TO THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA

Revelation:3.15-18
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
So, because you are lukewarm– neither hot nor cold– I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Why was this church referred to as lukewarm?

The Lord called them lukewarm because, as a church, they regarded their deeds and accomplishment over what Christ had accomplished on the cross. They didn’t see the need for help in their spiritual lives because they saw themselves as lacking nothing. They paid no attention to gaining the wealth that Christ had to offer them. They neglected their spiritual needs and refused any form of help from God.

Like this church, sometimes, we see ourselves as morally rich and pure because we go to church often or are involved in the things of God more. We count that as having it all. We refuse to be helped because we believe we can do it all. We have the tendency of seeing ourselves as very righteous because of our deeds. In our own sight, we are good and okay. Like the pharisee who prayed about the good things he does(Luke 18:10-12), we pride ourselves in self righteousness.

Today, the spirit is saying, purchase pure gold because we do not have any, white clothes because we are naked and salves so we can see. The gold we have isn’t enough to make us rich, the cloth we have on is torn and our eyes are blind.

You can’t be a true believer who is on fire for God and still refuse help from God. Those he loves, he helps/ rebukes(Revelation 3:19). Sometimes, God’s help comes in the form of a rebuke. When he rebukes you, he helps you to attain his righteousness which is the true wealth our spirit need.