0986. The Church at Laodicea

The Church at Laodicea

"Because than sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Rev_3:17)

The Church at Laodicea stands as the climax of all apostasy. It particularly represents the final period of church history.

It is not pleasant to consider that the church, after twenty centuries, is to be swept away into apostasy, and yet such is the plain teaching of the Word of God. We do not propose to follow the prophecies of Christ and the Apostles concerning this very apostasy, we have time only to consider the apostate church as described by Laodicea.

1. The very word "LAODICEA," "please the people," suggests an apostate church. It is a church, known for its "world pleasers." Its people boast in their own righteousness. It appeals to the world upon a human basis. This is seen in the description which follows.

2. "Thou art neither cold nor hot." It would be impossible to say that the Laodicean Church has no sign of activity. It is very active. It is anything but cold. It is full of works, but works of the flesh. Its whole system is carnal. It conducts its finances from a worldly point of view; it has a system of evangelism and is very active in missions, but its system is that of social service, and its activity is that of world achievement. It is not hot; it knows nothing of "the Holy Ghost and fire;" it is neither taught of the Spirit, led by the Spirit nor empowered of the Spirit.

3. "Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." No one would deny that the church has grown rich. To-day the church is speaking in terms of millions. It attempts some of the most gigantic financial undertakings of the age. Peter and John said, "Silver and gold have I none," but the Laodicean Church says, "Silver and gold have I in abundance," "I have need of nothing."

4. "Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." How pitiable is this church in the eyes of the Lord! How different is His conception of her condition, from the conception which she bears of herself. Christ does not value a church by the building in which it meets, by the social work which it accomplishes, or by the amount of money which it contributes to world advancement. Christ values a church by the life which it lives–the "gold tried in the fire;" He values a church by the deeds of real Christian service, "the white raiment," "the righteous acts of saints;" He values a church by its spiritual vision, its anointed eyes with the eye salve of the Spirit.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR