(29)
By Abraham Eli
This study was first taught on December 22, 2019
Topic: The Assessment of the Churches (27): The Church of the Laodiceans (Lukewarmness)
(use the audio to study)
Background
We concluded our discussions on the assessment of the church in Philadelphia last week. This was a church, which in spite of their physical disadvantage or handicap of having a little strength—numerically, financially, politically, etc.—had kept the word of God, and had not denied His name; and as a result, an open door was set before them by the One who can open a door and it stays open, and who shuts a door and it stays shut!
In the concluding part last week, we saw that:
1. There is always a reward for obedience to God, even when it is not expressly stated aforehand.
2. The Lord cautioned them that since His return is imminent, they should not relax, but hold firm to what they already had that no one take it from them.
3. The Lord also said to them "<em>He who overcomes ...</em>": we noted that for all that the church in Philadelphia had endured and already overcome, the Lord was saying that they and indeed we, today's church, must endure till we shut our eyes in death!
4. We noted that (2) and (3) above is instructed because of Satan, who is a strategist—he attacks when we are weak: when we are tired, lagging behind in or walk with God, when our guards are down, especially when we are celebrating our small victories, or when we are not praying. Hence, we are admonished to watch and pray, lest we fall into temptation!
Scripture Text(s)
Revelation 3:14-22
We come to the last of the Seven churches—the church of the Laodiceans. The Lord's assessment was scathing. Here was a church that was neither hot nor cold—you are either one or the other, but He didn't know where to place them (<strong>Romans 12:9—13:14; Matthew 24:12</strong>). Not being able to classify them into one or the other, the Lord declared that they were 'lukewarm' and that He was about to vomit them—give them up!
When we spoke of "<strong><em>The Two Assemblies</em></strong>" there was a clear distinction between the church and the synagogue of Satan. But here, a new classification is being declared—lukewarmness. So, what is lukewarmness? What can make the Lord classify a church as lukewarm? Is a church thus classified really a church? By the grace of God, this challenge presented us by the church of the Laodiceans will be resolved in the course of our discussion.
Revelation 2:1a, 8a, 12a, 18a; 3:1a, 7a, 14a; Matthew 16:18b; 1 Timothy 3:15; Revelaion 3:17a; 1 Peter 5:6; Proverbs 8:13; 16:18; 11:2; 1 Corinthians 4:7; Esther 1:10ff; 2:12-15; Luke 12:15-21; 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 4:11-13; Daniel 7:8; Proverbs 18:17; Mark 5:2-15.
Conclusion
Most churches today are by the description for lukewarmness, lukewarm. The lukewarm church exhibit the following characteristics:
1. They focus on themselves and not on God—their programmes, activities, etc., which are not of God.
2. They are in competition with the world and with themselves—they are obsessed! We find them located in too close proximity to other churches, meeting at about the same time. What we need to have is cooperation; not competition (<strong>Colossians 4:16</strong>).
3. They believe and act like they own the church of God: father hands over to son; when husband founder dies, wife takes over; it is treated as a family affair or as an ethnic grouping—NEPOTISM!
4. They boast in themselves speaking "<em>pompous words</em>" not fearing God. We must distinguish between true prophecy and pompous words—the former is of God clearly; and the latter from men!
5. Their boasting is in their wealth and possession forgetting that it is God who gave it to them (<strong>1 Corinthians 4:7; Mark 10:24</strong>)!
6. They are self-sufficient, self-centred, and self-governing-they set their own rules and doctrines which have no scriptural basis most times. (<strong>Daniel 4:30-37</strong>)
7. They believe that they have no need for anything, including God. (<strong>2 Chronicles 16:12</strong>)
8. Their boasting in their wealth and possession is really a mask to hide their sorry state and depravity—their wretchedness, misery, being beggarly, blindness, and nakedness.
9. God is not in these churches for He is actually knocking to be allowed in. (<strong>Revelation 3:20</strong>)
10. They are about to go cold and they don't even know it—iniquity and lawlessness abound!
May the Lord have mercy on today's church and deliver us from our fleshly and worldly lifestyle.
Back to all Bible Study Outline List