaking of "lukewarm".Their main water supply came on a six-mile aqueduct from the hot springs of Hierapolis. Because the water came from hot springs, it arrived unappetizingly lukewarm.
Hey look... the church was a democracy rather than a theocracy.The name Laodicea means “rule of the people.” This church well represents a church run by majority rule instead of God. “Its name designates it as the Church of mob rule, the democratic Church, in which everything is swayed and decided by popular opinion, clamor and voting.” (Seiss)
The people of this church didn't need anything from anyone else.The Laodiceans put their trust in material prosperity, in outward luxury, and in physical health. They felt like they didn’t need anything. “The loss of a sense of need, as the drowsiness that besets a freezing man, is fatal.” (Newell)
“The cause of Christ has been hurt more by Sunday-morning bench-warmers who pretend to love Christ, who call Him Lord but do not His commands, than by all the publicans and sinners.” (Havner)
Well, it must have been quite a church. I bet they had fine candles and plush seats. I bet the lighting would put any good parishioner to sleep so they wouldn't notice the dull drabble of the sermon meant to "enrich" the car salesmen and realtors. After all, we all need to drive a fine chariot with fine horses, and live in a glorious home... because everyone knows we can do it ourselves... and they will flock to our Megachurch and fill our hat to get as "rich" as we are. They would tell you... "We don't need help... and we don't need to waste our time helping anyone else. They might soil the fine carpet."
But... they didn't have water.... they had to pull the water from somewhere else... and if some warring nation decided they wanted to squat in this town, all they had to do was shut off the water and the town was theirs for the taking.
Jesus told John to warn them. All the fabulous textiles, gooey salve, and warm water in the region wouldn't save them. Jesus is the Messiah. He is their only hope. They cannot, could not, do it themselves.
You can't earn your way to Heaven no matter how much salve you put on blind eyes in a luke warm church.
He's trying to get our attention. He's at the door!
I bet the water in Heaven is crystal clear and cool. After all it's Heaven.
Clear your eyes and see the need to change.
Luke warm water sucks!
Luke warm Christians suck!