Laodicean Church

Bible Questions Answered:

“Would we know it if our church is a lukewarm church?...”

Sheryl/ Phoenix, Arizona U.S.A.

Bible Answer:

Bible Texts:

The term lukewarm, was our Lord's description of the church of Laodicea (near Colossae, 10 miles, in the Lycus river valley). (Colossians 4:16)

That The Lord used this description of them, describing their spiritually as non-zealous to say the least.

Revelation 3:14-18 NLT

14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from The One who is The Amen—The Faithful And True Witness, The Beginning Of God’s New Creation:

15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!

16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth!

17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

18 So I advise you to buy gold from Me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.

History records that Laodicea had great earthquake in 60 A.D. Leveling much, but they refused any and all help from Rome, and why? Because Laodicea was a wealthy city, needing no ones help.

Revelation 3:17 NLT

You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor..."

Archaeologists say that an aqueduct carried water from a hot spring over some 5 miles away to Laodicea, and that by the time it arrived there, the water was lukewarm.

Revelation 3:15,16 NLT

15 I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!

16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth!

John 4:10 KJV

Jesus answered and said...If thou knewest The Gift Of God...thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee Living Water.

The city of Laodicea knew something about cloth, for it was known for its black wool.

Revelation 3:18 NLT

So I advise you to buy...white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness,

According to Strabo*, Greek geographer, philosopher, and historian, there was a medical school in Laodicea, where the art of ophthalmology was practiced. The surrounding area (Phrygia) was noted for its eye-lotions, and Phrygian powder.

Revelation 3:18 NLT

So I advise you to buy...from Me...ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.

(*Strabo -Greek: Στράβων Strabōn; 64 or 63 BC – c. 24 AD)

Was a Greek geographer, philosopher, and historian who lived in Asia Minor during the transitional period of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.)

Wikipedia

Just what kind of church was the Laodicean church?

In Matthew 7:21-23 KJV we have a picture of it, our Lord told us...

21 Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.

Isaiah 5:20,21 KJV

20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for Light, and Light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Notice the rote ritualistic patterns of a Godless church. Religious, yes, Godly, no!

Filled with religious “works,” Prophecy, Exorcisms, Wonderful Religious Works (Great Concerts, Orchestral delights, Baptisms, Eucharist liturgies, and Religious rituals, etc. etc.).

The Apostle Paul

II Timothy 3:5 KJV

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

This church (Matthew 7:21-23) was the gateway to hell, because it had no “personal-relationship with Jesus Christ.” It bought and paid for its salvation through religious works, prayers, communions, baptisms, financial giving, etc. etc.

And yet The Word reminds us....

Titus 3:5,6 KJV

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of The Holy Ghost;

6 Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;

Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is The Gift Of God:

9 Not of works (Religious), lest any man should boast.

Matthew 7:23 KJV

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.

A church and its workers, “workers of iniquity?” Yes, Jesus said so.

Lukewarm, and dead churches today?

Churches that deny the incarnation.

Churches that deny the virgin birth.

Churches that deny the Deity of The Lord Jesus Christ.

Churches that deny the atoning blood of Christ.

Churches that deny the resurrection of Christ.

Churches that deny the Priesthood of Christ.

Churches that deny any working of The Holy Spirit.

Etc. etc. etc..

The Apostle Paul, warned, and warned again:

Galatians 5:16-24 NLT

16 So I say, let The Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what

The Spirit wants. And The Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

18 But when you are directed by The Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,

21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.

I Corinthians 6:9-20 NLT

9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,

10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of The Lord Jesus Christ and by The Spirit Of our God.

Avoiding Sexual Sin

12 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

13 You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for The Lord, and The Lord cares about our bodies.

14 And God will raise us from the dead by His power, just as He raised our Lord from the dead.

15 Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never!

16 And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.”

17 But the person who is joined to The Lord is one spirit with Him.

18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.

19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of The Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,

20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

II Corinthians 13:5 NLT

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

Philippians 1:9-11 KJV

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.

11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Jude 1:24,25 KJV

24 Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Revelation 3:20-22 NLT

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

21 Those who are victorious will sit with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat with My Father on His throne.

22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to The Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.”

Today the choice is ours:

Lifeless Churches of spiritually binding rituals versus Churches of liberating power and a personal Savior.

Isaiah 58:6 KJV

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free..."

John 8:36 KJV

If The Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Salvation Prayer:

Acts 2:21 KJV

“And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of The Lord shall be saved.”

Acts 4:12 KJV

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Romans 6:23 KJV

“For the wages of sin is death; but The Gift Of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 10:9l, 10 KJV
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth The Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation.

Hebrews 3:12-14 KJV
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from The Living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;