Go to God. Having gotten their attention, Jesus then explains why He described their spiritual condition as lukewarm. After such strong correction, it is especially poignant to note that God wants sinners to repent and will quickly forgive their sins if they do. (18) I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. In ancient Greek culture, the evening meal was a social event. When Jesus speaks, the church needs to listen. 3. He currently pastors the Austin, Texas, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version ( 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.). All rights reserved. Zeus, the supreme god, was also worshiped in the city (Expositors). Perhaps the most famous ones they produced were an ointment for the ears (for a time produced only in Laodicea), and an eye salve made from Phrygian powder and oil. We now come back to the question of how to purchase white garments from Christ, but before we do that, there a couple of terms that I need to define. In addition, its wealth came from the production of a fine quality of famous glossy black woolwhether dyed or natural in color is not known. What he was telling his listeners was that what they were about to hear from him was faithful, reliable, true, and believable. Hear God. Colossae had been a major trade center on the trade route from Sardis to Konya and was famous for the dark red wool cloth that carried that its name, colossinum (also derived from the madder root). The Bible speaks of eye-salve. 4. (14) To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. This messageas well as all of the othersis still important for Christians today. Cling to the Vine "I am the vine; you are the branches. But it's written that it was as a man that He humbled Himself, and was obedient. So wealthy was Laodicea that after the great earthquake of A.D. 17, which destroyed it, the people refused imperial help in rebuilding the city, choosing rather to do it entirely by themselves. It almost always represents purity, righteousness, or wisdom. 3. We must be determined to pursue purity and to do what pleases God (1 Thessalonians 1:9). The city's reputation was for its money transactions and the good quality of raven-black wool grown in the area.1 The black wool, spun into dark yarn, was added to yarn dyed in other colors and made some very intricately patterned colored clothing, which sold for a high price in Rome. Near the temple of the special god associated with healing there was a market for trading all sorts of goods. Gold, clothing, and eye salve represent the three major industries of Laodicea: banking, textiles, and medicines. It is important to keep this verse in context with the rest of the passage. Actions, behaviors, motives, and the heart are all intertwined; they cannot be separated. Theologians have struggled for two thousand years, trying to determine who exactly they are. Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Even Aristotle spoke of the medicines from Laodicea that supposedly helped with eyesight and hearing. They are not visiting the shut-ins, the hospitalized prisoners, or serving as Jesus served. Ruins from ancient Laodicea (photo by David Treybig). His obedience was because, as a man, He had self-will that was in agreement with the Father's. He wants to be a friend with whom we enjoy spending time. Wrapping up His message, Jesus then explains that He is standing at the door and knocking, meaning that He wants to come in and dine with them (Revelation 3:20). Once again, Jesus Christ begins this message by identifying Himself as the One giving the message. If you think back to the Garden of Eden, clothing was the first thing which Adam felt the need of, after he had sinned. People came from all over the empire to purchase this medicine. The words of Jesus Christ arise directly from the prosperity and the skill in which Laodicea took so much pride and which had in the minds of its citizens, and even of its Church, eliminated . What images came into their minds? Ho! 3 Ways to Avoid Becoming a Lukewarm Church. Although the Bible does not reveal how the Church of God began in Laodicea, a faithful minister named Epaphras served this congregation as well as members in Colosse and Hierapolis sometime during the first few decades after Christs death. Then we must take active, practical steps to avoid falling into sin. Fertile ground of the valley was good grazing for sheep. 16 So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Imputed righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus Christ, credited to a person enabling him/her to be justified in the eyes of God. Jesus is telling the church that He doesnt simply know their deeds; He knows the motives in their hearts. Giving time to Christ is what Christians must do to develop spiritual discernment. It was a banking center. There is a major problem associated with being an angelic angel. We know from this introduction that what follows is being said by Jesus. After identifying Himself, Jesus immediately tells the church at Laodicea that He knows their worksthat they are neither cold nor hotand because they are lukewarm, He will vomit them out of His mouth (Revelation 3:15-16). The lack of white clothing does not mean they removed their salvation; it simply means the clothing that symbolized their purity and righteousness was gone. We cant relax and mistakenly assume we have it made. The word for love used in this verse is not agape but phileo. Laodicea lies 40 miles southeast from Philadelphia in the Lycus Valley. Both churches were in a downward spiral of carnality. The church at Laodicea was not victorious, but Christ had not yet given up on them. In the first theory, if the angel is an actual angel, then we can infer that each church has its own guardian angel. In the New Testament, a believer dies with Christ to live a new holy life in the power of Christ's resurrection and identification with Christ's suffering (Romans 6:1-11, Galatians 2:20; Philippians 3:8-10). Jesus' friendship with this church is so deep that he is willing to point out their problems. Incline your ear to his voice. Throughout the ages Satan has blinded the minds of most people (. Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1-2. The residents would go there daily to fill their jars with the cold refreshing water from Colossae. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 NASB. Jesus is reminding us that he is God, and as such, cannot lie. The verse is not talking about salvation; it is talking about usefulness or purpose. From sexual promiscuity to getting drunk while meeting together to quarreling amongst themselves, these people were far from the ideal loving and thriving church body. The whole point of this verse is that lukewarm has no use. They produced a world-famous salve, reputed to cure certain kinds of eye diseases. Additionally, it was the home of a medical school known for the treatment of eye problems, where it produced a famous eye salve. It takes a true friend to point out negative things in your life, and then be willing to be part of the solution. Water is an important necessity for any metropolis, and the ancient city of Laodicea accommodated this need. If we are humble and willing to obey, He will give us the strength and resolve we need to endure in the battle. This suffering was not the physical suffering on the cross of Calvary. Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Transliteration changes the Hebrew letters (Hebrew is read from right to left but my chart below has it from left to right to make it easy to understand.) Jesus' life was controlled by God's will: Not my will, but Yours, be done. When Jesus came into the world, He declared, God, You have given Me a body, and I have come to do Your will. (Hebrews 10:5-7) Similarly, when He was facing enormous trials at the end of His life, He said, not My will, but Yours, be done (Luke 22:42). As a man, Jesus also had this self-will and was tempted, but His firm resolve from the very start was, Not My will, but Yours! For us to overcome as He overcame, we need to make that same decision and faithfully stick to it, no matter what happens or how we feel. It would appear so. Isaiah 55:1-3 (NASB). Imparted righteousness is the righteousness of sanctification, wherein God causes the Christian to become more and more Christlike. (22) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.. Remains of a water pipe in Laodicea (photo by David Treybig). Church of the Lukewarm: Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) November 7, 2021. hippie fest 2022 michigan; family picture poses for 5 adults; unforgettable who killed rachel; pacific northwest college of art notable alumni; adler sense of belonging family constellation; Making an everlasting covenant with God (salvation is only the starting point). To heal their weak spiritual condition, Jesus said, I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see (verse 18). In a letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote: Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Six miles to the north, the town of Hierapolis sat on the top of the cliffs overlooking the valley. The Laodiceans needed to turn away from putting their trust in their earthly gold and instead put their trust in Jesus Christ, and that would involve repentance. 18cand eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Does it matter which side of the room you sit in? Before He left the earth, Jesus promised His disciples that He would send them the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who would guide them to the truth (John 14:16-17, 26; John 15:26). Gods Word is a sword. Their wealth has become their savior who supplies their every need. Laodicea quickly became a rich city, rich enough to be able to rebuild itself without outside help after the destructive earthquake of 60 A.D. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. Revelation 3:14-22 The church at Laodicea was very active. We have been warned and cautioned to be ready for His arrival. You must know the truth so well that, when the lies of the enemy appear, you can recognize it. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Therefore, the Lord Jesus tells them to buy eye salve from Him to see their spiritual state. The word for dine is the Greek word (deipns), which means to eat at a banquet.24 This word for dine is very similar to the Greek word for dinner deipnon, the evening meal. Christs threefold prescription to cure their condition paralleled the physical circumstances that had apparently deceived them. It can only come by the revelation of Jesus Christ to the believer, and then must be developed by way of training in righteousness (Hebrews 5:14) and prayer (Ephesians 6:18). Revelation 3:14-22. His entire life was a fulfillment of God's Word, and thereby, Gods will. Colossae quickly decreased in importance. They were storing up treasure on earth, but not in heaven. In the Old Testament, the sacrifice could not be slain until it had been presented to the priest. 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