The Present Condition of the Church - Part 1

Prayer Thought:

Many such gatherings have been presented to me. I have seen the gaiety, the display in dress, the personal adornment. All want to be thought brilliant, and give themselves up to hilarity, foolish jesting, cheap, coarse flattery, and uproarious laughter. The eyes sparkle, the cheek is flushed, conscience sleeps. With eating and drinking and merry-making, they do their best to forget God. The scene of pleasure is their paradise. And Heaven is looking on, seeing and hearing all. {PH154 26.2} Worshiped Self-indulgence; Fostered Crime.--They worshipped selfish indulgence,--eating, drinking, merry-making,--and resorted to acts of violence and crime if their desires and passions were inter 

Introduction:

When we want to get ready for an important appointment, we clean ourselves, comb our hair, and dress properly for the occasion. But we can never be sure of our appearance without using a mirror. The mirror accurately reflects our face, our hair, our dress, our general aspect.

In His word, God has given us a wonderful mirror that depicts the condition of the remnant church and gives us a clear insight into our needs. The message to the church of Laodecia, which applies in general to the Christian people of our days, but particularly to our SDA Church (3T 252; 4T 87), presents a faithful description of our weakness and needs and at the same time points out the only remedy.

The message to the church of the Laodiceans is a startling denunciation, and is applicable to the people of God at the present time.  {3T 252.1}

     "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans 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 wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."  {3T 252.2}

The Laodicean message applies to the people of God who profess to believe present truth. The greater part are lukewarm professors, having a name but no zeal. God signified that He wanted men at the great heart of the work to correct the state of things existing there and to stand like faithful sentinels at their post of duty. He has given them light at every point, to instruct, encourage, and confirm them, as the case required. But notwithstanding all this, those who should be faithful and true, fervent in Christian zeal, of gracious temper, knowing and loving Jesus earnestly, are found aiding the enemy to weaken and discourage those whom God is using to build up the work. The term "lukewarm" is applicable to this class. They profess to love the truth, yet are deficient in Christian fervor and devotion. They dare not give up wholly and run the risk of the unbeliever, yet they are unwilling to die to self and follow out closely the principles of their faith.  {4T 87.1}

Let's study and analyze the passages in Rev. 2:14-22

I. A Warm Message of Love - v. 14, 15

Rev. 3:14   And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;  

Rev. 3:15   I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  

a.             Faithful and true witness – Ps. 139:23, 24

Ps. 139:23   Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  

Ps. 139:24   And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  

What greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are right when they are all wrong! The message of the True Witness finds the people of God in a sad deception, yet honest in that deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God. While those addressed are flattering themselves that they are in an exalted spiritual condition, the message of the True Witness breaks their security by the startling denunciation of their true condition of spiritual blindness, poverty, and wretchedness. The testimony, so cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake, for it is the True Witness who speaks, and His testimony must be correct.  {3T 252.4}

b.             The Beginning of the creation of God – John 1:1-4

John 1:1   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  

John 1:2   The same was in the beginning with God.  

John 1:3   All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  

John 1:4   In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  

God leads His people on step by step. The Christian life is a constant battle and a march. There is no rest from the warfare. It is by constant, unceasing effort that we maintain the victory over the temptations of Satan. As a people we are triumphing in the clearness and strength of the truth. We are fully sustained in our positions by an overwhelming amount of plain Scriptural testimony. But we are very much wanting in Bible humility, patience, faith, love, self-denial, watchfulness, and the spirit of sacrifice. We need to cultivate Bible holiness. Sin prevails among the people of God. The plain message of rebuke to the Laodiceans is not received. Many cling to their doubts and their darling sins while they are in so great a deception as to talk and feel that they are in need of nothing. They think the testimony of the Spirit of God in reproof is uncalled for or that it does not mean them. Such are in the greatest need of the grace of God and spiritual discernment that they may discover their deficiency in spiritual knowledge. They lack almost every qualification necessary to perfect Christian character. They have not a practical knowledge of Bible truth, which leads to lowliness of life and a conformity of their will to the will of Christ. They are not living in obedience to all God's requirements.  {3T 253.2}

c.             I know thy works

The Lord here shows us that the message to be borne to His people by ministers whom He has called to warn the people is not a peace-and-safety message. It is not merely theoretical, but practical in every particular. The people of God are represented in the message to the Laodiceans as in a position of carnal security. They are at ease, believing themselves to be in an exalted condition of spiritual attainments. "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."  {3T 252.3}

II. Luke warmness - vs. 15, 16

Rev. 3:15   I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  

Rev. 3:16   So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  

1.             Literal meaning – 

a.            A warmness resembling the temperature of the skin

b.            Lack of passion, force or animation

2.             Red Cross course on First Aid – meaning of lukewarm

a.            Lukewarm – emetic, vomitive, salt mixture

3.             Spiritual meaning of Lukewarmness of Laodicea

"Though has a name that though livest, and art dead".(v 1) " Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Tim 3:5.

Lukewarm Christianity - A Definition

Lukewarm Christianity is defined in this way:

Ye are neither heathens nor Christians -- neither good nor evil -- neither led away by false doctrine, nor thoroughly addicted to that which is true. In a word, ye are listless and indifferent, and seemed to care little whether heathenism or Christianity prevailed. Though they (the lukewarm Christian) felt little zeal either for the salvation of their own souls or that of others, yet they had such a general conviction of the truth and importance of Christianity that they could not readily give it up.  (Adam Clark’s bible commentary)

a.             Indifference

I am alarmed at the indifference of our churches. Like Meroz, they have failed to come up to the help of the Lord. The laymen have been at ease. They have folded their hands, feeling that the responsibility rested upon the ministers. But to every man God has appointed his work; not work in his fields of corn and wheat, but earnest, persevering work for the salvation of souls. God forbid, Elder M, that you or any other minister should quench one particle of the spirit of labor that now exists. Will you not rather stimulate it by your words of burning zeal? The Lord has made us the depositaries of His law; He has committed to us sacred and eternal truth, which is to be given to others in faithful warnings, reproofs, and encouragement.  {5T 381.1}

Well would it be for the church and the world if the principles that actuated those steadfast souls were revived in the hearts of God's professed people. There is an alarming indifference in regard to the doctrines which are the pillars of the Christian faith. The opinion is gaining ground, that, after all, these are not of vital importance. This degeneracy is strengthening the hands of the agents of Satan, so that false theories and fatal delusions which the faithful in ages past imperiled their lives to resist and expose, are now regarded with favor by thousands who claim to be followers of Christ.  {GC 46.1}

b.             Lack of commitment

The Lord Jesus demands that every soul make a reality of truth. Show that you believe that you are not half with Christ and half with the world. Of all such Christ says: "I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth." He who appreciates the love of Christ will be an earnest worker with Christ to bring other souls as sheaves to the Master. Thorough work is always done by all who are connected with Christ. They bear fruit to His glory. But indolence and carelessness and frivolity separate the soul from Christ, and Satan comes in to work his will with the poor worldly subject. We have a great truth, but through careless indifference the truth has lost its force upon us. Satan has come in with his specious temptations, and has led the professed followers of Christ away from their Leader, classing them with the foolish virgins.  {TM 130.1}

c.             Spiritual neutrality

We are to treat with kindness and courtesy those who refuse to be loyal to God, but we are never, never to unite with them in counsel, regarding the vital interests of His work, for this is not the way of the Lord. Putting our trust in God, we are to move steadily forward, doing His work with unselfishness, in humble dependence upon Him, committing ourselves and all that concerns our present and future to His wise providence, holding the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end, remembering that it is not because of our worthiness that we receive the blessings of heaven, but because of the worthiness of Christ, and our acceptance, through faith in Him, of God's abounding grace.  {TDG 196.2}

d.             Lack of Missionary activity

  "Watch unto prayer," and you will steadily grow in grace and in a knowledge of Christ. Your experience will not be one-sided, deformed, but healthful, symmetrical. All unawares to yourself, you will have expanded like the wide spreading cedar, and many will profit by your counsel; your association with them will have the fragrance of heaven.  {OHC 216.2}

e.             A superficial experience

Every nerve and sense will respond to the expressions of God's love in His marvelous works. Satan invents earthly allurements, that the carnal mind may be placed on those things which cannot elevate and refine and ennoble; its powers are thus dwarfed and crippled, and men and women who might attain to perfection of character become narrow, weak, and defective. {4T 581.2}

Conclusion:

   It is difficult for those who feel secure in their attainments, and who believe themselves to be rich in spiritual knowledge, to receive the message which declares that they are deceived and in need of every spiritual grace. The unsanctified heart is "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." I was shown that many are flattering themselves that they are good Christians, who have not a ray of light from Jesus. They have not a living experience for themselves in the divine life. They need a deep and thorough work of self-abasement before God before they will feel their true need of earnest, persevering effort to secure the precious graces of the Spirit.  {3T 253.1}