Revelation 3:18-20 The Counsel—“My Advice To You Is To Buy Pure Gold From Me, Gold Purified By Fire—Only Then Will You Truly Be Rich.”

¹⁸ “My advice to you is to buy pure gold from me, gold purified by fire—only then will you truly be rich. And to purchase from me white garments, clean and pure, so you won’t be naked and ashamed; and to get medicine from me to heal your eyes and give you back your sight. ¹⁹ I continually discipline and punish everyone I love; so, I must punish you unless you turn from your indifference and become enthusiastic about the things of God.

²⁰ “Look! I have been standing at the door, and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with me.^[1] 

5. The Counsel: Buy the Things of God, of Lasting Value (Revelation 3:18–20).[2]
H.  The Message to Laodicea: The Church That Is Affluent but Lukewarm & Half Committed  (Revelation 3:14–22).
1.   The recipients a.   The messenger of the church b.   The Laodicean church	14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the
2.   The speaker: Jesus	Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
3.   The complaint: Are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm	15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
4.   The warning: Will be spit out by Christ	16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
a.   Because of your false profession: Saying you are rich & in need of nothing b.   Because of your true condition: You are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked	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:
5.   The Counsel a.   Buy the things of God, of lasting value 1)   Spiritual gold or wealth 2)   White clothing or righteousness 3)   Eye salve for spiritual sight	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.
b.   Know that the Lord rebukes & chastens c.   Be earnest & repent	19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
d.   Hear the Lord: Open your heart & fellowship with Him	20 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.
6.   The promise: To the overcomers a.   Will rule with Christ b.   Will rule with Christ even as He rules with His Father	21 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.
	22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.[3]

 

6. The Counsel (Revelation 3:18)

“I counsel thee to buy of me” (Revelation 3:18). The Laodiceans were merchants so the Lord adapts His language to their activities. Using merchants’ language, He gives them two wise principles of life.

• Where to buy. “I counsel thee to buy of me.” This is counsel to start considering the Lord in their lives. The world today needs this counsel. They live apart from the Lord, have little or no interest in spiritual matters and think only of material matters. Buying of God means to get interested in what God says and giving Him honor and allegiance.

What to buy. “I counsel thee to buy of me gold … white raiment … eyesalve” (Revelation 3:18). The Lord speaks of three areas of need here which exposes their spiritual need.

First, their riches. “Buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich” (Revelation 3:18). This speaks of spiritual riches. Scripture speaks of the Word of God in terms of gold. “More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold” (Psalm 19:10); “The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver” (Psalm 119:72); “I love thy commandments above gold; yes above fine gold” (Psalm 119:127). Better than the material gold is the Scripture. Therefore, be devoted to the Word of God, make it a big part of your life, then you will have true riches.

Second, their raiment. “White raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear” (Revelation 3:18). While the dress of women in our church services is shameful and needs rebuking, this text is speaking of spiritual nakedness. “My soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). Some in church are not saved and need to be clothed with the white garment of salvation, some in the church, though saved, are not living holy lives and need to be clothed in the garments of Divine righteousness.

Third, their remedy. “Anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see” (Revelation 3:18). “There was a medical center in Laodicea, and one of the things manufactured and exported, among other medicinal products, was … a tablet bought all over the Roman Empire. The users crushed it and put it on their eyes in order to heal any eye ailment” (Criswell). The Lord uses this situation in Laodicea to emphasize their need of spiritual discernment. It does not come from a material tablet but from the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. Let the church get interested in that which helps them see reality instead of being blinded by their material assets which are not assets at all but are liabilities spiritually. 

7. The Chastisement (Revelation 3:19)

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19). This principle of chastisement is universal in application. Three things about chastisement are mentioned here.

• The passion in chastisement. “As many as I love.” Chastisement is motivated by love. Chastisement therefore manifests the love of the Lord for the chastened.

• The process of chastisement. “I rebuke and chasten.” The order is first rebuke then chasten. Rebuke is simply a verbal warning, chastening is action. Pay attention to the rebukes and you will not have to experience the more discomforting action.

• The prompting from chastisement. “Be zealous therefore, and repent.” Chastisement (both rebuke and action) is to prompt repentance. God does not take us to the woodshed to just hurt us but to instill some holiness in us. Purity is the supreme objective of chastening.

8. The Compassion (Revelation 3:20)

“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” (Revelation 3:20). This text speaks of the separation of Laodicea from Christ. He is outside their dwelling. There is also a Gospel message of salvation in this text which we emphasize here.

• The priority of salvation. “Behold.” That word signals importance. Nothing is more important than our soul salvation.

• The problem for salvation. “I stand at the door.” Christ is excluded; He is outside the dwelling. He is not wanted. Sin does this. It cannot abide Christ. It is the problem that says we need to be saved.

• The patience for salvation. “I stand at the door, and knock.” The word “knock” is in a verb tense that indicates continuous action. Christ keeps knocking. This is the patience of Christ. This patience is spelled g-r-a-c-e. But Christ will not always keep knocking if rejection continues, for “My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Genesis 6:3).

• The proffer of salvation. “I stand at the door, and knock.” The knocking is an opportunity. “Proffer” means “to present for acceptance.” Many do not accept the Savior’s offer of salvation, however, and so will not open the door of their hearts to Him.

• The prerequisite for salvation. “If any man hear my voice, and open the door” (Revelation 3:20). This text emphasizes human responsibility in the matter of salvation. Christ does not force His way inside; rather He knocks and you must open and let Him in. In salvation, you must hear the Word and accept His message.

• The promise in salvation. “I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). Salvation results in two wonderful promised blessings.

First, the saving by Christ. “I will come in to him.” That speaks of salvation. Christ must come into our hearts if we want to be saved.

Second, the society of Christ. “Will sup with him, and he with me.” This is fellowship with Christ. Christ does not just want to save you but He wants to commune with you. He wants your society, your fellowship, and your company. And we need His company and fellowship more than the company or fellowship of anyone else.^[4] 

5 (Revelation 3:18–20) Repentance: There Is the Counsel. Christ advises the church to do three things. 

1. Christ counsels them to buy spiritual gold, spiritual clothing, and spiritual eye salve. What do each of these mean? Note what each says. 

a.   The church needed to buy spiritual gold that is purified in the fire. Remember the city of Laodicea was a banking center and a manufacturing center, extremely wealthy. Christ is teaching the church this: their wealth is not true wealth. What they need is spiritual gold, spiritual wealth. Why? So, they can be truly rich. Gold represents spiritual riches—all the richness and inheritance offered by Christ—all the spiritual things that make life rich and overflowing: love, joy, peace, goodness, faith, assurance, confidence, security, hope. It is possessing all the abundance of life. Note that material possessions and wealth cannot give these things. Earthly riches cannot buy love, joy, peace, or happiness. Riches cannot keep a person healthy nor keep him alive nor erase emptiness and loneliness. This should tell man something, but so many are so blinded by worldly wealth and possessions that they ignore it: man’s great need is for spiritual gold. Above all else, we need the riches of the Spirit. Spiritual gold is the only thing that can satisfy our souls. Note where spiritual treasures are found: in Christ. If we are to be spiritually wealthy, we have to come to Christ and secure the wealth He has.

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Mt. 6:20).

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit” (Mt. 12:33).

“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” (Mt. 19:21).

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Ga. 5:22–23).

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Phil. 3:8).

“Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Ti. 6:19).

“[Moses] esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward” (He. 11:26). 

b.   The church needed to buy white clothing. Remember the city was a clothing center, a large textile and manufacturing center. Christ is telling them this: no matter how much clothing they manufacture, they lack the real clothing. What the church needs is spiritual clothing. Why? So, the shame of their spiritual nakedness will not be exposed. This refers to the righteousness of Christ, the pure righteousness of Christ that makes a person acceptable to God. A person must be clothed in the righteousness of God; he must put on the righteousness of Christ. God does not accept a person because he …

•     is religious

•     has been baptized

•     belongs to the church

•     attends worship

•     does religious works

•     professes Christ

•     does good

•     gives generously

There is only one way that a person can be acceptable to God: by being clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Christ and Christ alone is sinless. He alone is the Perfect and Ideal Man. He and He alone has made the perfect sacrifice for sins. Therefore, Jesus Christ alone is acceptable to God. If a person is to ever be acceptable to God, he has to be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. As the Perfect and Ideal Man, the righteousness of Jesus Christ can stand for and cover all men. Therefore, when a person really believes and trusts in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, God counts that person’s belief as righteousness. God counts that person as being in Christ, as being in the righteousness of Christ.

Note: if a person is not in Christ, if he has not been clothed in the righteousness of Christ, then he shall appear naked in the great day of judgment. He shall be ashamed before God and rejected by God.

This is the great counsel, the great advice of the Lord Jesus Christ, His great message to the lukewarm and half-committed church and believers: “Buy of me the white clothing of my righteousness. Putting on my clothing, my righteousness, is the only way you can ever be acceptable to God.”

“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Co. 5:17).

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Co. 5:21).

“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ep. 4:24).

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ [clothed in Christ] in God” (Col. 3:3).

“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:10). 

c.   The church needed to buy eye salve. Remember the city was well known for its medical school that concentrated on treating the eyes with a famous eye salve. Christ is telling them that no matter how much they treat their eyes, they are still blind and in the dark. Why? Because they do not spiritually see the Light of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. They see only themselves …

•     their prosperous life and blessings

•     their good behavior

•     their good works

•     their abilities

•     their wisdom

•     their religious gifts

•     their prosperous church

They saw little if any of Christ Himself. They did not see their need for Him, nor did they see what His presence and power could do for them and their church. They were blinded to their own need and to Christ and the great difference He could make in life. The eye salve means the God-given ability to see spiritual truth. They needed to depend upon Christ to give them the ability to see the light of the world.

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (Jn. 1:4).

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12).

“Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth” (Jn. 12:35).

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man” (1 Co. 2:14–15).

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Co. 4:6).

“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ep. 5:14).

“That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). 

2. Christ counsels them to be zealous and to repent. Note what Christ says: He loves them. They are lukewarm and indifferent to Him, only half-committed to Him, but He still loves them. The word used for love (philo) means a dear love, a tender, fatherly love. This is the reason He rebukes and chastens the lukewarm and half-committed person. It is not out of anger that Christ tells people they are doing wrong, sinning, coming short, and are doomed. He tells them out of love. They must know they are doing wrong in order to correct their behavior. They must know that judgment lies ahead so that they will do whatever is needed to save themselves. The Lord’s rebuke and chastening hand is for one purpose only: Christ loves them and wants them to see their wrong, correct their behavior, and change their lives. He wants people to possess the fullness of life and the hope of eternal life.

Note: the matter is so critical that Christ exhorts them to be zealous in repenting. The word zealous means to boil and burn with zeal, sincerity, and earnestness in repenting. It means to burn a path to repent; to get to the matter of repenting immediately. Being lukewarm and half-committed to Christ is so serious a matter that a person must repent immediately. A person cannot afford one minute more before repenting. He is bordering on being spued out of the mouth of Christ (Re. 3:16). 

3. Christ counsels them to open the door of their heart and to let Him in. This is one of the most beautiful and meaningful pictures of Christ in all of Scripture. At least five scenes are being pictured. 

a.   There is the standing Christ. He stands at the door. This symbolizes His readiness to enter the life of a person. He is the One who takes the initiative to save man.

⇒   He is the One who has walked over and come to man. Man has not come to Him.

⇒   He is the One who has approached man. Man has not approached Him.

Jesus Christ stands before the heart of man as the Savior of the world, as loving man so much that He has come into the world to save man. He is the One who has traveled such a great distance from the majesty of heaven down to man’s heart.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18).

“The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Ps. 145:18).

“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (Jn. 3:13).

“For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.… For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (Jn. 6:33, 38).

“This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jn. 6:50–51).

“Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me” (Jn. 8:42). 

b.   There is the knocking Christ. He stands at the door and knocks. This symbolizes the seeking Christ. Christ has not only come to earth and walked over to man’s heart, He knocks upon the heart of man; He actively seeks to enter man’s heart. He knocks and knocks at the door of man’s heart and He refuses to give up. He keeps on knocking and knocking for man to open up and let Him in. Christ knocks so much that a person has to either open up or deaden his ears to the knock.

“How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?” (Mt. 18:12).

“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?” (Lu. 15:4).

“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?” (Lu. 15:8).

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lu. 19:10).

“The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me” (Jn. 1:43).

“Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (Jn. 5:14).

“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” (Jn. 9:35). 

c.   There is the pleading Christ. He pleads for entrance. This symbolizes the compassion of Christ. He not only knocks, He pleads and begs for man to open His heart. He is merciful and full of compassion. He knows what life should be, for He created life. Therefore, He knows that life must be lived in wholehearted commitment to righteousness or else it is wasted and doomed. He longs for man to have real life, abundant and eternal life. Therefore, He knocks and keeps on knocking at the door of a man’s heart, and while He is knocking, He pleads and begs for the man to hear Him.

Thought 1. How often people hear the voice of Christ, yet they refuse to let Him in! They hear His voice when they hear the Word of God preached and taught or witnessed to by a dynamic minister or some believer or from some tract or Bible literature. But they hardened their ears and pay no attention to the pleading of the Lord’s voice.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt. 11:28).

“And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage” (Mt. 22:3–4).

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Mt. 23:37).

“And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready” (Lu. 14:17).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (Jn. 5:24).

“But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people” (Ro. 10:21).

“But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils” (1 Co. 10:20).

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Re. 22:17).

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Is. 1:18).

“Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price” (Is. 55:1). 

d.   There is the penetrating Christ. This is the most glorious promise imaginable! Imagine the Spirit of Jesus Christ living within the heart and life and body of a person. When a person hears His voice and opens his heart, Christ enters; He penetrates the life of the person. This symbolizes the life changing presence and power of the living Christ. When He enters and penetrates a person’s life, He causes the most radical changes imaginable.

⇒   He causes the person to be born again.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:3–5).

⇒   He makes a new creature out of the person.

“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Co. 5:17).

⇒   He makes a new man out of the person.

“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Ep. 4:24).

“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:10).

⇒   He changes the person’s corruptible nature into an incorruptible nature.

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Pe. 1:23).

⇒   He gives the person a new divine nature, the very nature of God Himself.

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pe. 1:4). 

e.   There is the companion Christ. This symbolizes fellowship. When Jesus Christ enters and penetrates a person’s heart, He lives forever within the life of the person. He is always present with the person …

⇒   looking after and caring for him.

⇒   talking and sharing with him.

⇒   leading and guiding him.

⇒   strengthening and empowering him.

⇒   providing for and meeting his needs.

⇒   maneuvering and working all things out for good for him.

⇒   furnishing and filling him with love, joy, and peace.

When Jesus Christ enters a life there is no good thing whatsoever that is kept from the person. He has the richest fellowship possible, fellowship and communion with the Son of God Himself. And the person has it forever and ever.

“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Lu. 24:32).

“I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (Jn. 17:23).

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Co. 1:9).

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Co. 3:16).

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Co. 6:19–20).

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Ga. 2:20).

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Ga. 5:22–23).

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ep. 3:17–19).

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).^[5] 

“Therefore, I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.” ^{(Rev. 3:18) NRSV.}

Laodicea was known for its great wealth, but Christ told the Laodiceans to buy their gold from him; then they would have real spiritual treasures (1 Timothy 6). They had fool’s gold in their bank accounts, gold from this world with no spiritual or eternal value. Only with Christ’s gold would they be rich.

The city was proud of its cloth and dyeing industries. They had developed a black wool that had become famous all over the Roman Empire and was bringing huge prices. Although they had wealth in their clothing, they were naked before God. They were self-centered. But Christ told them to purchase white robes (his righteousness) from him. That alone would keep the shame of [their] nakedness from being seen.

Laodicea prided itself on its precious eye salve that healed many eye problems, but they were spiritually blind. Christ told them to get salve from him to heal their eyes so they could see the truth (John 9:39).

Christ was showing the Laodiceans that true value is not in material possessions but in a right relationship with God. Their possessions and achievements were valueless compared with the everlasting future of Christ’s kingdom.

TRUE RICHES

Some believers falsely assume that numerous material possessions are a sign of God’s spiritual blessing. Laodicea was a wealthy city, and the church was also wealthy (Rev. 3:17). But what the Laodiceans could see, and buy had become more valuable to them than what is unseen and eternal. Wealth, luxury, and ease can make people feel confident, satisfied, and complacent. No matter how much you possess or how much money you make, however, you have nothing if you don’t have a vital relationship with Christ. How does your current level of wealth affect your spiritual desire? Instead of centering your life around comfort and luxury, find your true riches in Christ.

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” ^{(Rev. 3:19) NIV.}

There was a second chance for this church; Christ offered them the opportunity to repent. His rebuke and discipline came because of his love for the church. “For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:12). Christ will “spit out” those who disobey (Rev. 3:16), but he will discipline those he loves. “When we are judged and disciplined by the Lord, we will not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:32). Because of such mercy, believers should willingly repent, realizing their need for Christ in every part of their lives and ministry. Then they will be effective for him.

THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES

This summary of the letters to the seven churches shows us the qualities our churches should seek and those we should avoid. Jesus’ words of commendation and rebuke should cause us to think carefully of our own lives and what Jesus would have us do in order to be completely focused on him. 

Church/Reference	Commendation	Rebuke	Action (Quoted from nlt)
Ephesus (Rev. 2:1–7)	Worked hard, persevered, did not	Had forsaken first love tolerate evil	“Turn back to me again.”
Smyrna (Rev. 2:8–11)	Suffered persecution and poverty	None	“Don’t be afraid.”
Pergamum (Rev. 2:12–17)	Remained true to the faith	Had compromised with unbelievers and false teachers	“Repent”
Thyatira (Rev. 2:18–29)	Acted in love, faith, service	Had allowed immorality and false teaching	“Hold tightly to what you have.”
Sardis (Rev. 3:1–6)	None	Were superficial	“Go back to what you heard and believed at first.”
Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7–13)	Remained faithful	None	“Hold on to what you have.”
Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)	None	Were lukewarm	“Turn from your indifference.”

 

REKINDLED

God would discipline this lukewarm church unless it turned from its indifference toward him (Rev. 3:19). God’s purpose in discipline is not to punish but to bring people back to him. Are you lukewarm in your devotion to God? God may discipline you to help you out of your uncaring attitude, but he uses only loving discipline. You can avoid God’s discipline by drawing near to him again through confession, service, worship, and studying his Word. Just as the spark of love can be rekindled in marriage, so the Holy Spirit can reignite our zeal for God when we allow him to work in our hearts.

 

“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” ^{(Rev. 3:20) NRSV}

The Laodicean church was complacent and rich. They felt self-satisfied, but they didn’t have Christ’s presence among them. Christ knocked at the door of their hearts, but they were so busy enjoying worldly pleasures that they didn’t notice him trying to enter. The pleasures of this world—money, security, material possessions—can be dangerous because their temporary satisfaction can make people—even believers—indifferent to God’s offer of lasting satisfaction.

Many have taken this verse as a help in evangelism, picturing Christ wanting to enter an individual’s heart. The context is actually Christ speaking to an entire church. The people in the church in Laodicea needed to accept Christ for the first time, for some of them had never made that commitment. Others needed to return to wholehearted faith in him. Christ is knocking on their door, desiring that the Laodicean church remember its need for him and open the door. He would come in and eat with the believers, picturing table fellowship. In Oriental fashion, this “eating” referred to the main meal of the day in which intimate friends would share together. Such a meal portrays the kind of fellowship that will exist in the coming kingdom of the Messiah (Rev. 19:9; Isaiah 25:6–8; Luke 22:30). The church needed to repent of its self-sufficiency and compromise and return to Christ.

OPEN THE DOOR

Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts (Rev. 3:20) every time we sense we should turn to him. Jesus wants to have fellowship with us, and he wants us to open up to him. He is patient and persistent in trying to get through to us—not breaking and entering but knocking. He allows us to decide whether or not to open our lives to him. Do you intentionally keep his life-changing presence and power on the other side of the door? [6]

Laodicea: Self-Conceit and Self-Deceit

Here is a Church which has an utterly mistaken view of itself. It thinks itself as well off as need be. Our Lord declares it to be in a desperately bad condition. It is addressed by Christ as by the “faithful and true Witness,” as the “Beginning of the creation of God;” not as the beginning in the sense of “the first part of,” but in the sense of the Beginner, in whom the creation had its beginning, and still has its continuance, meaning, plan, and end. He, to whom all created being stands open, deigns to give his clear, searching testimony to a self-deceived Church as to its state before him. There are three matters at which we must glance—the Witness, the testimony, the counsels. 

I. The Witness. “Faithful,” i.e., trusty and trustworthy. “True,” answering to the ideal, being all that a witness can be. Whatever can make a witness valuable belongs to Christ. We speak because we believe; he speaks because he knows. He is the “Amen.” He alone can speak with absolute positiveness that there can be no inaccuracy in his words. In bearing testimony to the occurrence of an external fact, a very moderate amount of ability, combined with fidelity, might suffice. But when testimony is borne concerning the inward and spiritual state of a Church, infinitely more is needed than such commonplace requirements. He only can be a competent witness of the spiritual state of any man, and a fortiori of the spiritual state of any body of men, who can discern the thoughts and intents of the heart; who knows in the case of each the relation between privilege, capacity, and attainment; who understands perfectly the difference between what is and what ought to be, and the entire bearings of the spiritual state of to-day on eternal interests. Evidently, therefore, no one is a competent witness in such matters but he who says, “I the Lord search the heart, and try the reins of the children of men.” But he is. And he who is thus perfectly competent is also absolutely true. Nor was it only of this particular Church, at this particular time, that Christ was a faithful and true Witness; he is this to every Church at every time. A Divinely rigid inspection of every Church is ever going on. It is not only true that we must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, it is also true that we do all stand before it now. There is a royal judgment of professors and of Churches going on at every moment, and the value of each Church is not what it is in the eyes of man, but what it is in the eye of the heart-searching Lord. The most solemn inquiry we can put is, “What does Christ think of us?” We may stand well before other Churches, but, oh, if Christ thinks ill of us, that spoils all! Let us therefore consider— 

II. The testimony borne by this Witness. In the judgment here pronounced as to the state of the Church at Laodicea, there is a principle expressed which may be detached from the special details of Laodicean Church life, because it holds good whatever those details may be; it may be looked at quite independently of time or place, because it bears equally on all Churches at every time and in every place. That principle is indicated by the words, “I would thou wert cold or hot.” Evidently, to be fervent in religion is so blessed that it is perfectly easy to understand why our Lord should say he would rather we were hot than lukewarm; but it is not, at first sight, so clear why he would rather we were cold than lukewarm. Yet our Lord declares that lukewarmness is more offensive to him than entire coldness would be.

Let us inquire: 1. What this lukewarmness is. In answering this question, our safest course will be to follow the evidence given in this letter as to what Christ saw, from which, perhaps, we may gather what he means. Four features. (1) There was profession. Here was a company of avowed disciples gathered together in Laodicea to form a fellowship, to maintain Christian worship, and to advance the honour of the Saviour’s name. (2) The Church was exceedingly well pleased with itself. “Thou sayest, I am rich,” etc. Laodicea was a great commercial city, rolling in wealth; and the Church may have been satisfied either with its worldly status, or (which, perhaps, is the more probable) with its spiritual progress. (3) Yet it was a Church unique in its emptiness. “Thou knowest not that thou art the wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked one.”³⁸ Laodicea was the poorest of all the seven. In two Churches there was good with no specified ill; in four, good and ill were mixed together; in one there was ill with no good—that was the Church at Laodicea. There is in it nothing to be commended. The true gold of spiritual wealth was not there; the white raiment of personal purity, not there; the anointing of the Holy One, not there. A poor Church indeed! But the worst has yet to be told. (4) Christ himself was outside it! He is outside the door, has been standing there for some time, and was still knocking and asking for admission.

The question at once starts itself—When is Christ outside a nominal Church? We reply: (a) When in its fellowship respectability is thought more of than fervour; (b) when in the pulpit eloquence is extolled more than the truth is appreciated; (c) when talent is more craved than spiritual power; (d) when wealth and status are recognized, and growth in grace is not. We know a Church which makes its boast of the number of mayors of the borough who have been members with it; and another that boasted that it had not a single tradesman on its Church-roll! Oh, this worldliness! it is killing Churches. Christ is not in them, and will not be, till they repent. It is no uncommon thing to name the name of Christ with the tongue, even when the Spirit of Christ is not in the heart. It is clear enough, then, what Christ means by lukewarmness. There was care enough and interest enough to hold together an external fellowship, and to maintain all outward Church proprieties; but the soul was lacking—the living Christ was not there.

Let us now inquire: 2. What entire coldness would have been. A few words will suffice here. If the Laodiceans had either never heard the gospel at all, or if, having heard it, it had never convinced their understanding, or if, although mentally persuaded of its work and of its Divine origin, they had never had sufficient glow of soul to unite in a Christian fellowship, and had never made any avowal whatever of any attachment to the Lord Jesus,—in such a case there surely would have been coldness.

Let us now ask: 3. Why lukewarmness is more offensive to Christ than coldness. Why is a man who has just warmth enough to lead him to take some interest in religious services, and to keep his place in a Christian congregation, and no more, more displeasing to Christ than one without any warmth at all? For many reasons. (1) There is a wider discrepancy between profession and practice. For the Church-member may fairly be supposed to have convictions clear enough to make a fervid man of him, if he would but let them have scope and play. But, as it is, there is an inward schism in the man. (2) The lukewarm professor is more difficult to reach. Of all men whose consciences are hard to touch, those are the most so who have “made a profession,” and then settle down in it in a state of self-complacency. (3) Hence their position is peculiarly perilous; for, owing to their satisfaction with themselves, there is far less chance of the arrow of conviction piercing their souls. Hence the peril of their self-deceit being undisturbed until too late. (4) Such a one is more guilty than others, for he has made a vow which he does not pay. He confesses his responsibilities, and yet takes no pains to discharge them. (5) He effects more mischief than others. Many an ardent convert gets his first chill from lukewarm members of the Church. In fact, this lukewarmness threatens to pull down a Church; yea, it will do it if a check be not put upon it. (6) Our Saviour will reject it, consequently, with special displeasure. Nothing is so offensive to him as a corpse in religion’s cloak. When great pretensions are nothing more than pretension, then the greater the pretence the greater the offence. The more true any one’s nature is, the more odious is untruth to him. What, then, must it be to the Lord Jesus Christ? 

III. The counsels of this faithful and true Witness. Although the heavenly Witness is severely faithful, there is in his words a ground-tone of the deepest tenderness. In them, and indeed in each one of them, there is enough for a separate homily; but space can only be found for a few words.

Note: (1) There is an assurance that his love is not withdrawn. He is grieved, he is dishonored, still he loves. (2) His love finds a twofold expression: (a) he convicts; (b) he chastens. Hence his gracious counsels.

1. They are called on to be zealous. There are ways and means of reviving a flagging zeal. “He that would be warm must keep near the fire;” and he that would become spiritually warmer must get near the cross, and keep there.

2. Repent. A lukewarm Christian has need to repent as much as though he had never repented at all; for he has “lost his roll,” and cannot then indeed tell whether he ever had one.

3. They are urged to get all their need supplied. Laodicea was a thriving commercial town. Christ speaks to the people there in their own familiar dialect. “Buy”—where? what? (1) Of Christ; without money and without price. (2) Gold. Raiment. Eyesalve.

4. They are reminded that the door must be opened to Christ. It is terrible beyond all power of expression when Church-doors are closed against Christ, and when he is kept outside the very community whose only raison d’être is that it may entertain and honour its Lord.

5. They are entreated to open the door and to admit the living Lord. What can this mean? Surely nothing less than to let his Spirit rather than the world spirit have the supreme control. In a word, the Church is exhorted to become true to its profession, and to let him, whose sacred Name it avows, be once again its sovereign Lord. But we must not forget the next point.

6. The Church is to open its doors to Christ, by individual members opening their own hearts to him, “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.” Finally, if, listening to the counsels of Infinite Wisdom and Love, they, receiving a living Christ again, become once more a living Church, and overcome this downward tendency, then Christ will cause them to share with him his own honour at last. The Master conquered, and he expects the disciple to do the same. The Lord overcame for us; we may overcome in him and by him.

Note: Victory is possible only when Christ is within us. If we keep him outside, not all the sanctuary teaching, nor the services, nor songs, nor ordinances, nor forms of godliness, nor parental virtue, can ever prevent us from falling miserably back to perdition. If we keep Christ out of our hearts, he will spue us out of his mouth.^[7] 

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Revelation 3:18-20 The Counsel—“My Advice To You Is To Buy Pure Gold From Me, Gold Purified By Fire—Only Then Will You Truly Be Rich.” 

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^[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.

^[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

^[3] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

^[4] Butler, John G. 2010. Analytical Bible Expositor: Revelation. Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

^[5] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

nlt Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

^NRSV Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted, 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

^[6] Barton, Bruce B. 2000. Revelation. Edited by Grant R. Osborne. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

³⁸ Note the definite article here: σὸ εἷ ὁ͂ ταλαίπωους

^[7] Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. 1909. Revelation. The Pulpit Commentary. London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.