And unto the angel of the church of the Laodicea’s write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou art cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knows not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou may be rich; and white raiment, that thou may be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that thou may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcomes 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 says unto the churches.
-Verse 14. The introduction of the speaker as he that has the final says, the supreme and final authority. These things say the Amen, (the un-​changing Christ, as it was from the beginning, even so now it is and forever shall be world without end-​Amen. Hebrews 13: 8) not only the beginning of the creation of God and the faithful and true witness, but the greatest in importance, degree or significance. He is watcher firm in observant watching over to grow and establish the good seeds in his church to finish what he has begun in them and to uproot every plant that are not planted by the heavenly Father. The Lord will not accuse any unjustly, he is faithful and true and with equity shall he judge to reward everyone. When he shall come to judge the churches, he shall make an end of what he has begun as the beginning of the creation of God. 1 Samuel 3:10 – 14. Proverbs 14:5.
–Verse 15. The declarations of Christ against the unpleasant spiritual state, conducts and temperature of this particular church who has been playing it safe, taking precautions and avoiding risk, but he that love his life shall lose it. I know thy works that you are not cold or hot. This is the Lord’s viewpoint, the expression of the Laodicea’s unacceptable and intolerable spiritual mentality of lukewarmness. There is no proven love in the spirit in her. You must not remain among the playing it safe brethren or church, except you’re not baptized with Holy Ghost and fire to serve God in fervency of spirit — hot. You don’t have to play along with slothful brethren, with what they say, or with their plans, to appear to agree with their moderate gospel mentality and do what they want (double — faced spirituality) even though you know that what the Lord requires of you is to be on fire. He then called her to make a choice to be cold or hot. No one will light a lamp and put it under the table, but on top of the table that it might give light to everyone that enters the house. There is no spiritual childish game of hide and seek in the kingdom. No half-​hearted lover and professor of faith will last long in the kingdom. You are totally committed or you are not commit at all. It is either you are in it in the spirit, soul and body with the Lord or you are not at all with him in the cause of his kingdom. If it is not total consecration and hearty walk of given up of yourself, it’s a waste of time and doesn’t worth it. Nehemiah 3:1 – 5. John 12:42 – 43.
–Verse 16. The danger of spiritual neutrality and religious hypocrisy– because thou art lukewarm, and either cold or hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. We must throw everything into the fight for our Lord and solidly walk with him and work for him that merit and worth all that we are and shall be, if we have counted the cost from the beginning. Philippians3:7 – 11. Hebrews 11:13 – 16. It is disgusting and displeasing to the Lord that we are not wholeheartedly doing his works according to the grace we received of him. Faithfulness is determined by our devotion to the task given us in the singleness of heart and purpose. If our light is not burning through the small gift, it also means that we shall not be qualified for any future big occasion that is planned for us, thus we present ourselves unworthy of greater trust and responsibility in the kingdom. The Lord perceived total commitment to whatever our hands find to do as faithfulness and he threatened to disown and reject any halfhearted spiritual lover – I will spew thee out of my mouth. This is not an empty threat, but a call to full involvement in the Kingdom work. Ecclesiastes 9:10. Romans 12:6 – 11.1 Peter 4: 10 – 11. Revelation 2:8.
–Verse 17a. The danger of spiritual complacency (feeling of self– sufficiency outside of Christ in whom dwells all the fullness of God; and from whose fullness we receive grace to grace. The Lord stress danger and perilous feelings of financial security and satisfaction as if all depends on material possession and monetary or financial worth…. because thou say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knows not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. This is a self — conceited church and brethren who are entertaining flattery opinion of themselves with an exaggerated sense of self-​important, but are conceited fools in their self-declaration…I have need of nothing. Are we not fools, when we placed material possessions above spiritual wealth and riches of Christ? Are we not fools, to set the heart on that which is not (for riches certainly build themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward the heavens) when we think that satisfaction, peace and security can be obtained independently from Christ with our wing like riches without his daily and constant blessing? Are we not becoming fools when we value the materials and the physicals above the spiritual riches of Christ? Have we forgotten that by the word of God, the worlds were framed so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible? Proverbs 23:5. If riches increase, we must not set heart on them, he that lives in pleasure is dead while he lives. How hardly it is for them that are rich and its influence is powerful enough to control and direct and determine their cause by it to inherit the kingdom of God? This is an end time prosperity church as they say. It is not a new generation church because there is nothing new under heaven to God. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. It is a church and assembly where everything is about money and show off. The mentality is the richer you are reveals the goodness and faithfulness of God to you, but has forgotten that even the ungodly prosper and heap up riches in the world. These are brethren who are ready to give money for others to pray, fast, evangelize and do every other spiritual personal duties they ought to do by themselves on their behalf — consciously excusing themselves from active involvement in spiritual activities, obligations and commitments to the Lord. Proverbs 30:7 – 9. Psalms 62:10. Psalms 73:12.
–Verse 17b. The Lord’s declaration of her deplorable spiritual condition– thou knows not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. God has not the eyes of flesh and he did not see as man’s sees. Oh, that we might see ourselves in the light of divine perspectives, freed from misconception, preconception and any false hope from our deceitful hearts. Though they had an high thoughts, opinions and rejoicing in themselves, yet the Lord thought was mean and pity towards them as she is wretched (death is just before her), miserable (hell is just before her), and poor (no treasure laid up for her in heaven, where thieves and rusts do not steal and corrupt), and blind (unable to see afar off as spiritual growth and graces are not improved upon; but are naked as those who have put off their robes of Christ righteousness). 2 Peter 1:3 – 10.
–Verse 18. The Lord’s advised to the Laodicea church — I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou may be rich; and white raiment, that thou may be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye-​salve, that thou may see. Christ is the true wealth. He is the pearl of a great price. To buy the pearl, we must part with self, world and sin. This is the price to be clothed in Christ righteousness which is meant to cover our spiritual nakedness that we might be counted worthy to enter rightfully into the banquet hall for the marriage feast with the kings’ son — Jesus. We must give up every sensual wisdom, set not the heat on money and materials, and stop reasoning and behaving like the men of the world to resign ourselves to the word and Spirit of God, then shall our eyes be opened to discover the riches of his grace and strength and true appetite shall be given to be partakers thereof of the bread that endures unto eternal life from the Son of God.
–Verse 19. The Lord’s admonition and encouragement – as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore and repent. The fire of the spirit of God in us must be kept burning. We must be fervent in the spirit, serving the Lord in the increasing fire of personal prayer! Catch and keep the fire of personal study life! Catch the fire of constant fellowship with the brethren — Lord, I have loved the habitation of your house, and the place where your honor dwells! Catch and keep the fire of service and stewardship — the zeal of his house! Catch and keep the fire of fruit bearing in personal evangelism – he that wins soul is wise. Our lamp must not lack oil — quench not the spirit; but have reserved oil to refill it through daily feeding and fellowshipping at the Lord’s feet. Luke 19; 12 – 13. Romans 16:12.
–Verse 20. If this is the letter to the church, its content therefore is for those within. The Lord is awakening the consciousness of his sleeping and backslider bride to his imminent return as he promised. It is very near, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. The heart that was once opened for the Lord has shut him out. I stand at the door…. the Lord is calling again, come home, you backsliding sons and daughters for I am married to you. He is now searching again and patiently waiting that the backsliding and lukewarm may open the door of their hearts to let him, standing and knocking at the door of their hearts. He wants to bring us back to his banqueting hall and table to feast with him of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined; into a place where his banner over us shall be love as usual. What a fellowship! What an undying and everlasting love of God our Savior!
–Verses 21 – 22. The challenges, promises and the conditions to heaven…. he that overcomes all the trials and contradictions of sinners, the same shall sit down with Christ in glory…but we must give the more earnest heed to the things which we are hearing by obedience, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward. Hebrews 2:1 – 2.