Hi friends! I have a passage from Scripture I would like to discuss with anyone who wants to. The passage is
Revelation 3:14-22:
[SIZE=+0]14[/SIZE] 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;
[SIZE=+0]15[/SIZE] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
[SIZE=+0]16[/SIZE] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
[SIZE=+0]17[/SIZE] 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:
[SIZE=+0]18[/SIZE] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
[SIZE=+0]19[/SIZE] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
[SIZE=+0]20[/SIZE] Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
[SIZE=+0]21[/SIZE] To him that overcometh 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.
[SIZE=+0]22[/SIZE] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
First, does anyone believe that the church today is the church of Laodicia. If so, what are your thoughts about the three things that Jesus says the church needs.
- Gold tried in the fire
- white raiment that thou mayest be clothed
- Eyesalve
I would like to hear thoughts on these things 
I have never personally spent much time in Revelation. God said I would not know the time of His coming, and so many churches spend so much time trying to decipher the future. Jesus did say:
Matt. 6: 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
If I keep myself grounded in the Faith, the future will work itself out.
But having said that I am familiar with this scripture and have thought about it in depth. I will share the thoughts that come into my mind when reading your post.
I am reminded of the Word's of Jesus when I read this scripture.;
Matt. 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Rev. 3:15,
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Depart from Me)
Both scriptures speak to folks who claim to know God, but are not fully committed to Him.
Num. 32:
11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob;
because they have not wholly followed me:
12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun:
for they have wholly followed the LORD.
This same "Luke warm" theme can be seen in every example of a self proclaimed believer who refused the Word of God from EVE to Cain, and Abel and Abraham, throughout the bible to the "Hot" Saints in REv. 14:12.
Titus 1:
15 Unto the pure all things
are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving
is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
16 They profess that they know God; but
in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
I think we are all born into the Laodician Church. And I think we are all being called out of this church in His Glory.
Rev. 13:17
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:
Jer. 6:
13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one
is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
14 They have healed also the hurt
of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace;
when there is no peace.
Is. 30:
9 That this
is a rebellious people, lying children, children
that will not hear the law of the LORD:
10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things,
speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Jer. 14:13 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, , neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place
14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
I see also this same theme through out the Bible. You are "Saved". You don't have to do anything for I will bring peace to you. This is especially true in Mainstream Christianity today. The preachers sends every person who ever died to heaven. Many on this forum are "secure in their salvation" despite their religious custom of Transgressing the Commandments of God by their church traditions. They are "Freed from the Righteousness of God" by their preachers.
Rev. 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
I am reminded of:
Matt. 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Where can we find this Gold? Since the scriptures stated "I know your works", and by these "Works" we will be judged, is this the Gold He is speaking of? Our works?
Eph. 5:
1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love,
as Christ also hath loved us, and hath
given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Can this be the "Gold" that has already been tried by fire we are to seek and buy?
1 Pet. 1:
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the
trial of your faith,
being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Ps. 24:
18 The LORD
is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19 Many
are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
[SIZE=+0]19[/SIZE] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Jesus said there is a cost to following Him. That He didn't come to bring "peace". That all His people will suffer affliction as they use the tools God gave us to overcome our flesh.
Heb. 12:
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:
nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
I think this is the Gold in question.
My thoughts on eye salve!
The thing about eye salve is that after application it is necessary to completely cover the eye to keep any foreign material out while the salve does it's healing work. This, of course, would completely blind OUR vision from this eye until the ailment is healed.
Paul had a vision problem when he belonged to a "Luke Warm" church, that is a church that claims to know God, but transgresses His Commandments by their own man made traditions.
Before Jesus healed him, he was completely blinded for a period of time. During that time no foreign influence of any kind was allowed into his eye. After a time, after his eyes were healed, he was allowed to see again.
Acts 9:
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord,
even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me,
that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
John 9:
39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
40 And
some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
41 Jesus said unto them,
If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
The lukewarm church is blind, though they believe they see. For them to be healed they must accept the truth that even though they think they see, they are blind. Then let Jesus lead them in all truth and refuse to let any foreign influence in for a time. And Jesus will give them true sight.
Matt. 11:
5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is
he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Great post H25, I didn't want to make to long a post, these are just some thoughts that came to my mind when I read it.
Great post
