We are now arrived at the last of these “seven addresses,” and what a picture is here unfolded to us as represented by “the church in Laodicea!”
From an earlier writing than this Book of the Revelation (the latest written, as is clearly evidenced internally, spite of its rougher Greek, in keeping with its character as the closing book of prophecy), we learn how “Jude, a bondman of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,” had had necessity laid on him (ἀνάγκην ἔσχον) to write exhorting to earnest contention for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. But, as far as Laodicea is concerned, this exhortation might never have been. For where is the zeal for the truth of God against the many errors of to-day? “As many opinions as men,” what is truth? So asked Pilate but waited not for answer. And so here it is like indifference that we see. “Thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spue thee out of my mouth.” How offensive is this easy going latitudinarianism to the “Amen, the faithful and true witness”!
Then, again, the self-satisfied and boasting spirit of the age has affected the church. It not only thinks, but proclaims, itself “rich and established in wealth, and in need of nothing,” and knows not its real poverty, nakedness and blindness.
If the world is eager in its pursuit after wealth which cannot be carried above (Job 1, Psalm 49), why should not we be as eager after the true and abiding riches? There is imperishable gold and purified by fire to be obtained, and we are counseled to buy it where only it can be had-"of Me.” So we find the apostle Paul in the Holy and divine “reckoning” of Philippians 3, saying, “But what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss on account of Christ. Yea, verily, and I count all these things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having my righteousness that is of law, but that which is by faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” Is not this the “buying of Me gold purified by fire”?
So, too, the “white garments that thou mayest be clothed,” i.e., the saint's practical righteousness of every day, cannot be apart from Him, “for without (or, apart from) me ye can do nothing” (John 15:55I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)). “Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments that he may not walk naked.”
When self displaces Christ, how blind indeed is the soul! And lukewarmness towards Him is the fit soil for this self-occupation. There is no clear perception of spiritual truth. We see neither Him aright nor ourselves. “Thou knowest not that thou art the wretched one and the miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” “As many as I dearly love (φιλῶ), I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.”
And where is Christ? Where shall we find Him where all is so abhorrent? He is outside! “Behold, I stand at the door and knock!”
(Continued from page 80)
(To be continued)