Behold, I Stand At The Door And Knock.

Jesus addressed each specific issue or issues.  Only two churches were not corrected for wrong doctrines: Smyrna and Philadelphia, described further on in this article.

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Ephesus had left her first love. Follow this link for more information on their issue:

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Pergamum was teaching the false doctrines of the Nicholaitans and the Error of Balaam. Follow this link for more information on that:

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Thyatira was into sexual perversion & sacrificing to idols.  I’m sure we don’t need to elaborate on that.

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Sardis’ problem was “dead works,” in other words, those which are those done out of human strength as opposed to “good works.”  Good works are not the “ROOT”  but the “FRUIT” of the Spirit.

Follow this link for more on that topic:

But of all the letters in these 2 chapters, the one to Laodicea is probably the best known, and the verse below the most commonly quoted, or should I say, MISquoted.  It is also the most misapplied.

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This verse is generally used to illustrate to people that Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart and wants to come in and be your Savior, after which the pastor usually has an altar call.  Nothing wrong with saying that Jesus wants to be your Savior.  Nothing wrong with saying He is knocking at the door of your heart: He is.  But it’s being taken out of context.

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One horrible way it is taken out of context is when some well-meaning pastor tells you that if you’re a “Lukewarm Christian,” God will spit you out of His mouth.  You know what they’re implying, right?  That you can lose your salvation.  THAT IS A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL.  It is the devil’s deception.

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In actual fact, this passage isn’t about Jesus knocking at the door of a saved or an unsaved person’s heart at all.  HE IS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR OF THE SENIOR PASTORS OF END-TIME CHURCHES.

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Usually, you think of Angels only heavenly beings, right?  But the word “Angels” comes from the Greek word “Ángelos,” which simply means “Messenger.”  John is writing to the SENIOR PASTORS of the churches, NOT THEIR CONGREGATIONS or individual believers.  The very last two “Angels” to whom Jesus, through John, is writing are Philadelphia and Laodicea.

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Philadelphia means “Brotherly love.”  The messenger of this church was not reprimanded in any way nor was Smyrna.  Jesus wrote to encourage the Church in Smyrna, which was under intense persecution at the time.  Philadelphia, on the other hand, was a perfect picture of pure grace, God’s perfect administration.

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Laodicea comes from two Greek words:  “Laós,” meaning “A people, characteristically, God’s chosen people: First the Jews, then the Church,” and “Diké,” meaning “Justice, judicial hearing or punishment.”  It is a picture of the churches in our day that mix law and grace. YUK!

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The Holy Spirit has placed the letters to these two particular churches last, putting them side by side, In divine order.  It is quite purposeful because, in these last days, this was going to be the lay of the land.

#1.  Those that preach/believe grace, the true gospel: Grace.

#2.  Those that preach a mixture or the “balance” of law and grace.  This is the same Galatian heresy the Apostle Paul soundly denounces EVERYWHERE.

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Sin Is Not A Threat To God.

The latter outnumber the former unfortunately, though this is slowly changing.  It is the cause of the end-time sorrow of Jesus, Who is weeping over His church.  Why?  Because she doesn’t know she is completely forgiven of ALL her sins, forever beloved, FOREVER righteous in His sight.

Church, SIN IS NOT A THREAT TO GOD. But self-righteous most definitely IS.  God doesn’t fall off His throne when you and I do something stupid.  HALLELUJAH!

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What do you get when you mix cold: The law, and hot:  Grace?  You get LUKEWARM.

Law, written on COLD stone, and Grace being the FIRE of the Holy Spirit.  Again…..YUK!

Ever drink lukewarm water?  Yeah; you want to spit it out of your mouth, too.

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Jesus is standing and  knocking at the door of the senior pastors of the Laodicean church of these last days, asking to please be allowed in.  How can you tell you’re hearing such teaching?  When you sit under the preaching of the pastors of such churches, Jesus’ name is hardly even mentioned.  

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They are continually promoting a works-based Christianity:  You are saved by grace but you have to merit God’s blessings, healing, etc., based on your right doing.  You also have to do so in order to keep your salvation.  You are told, “You must do this or do that, be this way or that way.” They are continually pointing at YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU instead of pointing TO JESUS, unveiling His beauty loveliness.

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They also focus far more on SIN far more than grace.   They don’t trust God and they don’t trust Grace.  Is it any wonder their people struggle with sins, challenges, sicknesses and diseases and many die before their time?

Jesus says to those “Angles:”   “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

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It’s simple, Church:  We are transformed from glory to glory by beholding JESUS’ GLORY, not our GORY.

He is the altogether Lovely One.

He deserves ALL the attention.

He deserves ALL the honor, ALL the praise, and ALL the glory!  AMEN!

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Please get up.  Answer the door.  Jesus is saying, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”