What Can Be Learned From the Message to the Laodiceans? (Rev 3:14-22)

The messages to the seven churches in Asia which are found in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 do not represent seven periods in church history like some claim. They are rather messages given to actual churches in the late first century AD demonstrating the Risen Jesus’ estimate of their spiritual condition. The moral and spiritual lessons in these messages apply at all times. This is obviously why the message to each church concluded with a warning for everyone to take heed to the things which are said in them.

Here we will look at the message to the Laodiceans which is found in Revelation 3:14-22.

Revelation 3:14: “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;”

Jesus calling Himself the “beginning of the creation of God” does not mean that He was created. This is rather a reference to Him being the originator of creation and the first in rank over every creature. Jesus is the Creator who has authority over all. “Beginning” in Revelation 3:14 is arche in the Greek text.

Jesus had directly said in Revelation 1:8: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning (arche) and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 3:15-16: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

The Laodiceans had really been born-again and become members of the body of Christ. Yet Jesus is essentially saying here that He will reject them because of their works. The quality of one’s faith is known by their works. Continuing in a living faith in Christ is not automatic after one has begun in faith. Jesus’ grace is not irresistible. A true believer persevering in faith and remaining in Jesus’ grace is not guaranteed. The Laodiceans’ pathetic spiritual condition was their own fault. They were in danger of Jesus rejecting them altogether if they did not repent in accordance with the instructions which they were about to receive.

Revelation 3:17: “Because thou 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:”

The Laodiceans interpreted their material prosperity and comfortable lives as evidence that they were prospering spiritually and that God was pleased with them. They were dead wrong. How many are like this today? Vast multitudes. This demonstrates how every single Prosperity Gospel preacher is a liar who is preaching a false gospel.

This also demonstrates that born-again Christians can be wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked in God’s eyes. This proves the doctrine that God imputes Jesus’ personal righteousness to the Christian is a lie. Many today are acknowledged to be lukewarm, overall pathetic believers yet they are told something like “It is a good thing that God sees Jesus when He looks at you or you’d be in big trouble.” They are in big trouble.

Imputed righteousness, as the Bible teaches it, is not God imputing Jesus’ personal righteousness to people. It is rather Jesus’ blood cleansing the record of those who exercise an obedient, living faith in Him. Biblical justification is not a one and done transaction. There is a narrow way to life which must be continued on until the end in order to be saved. The Christian must be diligent to continue walking under Jesus’ authority and (in that context) seek His forgiveness as necessary in order to have their justification maintained.

Revelation 3:18: “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

This demonstrates by implication how the Laodiceans got into their lukewarm state. The things which the Laodiceans were counseled to do here show what they were failing to do before.

They did not have gold tried in the fire because they were not taking the necessary risks involved in walking by faith. They were not doing things which they knew the Lord expected of them.

In relation, note 1 Peter 1:7: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

The Laodiceans did not have white raiment that they might be clothed, and that the shame of their nakedness did not appear, because they were not being diligent to keep free of moral defilement nor wholeheartedly casting it off in repentance as necessary.

2 Corinthians 7:1: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Just a little earlier in Revelation the Church in Sardis was told the following.

Revelation 3:4-5: “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”

And the Laodiceans needed eye salve that they might see because they were not being diligent to understand God’s Word and practically apply it in life. They were also not honestly examining themselves. They had even failed to discern their pathetic spiritual condition in God’s eyes.

Revelation 3:19: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

The word for which is translated as “love” here in the Greek text is phileo. This is speaking of friendship or brotherly love. “As many as I love” in verse 19 is referring to people who have really been born-again and know the real Jesus in terms of fellowship. Even though many think they have known Jesus yet never really did in the sense of being born-again and in His grace, even those who really have can end up lost.

The Laodiceans had already greatly strayed. Though God in His love rebukes all sinners in a general sense, He especially rebukes and chastens His own children. They must receive His correction by amending their ways and doings in order to endure on the narrow way. Only those who endure will partake of eternal life in its fullness in the end and be spared from the second death in the lake of fire. The following verses were also written to born-again Christians who were straying.

Hebrews 12:4-11: “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons (note that this shows one can cease to be a child of God). Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

In its Biblical context, this verse is a call to Christians who were already regulars at church to really repent and get right with Jesus. The Laodiceans were immersed in preaching about Him. He still saw it as fitting to tell them this.

Revelation 3:21-22: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

This is obviously directly related to the exhortations about repentance which were given in verses 17 through 20. Verse 21 is an extension of the practical encouragements in verses 19 and 20 to agree with the true verdict given in verse 17 and to follow the counsel set forth in verse 18.

None of this would carry any weight if the Christian did not need to overcome by enduring to the end in obedient faith in order to ultimately be saved. This is indeed necessary. This was also implied in the messages to the other churches of Asia which were addressed in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. The final chapters of Revelation emphasize this multiple times. A few verses even say this as directly as anyone could ever reasonably expect it to be said. It is also demonstrated in the following verses that the Lord surely does not regard His free gift of eternal life in Christ as freedom from obligation to submit to His authority and to walk in His righteous ways. Many are greatly deceived and greatly deceitful regarding that.

Revelation 21:6-8: “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful (.i.e. cowardly in relation to doing right in God’s eyes), and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”