“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— (Revelation 3:14-17 NKJV)
Jesus wrote a very personal letter to each of the seven churches that were in Asia through His Jewish secretary, John, in the book of Revelation. Though these were churches that actually existed, the Holy Spirit has included each one for a variety of very different reasons.
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Living Book.
The Bible is a multi-layered storehouse of treasure. It is a living book through which God speaks to us in different ways at different times depending on our own individual circumstances. These seven letters not only address issues of the churches to which they were written; they are also representative of different eras of church history. The Holy Spirit is pointing out various wrong doctrines that have circulated in Christian circles both in the past up to the present-day.
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Jesus addressed each church concerning their specific issue or issues. But there were two that needed no correction: Smyrna and Philadelphia, which we will discuss later.
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The Ephesians had left their first love. You see, they had begun to get caught up in doing good works simply for the sake of doing them. The good news is that they hated those who did evil and came against false teachers. While all those things are noble, they forgot in whose Name they were doing them.
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You can see that very same phenomenon pretty much everywhere today. Instead of Godly charity, we have so-called “social justice” which serves neither society nor is it just. It’s pretty much just another name for CRT/identity politics.
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(You may follow the link below for more on what it means to leave your first love:
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Pergamum on the other hand, was teaching the false doctrines of the Nicholaitans and the Error of Balaam. If you’re unsure of what that means, here’s a refresher.
Baalam, you recall, was hired by King Balak of Moab. He wanted him to curse the Israelites during their wandering in the desert in Numbers chapters 22-24. After four try’s, he was only able to say what God told him to say. In other words, he was never able to utter a curse of any kind against them
The message is that those who belong to God are blessed and CANNOT be cursed. That means you and me!
(For more on his rather strange story, you may follow the link below:
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The church at Thyatira, sadly, was into sexual perversion & sacrificing to idols. 😭 There always seems to be some group or other that dives off the fleshly deep end, isn’t there? Probably don’t need to elaborate any further on that topic. 🫢
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Then we have the church at Sardis which had a big problem with “dead works.” In other words, those deeds that are done for human accolades as opposed to “good works” done in serving others out of a love for God. Good works are not the “ROOT” but the “FRUIT” of the Spirit.
(You may follow the link below for more on that topic:
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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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Out Of Context.
Revelation 3:20
“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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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. Predictably, after that message the pastor will usually have an altar call.
Now, there’s 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; and nothing wrong with having an altar call. But this passage being taken out of context.
One way it is out of context, very sadly, 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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The fact is, 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.
Why would He need to do that? Come and see.
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Messengers.
Usually, we think of Angels only as heavenly beings, right? But the word “Angels” comes from the Greek word “Ángelos,” which simply means “Messenger.”Jesus through John is writing to the SENIOR PASTORS of the churches, NOT TO THEIR CONGREGATIONS or to individual believers.
You see, many misguided leaders behind the pulpit are doing the same thing that the Galatians were doing, preaching “another gospel.” They tell their people that, though they are saved by faith, they must keep their salvation by constantly begging God to forgive their sins. The implication is that, if you don’t ask-as-you-go for forgiveness, you can lose your salvation. As you read above, that notion is a LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL.
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Philadelphia And Laodicea.
The very last two “Angels” to whom Jesus, through John, is writing are the senior pastors of the churches at Philadelphia and Laodicea. They are written side by side to compare and contrast as we will discuss below.
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Philadelphia means “Brotherly love.” The messenger of this church was not reprimanded in any way nor was Smyrna. Jesus wrote only to encourage the Church in Smyrna, which was under intense persecution at the time. Philadelphia, on the other hand, was a perfect picture of grace, God’s perfect administration.
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Laodicea.
Laodicea, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of Philadelphia. Her name comes from two Greek words: “Laós,” meaning “A people, characteristically, God’s chosen people: First the Jews, then the non-Jewish believers,” 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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Divine Order.
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: Two kinds of churches: Two kinds of Christians:
#1. Those that preach/believe grace, the true gospel: Grace.
#2. Those that preach a mixture or the “balance” of law and grace.
As I said above, This is the same Galatian heresy the Apostle Paul soundly denounces EVERYWHERE.
(The end-time sorrow of Jesus)
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Sin Is Not A Threat To God.
The legalistic group outnumber the grace people unfortunately, though this is slowly changing. It has caused 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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Effect Of Mixing The Covenants.
What do you get when you mix cold: The law, and hot: Grace? You get LUKEWARM: Law, written on COLD stone + 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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Works-Based Christianity.
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 beg for forgiveness in order to keep your salvation which is not scriptural. 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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These well-meaning, though misguided pastors, also focus far more on SIN than on grace. They don’t truly trust God and they certainly 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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He is asking to be let back into His church once again so He can bless and prosper her.
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Please get up. Answer the door. Jesus is saying, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”
Emmaus Road Ministries 
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