The seventh and the last message recorded by apostle John is to the church of Laodicea begins as such: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. This is infamously known as “the lukewarm church.” The southernmost of the seven churches of Revelation and the only other church, in addition to Ephesus, to be mentioned elsewhere in the Bible (Colossians). Now the introduction itself isn’t connected specifically to any warning to the church. But Christ revealing Himself as the Amen is a stark reminder that He will also do what He is warning them about. The very first line of Christ’s message gives us insight into the spiritual state of the church: Neither cold nor hot (Revelation 3:15). ‘Luke warmness’ defines a despicable state of having cooled from once burning, hot, passionate faith. That which Christ fully detests as with Laodicea. I mean, when was the last time that you saw lukewarm coffee on the menu of a coffee shop? For Laodicea, this was the state of self-reliance (v17), spiritual poverty and blindness, sinful nakedness (v18) and spiritual apathy towards Christ (v20). And Christ utters something that is never recorded elsewhere in Scriptures: …I wish that you were cold or hot (v15). The ferventness, vigor and urgency of His love towards Laodicea is revealed in this statement (v19). God does not tarry long with those lukewarm in their faith, for Revelation 3:16 tells us of His judgement upon such people: …I will spit you out of My mouth. This statement would have resonated very strongly to the people living in Laodicea, the city for whom all of their potable water supply came from Hierapolis in the north and Colossae in the south, since their sources were too salty to drink. This invokes the strong imagery of salt water when tasted being spit out immediately.

Revelation 3:17 tells us of the church becoming spiritually proud because of their great wealth. Their vices of wretchedness, poverty, blindness and nakedness refers to their spiritual state which was in complete contrast to their financial state. And it’s no coincidence that as the third wealthy church mentioned here in Revelations, the other two being Thyatira and Sardis, their love for riches also became a stumbling block in their faith (1 Timothy 6:10). As the message continues on in v18: I advise you…This is also unique wording that Christ uses in this message. The word advice means counsel. Again, Christ is never recorded using this elsewhere in the Scriptures and what may sound to be trivial here actually reveals a lot more about the dangers of luke-warmness in our faith. Jesus always commands His children everywhere in the Scriptures. So the fact that He had stopped commanding (as making assertion from authority) the church and rather is offering counsel (as something with the option of being accepted or rejected) reveals to us the apathetic heart of the church towards God’s commands. As someone, who had ignored God’s command one too many times in the past. And Christ’s spiritual counsel points to three things that would bring restoration to the church at Laodicea, if heeded. Firstly, gold refined by fire refers to genuine faith in Christ birthed through sufferings (1 Peter 1:6-7). Second, white garments…and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed represents the righteousness through Christ that covers the shame of our sins (Revelation 19:8). Lastly, eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see is a reference to their spiritual eyes to be opened through a tender heart towards God (Ephesians 4:18). God encourages the church amidst His strong reproof by saying in v19: Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Also echoed by the author of Hebrews as a natural part of our growing faith in Christ, in Hebrews 12:4-11.

Revelation 3:20 which is mostly misunderstood as being addressed to unbelievers, is in reality being addressed to the church and believer who is lukewarm (spiritually apathetic) in their faith. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. And v22 repeats for the seventh and final time: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. If we have taken this message lightly and nonchalantly in the past, well today we can do it differently. This message does not repeat perpetually if we continue to willfully ignore it. There is only one type of church which can inherit all the eternal promises of God, only one type of believer – the one who overcomes. 

He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. – Revelation 3:21