READ: Is. 1:10-20
… These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. … I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, … and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”- Rev. 3:14-17
As positively as Christ writes about His church in Philadelphia, His judgment of Laodicea is condemning. This community seems to face no opposition. They prosper materially. They have little to deprive themselves of. Members are content with themselves, self-satisfied. Indeed, they attend church, contribute to the collection, pray before meals, read the Bible, and wish each other God’s blessings. They also want to call themselves Christians. What more could you want?
Yet, the Lord has not a single good word for this community. He says: “You are neither cold nor hot; I wish you were one or the other.”
The church members live with divided hearts. Their faith lacks depth and fervor. Their lives are not infused with it. It’s all lukewarm. The Lord sees through their hypocrisy. He is the faithful witness: to Him, it’s either truth or not. He is the Amen: it is firm and certain. He tolerates no hypocrisy.
With Laodicea, things remain vague. They skirt around the truth and don’t live it out. They speak fine words but don’t act on them. No, they don’t reject the gospel like the pagans, but their faith is superficial, lacking radical commitment. They also don’t use their earthly possessions for Christ and His church, while everything exists only through Him. They use it apart from Him.
The Lord is repulsed by that. He is about to spit them out. But with His striking evaluation, He still seeks to bring them to insight and repentance: you miss the true wealth, do not know true happiness, and don’t see what truly matters. I see no good deeds.
How will Christ’s judgment be upon us?
Singing: Ps. 119:14