He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The closing call urges every person able to hear to listen to what the Spirit says to the churches at the end of the rebuke to Laodicea for lukewarmness with its counsel, invitation, and promise to the overcomer. What the True Witness speaks is what the Spirit speaks, and Jesus Himself speaks through it for ministers to voice and every hearer to solemnly receive. It belongs to the church of the present day and the last days, especially to God's people who have had great light and large opportunity and must repent, receive the counsel, and overcome to be ready to meet Christ at His coming. Hearing means personal application rather than judging others, examining one's own heart, studying and holding fast the truth, and putting the Word into practice in humble obedience to all the commandments. Truly received, it works deep repentance, purification, and fitness for the latter rain and Christ's soon coming, while persisted lukewarmness brings being spewed out and left in darkness to judgment.
Closing Call Context
The closing appeal belongs to the message to Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22, coming after the rebuke of lukewarmness, the counsel to buy gold tried in the fire and white raiment and eyesalve, the loving rebuke and call to be zealous and repent, Christ standing at the door and knocking to sup with whoever opens, and the promise to the overcomer to sit with Christ in His throne. It is a present warning and last call to repentance to a backslidden church, spoken to members who have had light shining for many years yet are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, self-sufficient and self-confident in carrying out their own ideas, saying they are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing while wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and not knowing it. They are defiled by envy, evil-surmising, false reports, dissension and misunderstanding, colder and more formal about religious things, a disgusting morsel to the taste, and God abhors such indifference in religious things. The gracious call demands an alert ear to realize the true condition, to put away self-sufficiency, to heed the rebuke and chastening of Christ's love, to be zealous and repent, to accept the counsel to obtain true riches and covering and sight, to open the door to Christ, and to overcome as He overcame, before it is too late to find repentance even though sought with tears.
The same call to hear what the Spirit says to the churches closes the messages to Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, and closes the whole third chapter and Revelation 1-3. Message after message to the seven churches from Ephesus through Thyatira, Pergamos, Sardis and Philadelphia to Laodicea ends with it, given by Christ to John on Patmos and sent by His angel from heaven. In the message to Thyatira this means holding fast to what they already have, overcoming and keeping Christ's works to the end, with promise to the faithful of authority over the nations and the morning star. After the invitation to open the door and the promise to the overcomer it is repeated as a revelation given to the church in the very last days of this earth's history.
The seven churches represent successive states of the Christian church from Christ's first advent to His second appearing. The sixth state represents those who proclaimed Christ's coming in autumn 1844. The messages extend to the end of time and remain in force today, to be read, heard, understood, and allowed to move hearers to warn others and invite them to the water of life. What the True Witness says to the lukewarm is what the Spirit says to the churches and must be heard, penned by inspiration of the Spirit of God. Jesus Himself speaks through every verse of Revelation 3, portraying the condition of things existing in the last days, and heavenly messengers bear the testimony to the churches which every minister may voice. When that voice from heaven is heard, every human agent is to place himself in the attitude of a solemn listener.
He that hath an ear means every person who has an ear, everyone able to hear, every church in every place that reads what John saw and was told to write in a book and send to the churches. It means everybody in the churches, each one having a soul to save or a soul to lose, including young men and young women who must choose the right side, and those who take burdens upon themselves and devote God-given abilities to doing Christ's words as partakers of His sufferings that they may be partakers of His glory. Having ears does not ensure listening, for some will not listen and some who hear pay no heed. God will not leave anyone willing to hear without opportunity to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The message to the Laodicean church had not yet produced the zealous repentance expected among God's people. That lack of zealous repentance caused great perplexity.
Present-Day Hearers
The call belongs to the church of the present day and to the very last days of this earth's history, sent to the church now and to be heard by reading the whole third chapter and making personal application of it. It applies especially to professing Christians who have become so much like the world that no difference can be seen, and it closes the message to Laodicea with a charge for all to hear that is being fulfilled today and must be read and understood as revealed truth. Everyone able to hear is summoned to heed it, for the message is addressed to the church at this time and urges repentance, spiritual zeal, and overcoming. Its words are Jesus' own words to ministers and church members in their last-day condition, who are urged to study and obey them. The warning must be heard and heeded now because the time is at hand, since those addressed stand as the church described in the last part of Revelation 3 facing a most trying time ahead when perils thickening around them will continue to increase until the close of this earth's history.
The Laodicean message applies to God's people in the present time who have had great light, the revelation of the Scriptures, solemn covenant obligations and large opportunities, including Seventh-day Adventists, who are urged to heed, repent, receive counsel and overcome so as to be ready to meet Christ at His coming. It warns against spiritual self-deception and lukewarmness, calls everyone with an ear to be zealous and repent, to open the door to Christ, and to overcome, so that those without the robe of His righteousness may be made ready. Hearing means turning from pride and self-reliance, seeking the Spirit's graces, and coming to Jesus in childlike trust and genuine humility, with faithful overcomers wearing white, keeping their names in the book of life, and being confessed by Christ before the Father and the angels. It warns against walking as the Jewish nation did in the days of Christ, remaining in dense darkness of error while having seen great light and had large opportunities and many privileges. Those who know present truth bear individual responsibility to communicate the light graciously given, to be Christ's light penetrating the darkness of error covering the religious world, to witness by trading every talent of light, ability and influence in good works and perfect obedience rather than mere talk, lest like the servant who knew his master's will but did it not they fall under reproof and have talents required again with the improvement demanded of stewards. The message calls hearers to take the True Witness's counsel to heart, examine their hearts, recognize backslidings, and repent zealously, a work that takes time as the heart is purified from sins that have shut out Jesus, in order to prepare God's people for Jesus' presence and for the loud cry of the third angel.
The call is directed to particular churches and places, including the Los Angeles church and churches generally to awake and do the work God has given them. It is applied to the church in Rockhampton, where hearing means receiving God's word with faith and putting it into practice rather than merely listening, acting on Christ's counsel rather than letting selfishness, pride, murmuring and unbelief prevent faithful obedience. It applies to many in New York, calling for receiving from Christ spiritual riches, righteousness and spiritual sight, and for being zealous and repenting by earnest determined effort to overcome worldly selfish love and become consecrated devoted Christians showing tender warmth and love, awaking and cultivating the heart or failing of heaven, ready and waiting for Christ's coming and loving His appearing. The people in California and all through the churches in America in the present Laodicean state need to fall upon the Rock and be broken, to arouse and act as one man earnest and alive, with urgency because horrors upon horrors follow in destruction of human life, the world will not be warned, and the day of the Lord comes unawares as a thief in the night. It calls for reform in God's institutions because they have become permeated with the spirit of the world, and for decided testimony in favor of health reform so that meat is not placed before patients in sanitariums. It calls Oakland and Berkeley to repent, Battle Creek institutions to be purified, and those reasoning about the Sanitarium fire and Dr. Kellogg to face a condition in which the Lord cannot work without thorough breaking up of the fallow ground of the heart, where one lost in the fog of sophistry has talked out damaging theories harming many souls, gives little hope of making straight paths for the feet, and needs the dawning of spiritual light in the soul.
The message also concerns nominal first-day Adventists who make a mighty effort yet do not gain victory, while those who have the truth prevail as one chases a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight. They are brought into close quarters, lost and confused in foggy terrible fear with anguish of spirit taking hold of them, unwilling to admit that the door is shut. By saying the shut door was of the devil they ascribe to Satan what belongs to God and what the Holy Ghost has done, committing the sin against the Holy Ghost against their own lives, so that they shall die the death. Hearing what the Spirit says is looking at the Pattern, following Him because He is meek and lowly in heart, and shutting the eyes to everything but present saving truth, with the faithful charged not to tarry with the message but to fly, buckle on the armor, and fight the good fight of faith.
Applicability of the rebuke to members who are proud, self-sufficient, stubbornly unbelieving and unwilling to yield even when evidence is piled upon evidence does not blot out the church, end its existence, or authorize breaking it into independent atoms. God reproves and corrects His chosen people on earth, the church He has made depositaries of His law with sacred trust of eternal truth to give to the world, warning those who have made great profession but have not kept in step with the Leader that they will be spewed out unless they repent. That message gives no authority for pronouncing the commandment-keeping church Babylon and calling God's people out of her, and no such message comes from any heavenly messenger or any human agent inspired by the Spirit. Christ, the great Head who moves in the midst of the candlesticks, will never be without a church, and faults in the organized body do not justify abandoning it. All church members are put on trial for their own soul's sake to obtain guiding light from past experience and heed the warning against dishonoring God's name, for those who dishonor it will have no place in His kingdom, while faithful true witnesses stand unflinchingly when the test comes and take the places of those who refuse to shine and whose candle is put out for faithlessness. Tares remain with wheat until angels do the separating at harvest.
The call addresses ministers, ministers' wives and families, churches, young men and young women, families, the Medical Missionary Association, idlers in the vineyard, and individuals such as Sister J, leaving each church and each family to decide whether to remain in the Laodicean condition or change position. What the Spirit says is a message of great importance calling everyone with an ear to hear and obey on the knees, with deep searching of heart and clean work for eternity under the convicting converting power of the gospel. To hear is to be a truly sanctified soul living the Word, educated and taught of God rather than by human unsanctified teachers, learning the highest education which is obedience to all God's commandments and listening to the voice pronounced in awful grandeur from Sinai, because dangers follow gospel ministers from different sources, especially from unsanctified unconverted companions, and unless hearts are searched there will be an irreligious element in the home. Hearing means having religion in the home and educating and training children to well-balanced characters the Lord can approve, requiring thorough work in home life without which God's blessing cannot be expected, for the Lord works with human effort but will not do the work given to parents. The warning not to remain in Laodicea's condition is applied to families called to reform their homes, including turning from harmful habits and practicing health reform so mind and body are fit for His service. Sister J is warned to repent and take the True Witness's counsel seriously, because indifference and neglected duties endanger salvation.
Content of Message
The Spirit lays bare a lukewarm, unconverted profession that is neither cold nor hot but insipid and disgusting to Christ's taste, self-sufficient and self-confident while claiming to be rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing. In truth those so described are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, colder and more formal about religious things and determined to carry out their own ideas and plans, honestly deceived about their deplorable condition yet correctly rebuked by the True Witness who knows their works. They claim to belong to God but are blinded by worldliness and self-exaltation, failing to recognize the sacredness of present truth and lacking devotion, sanctification, and living experience of renewal through grace. Their religion has degenerated into mere form, a name to live while dead, defiled by envy and evil-surmising and false reports, by selfishness, covetousness, pride, worldly fashions, empty talk, and love of the world, with evil choking the good seed in the heart while God tests each person as severe judgment and cleansing draw near.
Christ counsels buying from Him gold tried in the fire that they may be rich, white raiment that they may be clothed so the shame of nakedness does not appear, and eyesalve that they may see. That gold is precious gold of character, His truth and grace and salvation, and the white vesture is His own righteousness which alone will do for the children of God, while the eyesalve anoints blind eyes to give spiritual sight so they make no mistake. Recognizing spiritual need and feeling destitution is necessary for receiving the treasure provided in Christ, throwing away mere feelings, showing becoming zeal, and seeking with earnestness what answers Laodicea's lack. Hearing therefore means leaving off caviling and gossiping over one another's cases and not letting Christ's pleadings fall on ears dull or closed, but buying His provision, opening the door of the heart, and welcoming Him in.
As many as He loves He rebukes and chastens, not to destroy or discourage but to heal and restore, calling all to be zealous and repent. That call includes confessing, making peace, turning from strife and dishonest dealings, and putting away selfishness, greed, boasting, self-sufficiency, willful ignorance, and misrepresentation of Christ. All are to overcome as He overcame, by whole-hearted obedience to all God's commandments and by keeping Christ's works to the end, receiving spiritual riches and righteousness and blessings. The warning and appeal, with counsel, invitation to fellowship, and promise to the overcomer, is the True Witness's appeal to His chosen people that the church must receive.
Christ stands at the door and knocks, seeking entrance and fellowship, and if any hear His voice and open the door He will come in and sup together with him. When the mind is willing to admit Jesus, His image is reflected in the soul and an intensity of love is created, which is the work of the Holy Spirit striving to be recognized. Truly hearing that invitation requires faith in and love for a personal Saviour, not merely professing belief but practicing the faith, opening the heart to receive His richest blessings and representing Christ in spirit, in words, and in all character with Christ as chief Cornerstone. Many have ears but will not hear, letting Him knock in vain, while those who humble themselves in repentance and confession and draw near to God will have God draw near to them.
To Sardis the message warns those having a name that they live but are dead to be watchful, do first works, and strengthen the things which remain ready to die, because their works are not found perfect before God. To Thyatira the charge to those who have not the doctrine and depths of Satan is to hold fast what they already have till Christ comes and to keep His works unto the end. To overcomers are promised white garments, names kept in the book of life, confession before the Father and angels, authority over the nations with rule as with a rod of iron even as Christ received of the Father, the morning star, and a seat with Christ in His throne as He overcame and sat down with His Father in His throne. That closing call is directed to those who take burdens upon themselves, devote God-given abilities to doing Christ's words, and partake of His sufferings, that they may partake of His glory, turning from pride and self-reliance to childlike trust and genuine humility and seeking the Spirit's graces.
The message is both warning and mercy to those who have sinned against great light, who had received faithful instruction but failed to take the truth to heart and act on it, and hearing without following leads to rejecting the Lord's warnings and appeals. It is words of mercy and encouragement and warning from the Messenger of heaven, not from human lips, from One who cannot be swayed by any human influence. What the Spirit says is God's step-by-step straight testing work that manifests what is in the heart and strikes directly at cherished idols, requiring sacrifice of idols, purification through obeying the truth, and overcoming selfishness, pride, and evil passions at every advanced step, be the price what it may. So received, the message to Laodicea brings a general breaking up of the soul under the Spirit and power of God and is just what is needed as a precious and rich blessing, fitting those who heed for the latter rain and for translation.
Meaning of Hearing
To hear is to take the whole third chapter to oneself, reading it through and reading verses 16-22 in particular as spoken to one's own soul to save or to lose. It is to turn the eyes within, feel a deep interest in one's own case, examine the heart to know where one stands, afflict the soul, mourn and pray and beg for salvation, and take the counsel of the True Witness personally while there is still time to buy of Christ. Hearing is first work upon one's own heart rather than judging or controlling others, reproving them, binding burdens upon them, or turning aside reproof by asking whether others need it. It is to have an experience for oneself by taking hold individually, being zealous and repenting, righting every known wrong, then believing God accepts, taking Him at His word instead of mourning, seeking Him diligently, climbing up by faith and drinking of salvation, so that one who feels down and knows not how to rise may rise and move understandingly with fear of God and confidence toward others. So understood, hearing brings into closer relation with God, walking humbly, wrestling for the crown of immortality and life that measures with the life of God and the eternal weight of glory for every overcomer, coming out from the world and being separate and touching not the unclean that God may receive His sons and daughters, showing appreciation for the great gift of Christ and getting ready to meet the Lord in peace at His very soon coming in the clouds of heaven.
Hearing requires diligent study of every word of the chapter by those who watch for souls as those who must give an account, and preaching of it as Bible truth in clear decided tones under the Holy Spirit, guarding every outpost lest souls be left in uncertainty or led wrong into the enemy's snare to perish in confusion with their blood required at unfaithful watchmen. It means holding fast what was heard and learned from the Source of all light, remembering how truth was received and heard, and refusing for a moment human interpretations and fables that would loosen one pin or remove one pillar from the platform of truth, since receiving them spoils faith, confuses understanding and makes faith in Jesus Christ of none effect. The call to study carefully guards against men arising with claims of new light whose theories, if received, would destroy faith in truths tested for half a century, and against subtle theories spread by mind upon mind through those departed from the faith that imperceptibly imbue with a spirit drawing away from the faith. Those in every place who read what was seen and written in a book and sent to the churches are to study the chapter to see what it means, and those who hear and remain faithful and true and righteous will have sins and transgressions blotted out until Christ comes in the clouds with power and great glory to take His faithful children to Himself.
Hearing is not finished at once but takes time, for God bears patiently, weighs moral worth, lets excitement fade to prove character, and sees whether obedience springs from principle and faith rather than feeling, excitement or fear. The delay since the message went forth is granted to develop character, bring out what is in the heart, separate the precious from the vile, and give angels time to do their work in weighing and marking the development of character. The spuing of the lukewarm from the mouth is the Lord's own testing work, not to be done in a moment nor taken into human hands by pushing off those who do not come up to human standard, closing up the work at once, or fearing to associate with those supposed to be spewed out, but believers are to wait patiently for the Lord and not act in a hurried fanatical spirit. Prideful dress with ruffles and bonnets covered with bows and ribbons indexes pride dwelling in the heart and contradicts profession of waiting for Jesus to change vile bodies and fashion them like His most glorious body, showing what the time of proving reveals.
To hear is to receive the word with faith and put it into practice, for merely listening does not make it effective. It binds those under solemn covenant obligations not to be inattentive but to keep every precept of God's law and be loyal to it as subjects of His kingdom, to do first works, trade talents in good works and witness, and maintain vigilant action with the whole armor lest indifference and sloth lose religion and heaven. In this setting it means answering the call to repent, confess, make peace, turn from strife and dishonest dealings so sins may be blotted out and character made pure, doing humble work of repentance now to receive pardon and save souls from death instead of mixing repentance with hay, wood and stubble while talking principle but practicing wrong and underhanded dealing that must come into judgment. Heeding the True Witness means accepting each successive test, giving up cherished idols, overcoming selfishness, pride and evil passions, and those who stand every test have followed that counsel and are fitted for the latter rain and translation, with precious promises to every overcomer.
Hearing is shown in thorough work in the home, having religion in the home and educating and training children to well-balanced characters the Lord can approve with pure conversation, for while these essential duties are neglected the blessing cannot be expected, since the Lord works with human effort but will not do the work given to parents. It reforms the home and its habits and diet, lays property upon the altar to sell part or all and give up the world out of the heart, enters the dwelling of afflicted families to labor and pray for them until light shines, gives tithes and offerings so grace and power are not lacking, and ceases to plead for treasure here in a way that pulls back those coming to surrender and holds them in bondage. It finds out what makes hearts hard as steel toward brethren and whether love is lacking, for excellent qualifications are neutralized by selfishness and covetousness, self-love, self-deception and self-justification for gross neglect to help brethren by word and deed, like a dead fly in the ointment. Therefore hearing is to be watchful and strengthen things ready to die, remember how truth was received and heard, hold fast and repent, let the convicting power of the Holy Spirit finish true conversion by crucifying self, cease to see others' mistakes and to hold opinion and self-exaltation, stop broken ranks and warfare against brethren, love in deed, buy gold tried in the fire and white raiment and eyesalve, lest one weighed by Him who never mistakes be found with a name to live while dead, lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, and be spewed out.
Results of Response
Truly receiving the straight testimony of the True Witness works deep repentance, obedience and purification in those who heed what the Spirit says to the churches. The receiver is led to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth, reviving the living testimony in the church. Heeding means accepting each successive test, giving up cherished idols, sacrificing whatever is prized higher than truth, and overcoming selfishness, pride and evil passions at every advanced point, be the price what it may. Those who so hear and stand every test are purified through obeying the truth, receive the latter rain, and are fitted for translation. That thorough reformation fits for the loud cry of the third angel and for the presence of Jesus, preparing to meet the Lord in peace at His soon coming with power and great glory.
Proclaiming this straight testimony causes a shaking among God's people, because some will not bear it and will rise up against it. Persisting in lukewarmness brings rejection as nauseating and unfit for the family, being spewed out of the mouth of the Lord, having the candlestick removed, and being left joined to idols. Most love this world and earthly treasure better than Jesus and heaven and eternal life, and with that earthly treasure they will perish unless the church speedily arouses, afflicts the soul, is zealous and repents. Those who hear solemn truth but do not practice it grow less aware of its value and remain unmoved by calls to repent, and unless they exchange lukewarmness for love and zeal they go into darkness and are ensnared and overcome by the enemy. The indifferent are shut in by darkness, and those refusing to turn face hardness of heart toward hopeless apostasy and judgment where confession and tears will not undo the record.
The message allows no deception and no smooth words telling Laodiceans they are about right, that they have borne undeserved chastisement and reproof, been unnecessarily discouraged by severity, or are not guilty of the wrongs and sins for which they have been reproved. It must be borne to a lukewarm church to arouse God's people from security and dangerous deception about their real standing in wretchedness, blindness and poverty, reproving wrongs, neglect of duty, selfishness, pride and love of the world. If received, this pointed testimony living in the church arouses to action, self-abasement, confession of sins, zealous repentance, and promptly and decidedly putting away wrongs, sins, darling sins and iniquity, calling sin sin and meeting iniquity. It must be received personally and not dismissed as uncalled for or as not meaning them, while clinging to doubts and feeling in need of nothing, for those who refuse it are in greatest need of grace and spiritual discernment to discover deficiency in spiritual knowledge. Hearing is step-by-step following of God in a life of constant battle and march with no rest from warfare, maintaining victory over temptation by constant unceasing effort in Bible humility, patience, faith, love, self-denial, watchfulness, sacrifice and holiness, with practical knowledge of Bible truth leading to lowliness of life, conformity of will to Christ, and obedience to all God's requirements.
Even when the condition is displeasing there is hope if heeded, for loving rebuke offers tested gold, fellowship and a throne, and calls to be zealous and repent before a self-complacent spirit becomes the sole ruling power in life. Hearing ends heartless singing and brings the joy of Christ in the heart with inspired songs from warm thankful hearts, meekness and humility that better glorify God, and personal labor with an evangelistic spirit to invigorate others with the hope of the gospel. True faith lets the Spirit mold and fashion the soul to become a pure and holy dwelling place for God, where Christ is formed within as the hope of glory imparting new life, so that church trials separating members from Christ disappear. That reconversion by the Holy Spirit coming into the heart molds, softens and subdues hard stony unsympathetic hearts, puts away false pride, pharisaism, accusing, criticizing and evil surmising, and seeks the spirit of a little child with sanctified vision, lest the title to the immortal inheritance be lost and the terrible words, I know you not, be heard. The closing call is needed now to bring a higher standard in schools and among workers, working in Christ and in Christ's way in meekness and lowliness of heart giving rest even in hardest conflict, seeking and saving the lost with the Spirit of the true Helper through conversion with a new heart, receiving the light of the Sun of Righteousness and the baptism of the Holy Ghost and walking in the light.
The delay since the message went forth is to develop character, bring out what is in the heart, manifest what is in the heart by step-by-step straight testing work striking directly at cherished idols, and separate the precious from the vile. Prideful dress with ruffles and bonnets covered with bows and ribbons is the index to pride dwelling in the heart, contradicting profession to wait for Jesus to change vile bodies and fashion them like His most glorious body. The spuing of the lukewarm out of the Lord's mouth is the Lord's own patient work of testing character while time is granted to develop character and for angels to weigh moral worth, not to be taken into human hands by pushing off those who do not come up to the standard, closing up the work at once, acting in hurried fanatical spirit, or fearing to associate with those thought to be spewed out. The Laodicean message must affect the church with lasting influence through heeding the counsel of the True Witness and zealous repentance, yet its influence is lost too soon when that counsel goes unheeded and repentance is lacking. The message to the Laodicean church was exactly what the church needed at that time and brought it a rich blessing.
Proclaiming the Message
The solemn message to the Laodiceans must not be neglected by ministers preaching present truth but must be proclaimed with power, clearly and distinctly, as watchmen warning of danger under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is not a smooth message and allows no deception or smooth words, for it does not tell the lukewarm that they are about right, that they have borne chastisement and reproof they never deserved, that they have been unnecessarily discouraged by severity, or that they are not guilty of the wrongs and sins for which they have been reproved. It is a plain, practical, close, rebuking testimony telling a people who suppose they are in good prosperous condition, rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, that they are in need of everything, reproving wrongs, neglect of duty, selfishness, pride, love of the world, ambition, self-exaltation, double-dealing, hypocrisy, deception and destitution of spiritual power. The rebuke comes from divine love, from Christ who died to redeem from death and who rebukes those He loves to lead them to repentance, and it must be borne to arouse from security and dangerous deception about real standing in wretchedness, blindness and poverty, crying aloud and sparing not with patience and self-control. If received it arouses to action, self-abasement, confession of sins, zealous repentance and prompt decided putting away of wrongs, sins and iniquity, and only the pointed testimony living in the church, reproving wrongs, calling sins sins and meeting iniquity, answers to it, yet many will not endure it but will refuse Heaven's merciful message and will shield and sympathize with those God would reprove and make to feel their true poverty, while faithful servants bear plain testimony showing transgressions and sins.
All who have an ear are to read the message, especially verses 16-22 and the whole of Revelation 3:14-22, and ask God to show its import, for it is revealed truth of God with special meaning and mercy for the present time and is being fulfilled today. Hearing means taking the counsel personally while it is not too late to buy of Christ, coming into closer relation with God, walking humbly with God, wrestling for the crown of immortality and life that measures with the life of God, coming out from the world and being separate and touching not the unclean so that God will receive His sons and daughters, showing appreciation for the great gift of Christ, purifying the mind by obeying the truth, and getting ready to meet the Lord in peace at His very soon coming in the clouds of heaven. It belongs to those who have light and privileges, who have their Bibles, the ministry of the Word, and testimonies with appeals and instruction, and calls them to live knowing God's eye is upon them like a flame of fire, reading the secret of the soul with all things naked and open before Him from whom nothing is hidden, discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart so that no deed of darkness can be screened and no sin meditated in the mind is unknown, recognizing that words, conduct and motives are seen by God. Since no one could stand if the Lord marked iniquities, hearts must now be humbled before God and sins repented of while there is a Mediator pleading in their behalf, that all sins may be laid upon the Sin-bearer. Messages so received move hearers to warn others and invite them to the water of life.
What the Spirit says to the churches in Revelation 1-3 is an earnest warning to prepare to meet the Lord coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Hearing requires turning from indifference to the signs foretold by Christ that prove the end of the world is right upon us, advancing to receive the grace of God so its saving effect is felt day by day as strength and grace is not received in vain, with watchfulness and prayer in faith bringing the rich and precious blessing through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christ repeatedly urges listening because hearing the messages given to the churches is how truth is received and preparation is made for coming trials. Laborers are to come to God confidently and listen for His instruction, gaining fresh experience, for receiving the Word's divine light keeps error from taking root in the heart. The message to Laodicea reveals the spiritual condition of the churches and demands practical self-application by humbly receiving the light and richest blessings God proffers in mercy, opening the heart to the Holy Spirit so God can use him and being converted in order to enter heaven, while refusal through stubbornness and rebellion leaves men destitute of the Holy Spirit, unusable and lost, and those who have lost first love and grown indifferent or impure must retrace their steps, repent and be transformed and must not ignore Christ's reproof.
The call requires reform in homes, institutions and gatherings, with decided witness in favor of truth by those whose religious experience has become insipid. God's institutions have become permeated with the spirit of the world, and all are called to bear decided testimony in favor of health reform, meaning meat should not be placed before patients in sanitariums. Camp-meetings held in a tame, shiftless way in out-of-the-way places to save expense, as if to hide the light, prove the church far behind in spirituality and are not in God's order. The Laodicean condition is unacceptable to Christ, seen in the Medical Missionary Association not doing the work its name implies nor preparing people for an experience that can stand the judgment, with a commercial spirit dishonoring God and belittling His work. The same warning applies to Christians who become halfhearted through dependence on lawyers, legal documents and worldly principles, a condition abhorrent to God, calling for seeking the lost in schools in Christ's meek way, rejecting the commercial spirit, and putting abilities to holy use lest neglect lead away from truth.
As the last testimony Jesus gave to John, closing message after message to the seven churches from Ephesus through Pergamos, Sardis and Philadelphia to Laodicea, it rebukes selfishness that leaves destitute places unworked and requires earnest effort to put workers into those fields. It warns against walking in the same path as the Jewish nation in the days of Christ, remaining in dense darkness of error while having seen great light and had large opportunities and many privileges. Those who know present truth must realize individual responsibility to communicate the light graciously given them, to be Christ's light penetrating the darkness of error covering the religious world and to continue service as witnesses, for every converted soul is appointed to witness, trading upon every talent of light, ability and influence in good works and not merely much talk, yoked with Christ in perfect obedience, letting light shine rather than hindering, while those who know the truth but feel no special burden to reveal corresponding works fall under reproof like the servant who knew his master's will but did it not, and talents not put out to the exchangers will be required again with the improvements the Lord requires of His stewards. The Word of life in Revelation 3 is to be spoken with freedom and a clear, distinct voice to large, attentive congregations including the sick, lifting up Christ as physician who rebukes disease and raises sufferers to health when presented to Him in faith and as the risen Saviour who proclaims Himself the resurrection and the life and alone can heal the sick and raise the dead. It applies to those professing to follow Jesus yet dishonoring their profession by making false paths for their own feet and others' feet, going on for years against light and knowledge, corrupted in faith and principle, sacrificing faith for worldly favor and leavened with what is opposed to righteousness until they do not know what pure religion is, showing they are not servants of Christ because they do not do His works and will never have eternal life unless they see the sinfulness of their course and how greatly it has dishonored God, calling them for their souls' sake to repent and be converted, for first compunction of conscience refused leads to hardness of heart preparing for hopeless apostasy and the judgments of God, even while Christ's heart still yearns and His hand is still stretched out to save with provision that all who receive Him shall be given power to become sons of God, deciding which side to stand on as the Lord comes to punish iniquity near the emptying and burning of the earth. Hearing requires careful self-searching and correction of evil, leaving tangled disputes over little particulars and dwelling upon the great principles of faith, coming out from the world and being separate to follow Jesus with the gates of life thrown wide open so every benighted soul can see the way to return, for Satan is unwilling for this message to be rightly understood, and though the Lord shows for about two years when things are not right, failure to heed leaves blindness that plunges further into difficulty, as with one who drank deeply of the spirit of worldlings and cherished unsanctified ambition to be a remarkable man and is warned that without heavenly wisdom and walking in the cast-up path separated from the world he will become remarkable in a way he does not expect, while its heavenly eyesalve anoints the eyes of the blind so they make no mistake and its voice is Jesus with angels calling the deceived brother to come.
The closing call urges every person able to hear to listen to what the Spirit says to the churches at the end of the rebuke to Laodicea for lukewarmness with its counsel, invitation, and promise to the overcomer. What the True Witness speaks is what the Spirit speaks, and Jesus Himself speaks through it for ministers to voice and every hearer to solemnly receive. It belongs to the church of the present day and the last days, especially to God's people who have had great light and large opportunity and must repent, receive the counsel, and overcome to be ready to meet Christ at His coming. Hearing means personal application rather than judging others, examining one's own heart, studying and holding fast the truth, and putting the Word into practice in humble obedience to all the commandments. Truly received, it works deep repentance, purification, and fitness for the latter rain and Christ's soon coming, while persisted lukewarmness brings being spewed out and left in darkness to judgment.
Closing Call Context
The closing appeal belongs to the message to Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22, coming after the rebuke of lukewarmness, the counsel to buy gold tried in the fire and white raiment and eyesalve, the loving rebuke and call to be zealous and repent, Christ standing at the door and knocking to sup with whoever opens, and the promise to the overcomer to sit with Christ in His throne. It is a present warning and last call to repentance to a backslidden church, spoken to members who have had light shining for many years yet are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, self-sufficient and self-confident in carrying out their own ideas, saying they are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing while wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and not knowing it. They are defiled by envy, evil-surmising, false reports, dissension and misunderstanding, colder and more formal about religious things, a disgusting morsel to the taste, and God abhors such indifference in religious things. The gracious call demands an alert ear to realize the true condition, to put away self-sufficiency, to heed the rebuke and chastening of Christ's love, to be zealous and repent, to accept the counsel to obtain true riches and covering and sight, to open the door to Christ, and to overcome as He overcame, before it is too late to find repentance even though sought with tears.
The same call to hear what the Spirit says to the churches closes the messages to Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, and closes the whole third chapter and Revelation 1-3. Message after message to the seven churches from Ephesus through Thyatira, Pergamos, Sardis and Philadelphia to Laodicea ends with it, given by Christ to John on Patmos and sent by His angel from heaven. In the message to Thyatira this means holding fast to what they already have, overcoming and keeping Christ's works to the end, with promise to the faithful of authority over the nations and the morning star. After the invitation to open the door and the promise to the overcomer it is repeated as a revelation given to the church in the very last days of this earth's history.
The seven churches represent successive states of the Christian church from Christ's first advent to His second appearing. The sixth state represents those who proclaimed Christ's coming in autumn 1844. The messages extend to the end of time and remain in force today, to be read, heard, understood, and allowed to move hearers to warn others and invite them to the water of life. What the True Witness says to the lukewarm is what the Spirit says to the churches and must be heard, penned by inspiration of the Spirit of God. Jesus Himself speaks through every verse of Revelation 3, portraying the condition of things existing in the last days, and heavenly messengers bear the testimony to the churches which every minister may voice. When that voice from heaven is heard, every human agent is to place himself in the attitude of a solemn listener.
He that hath an ear means every person who has an ear, everyone able to hear, every church in every place that reads what John saw and was told to write in a book and send to the churches. It means everybody in the churches, each one having a soul to save or a soul to lose, including young men and young women who must choose the right side, and those who take burdens upon themselves and devote God-given abilities to doing Christ's words as partakers of His sufferings that they may be partakers of His glory. Having ears does not ensure listening, for some will not listen and some who hear pay no heed. God will not leave anyone willing to hear without opportunity to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The message to the Laodicean church had not yet produced the zealous repentance expected among God's people. That lack of zealous repentance caused great perplexity.
Present-Day Hearers
The call belongs to the church of the present day and to the very last days of this earth's history, sent to the church now and to be heard by reading the whole third chapter and making personal application of it. It applies especially to professing Christians who have become so much like the world that no difference can be seen, and it closes the message to Laodicea with a charge for all to hear that is being fulfilled today and must be read and understood as revealed truth. Everyone able to hear is summoned to heed it, for the message is addressed to the church at this time and urges repentance, spiritual zeal, and overcoming. Its words are Jesus' own words to ministers and church members in their last-day condition, who are urged to study and obey them. The warning must be heard and heeded now because the time is at hand, since those addressed stand as the church described in the last part of Revelation 3 facing a most trying time ahead when perils thickening around them will continue to increase until the close of this earth's history.
The Laodicean message applies to God's people in the present time who have had great light, the revelation of the Scriptures, solemn covenant obligations and large opportunities, including Seventh-day Adventists, who are urged to heed, repent, receive counsel and overcome so as to be ready to meet Christ at His coming. It warns against spiritual self-deception and lukewarmness, calls everyone with an ear to be zealous and repent, to open the door to Christ, and to overcome, so that those without the robe of His righteousness may be made ready. Hearing means turning from pride and self-reliance, seeking the Spirit's graces, and coming to Jesus in childlike trust and genuine humility, with faithful overcomers wearing white, keeping their names in the book of life, and being confessed by Christ before the Father and the angels. It warns against walking as the Jewish nation did in the days of Christ, remaining in dense darkness of error while having seen great light and had large opportunities and many privileges. Those who know present truth bear individual responsibility to communicate the light graciously given, to be Christ's light penetrating the darkness of error covering the religious world, to witness by trading every talent of light, ability and influence in good works and perfect obedience rather than mere talk, lest like the servant who knew his master's will but did it not they fall under reproof and have talents required again with the improvement demanded of stewards. The message calls hearers to take the True Witness's counsel to heart, examine their hearts, recognize backslidings, and repent zealously, a work that takes time as the heart is purified from sins that have shut out Jesus, in order to prepare God's people for Jesus' presence and for the loud cry of the third angel.
The call is directed to particular churches and places, including the Los Angeles church and churches generally to awake and do the work God has given them. It is applied to the church in Rockhampton, where hearing means receiving God's word with faith and putting it into practice rather than merely listening, acting on Christ's counsel rather than letting selfishness, pride, murmuring and unbelief prevent faithful obedience. It applies to many in New York, calling for receiving from Christ spiritual riches, righteousness and spiritual sight, and for being zealous and repenting by earnest determined effort to overcome worldly selfish love and become consecrated devoted Christians showing tender warmth and love, awaking and cultivating the heart or failing of heaven, ready and waiting for Christ's coming and loving His appearing. The people in California and all through the churches in America in the present Laodicean state need to fall upon the Rock and be broken, to arouse and act as one man earnest and alive, with urgency because horrors upon horrors follow in destruction of human life, the world will not be warned, and the day of the Lord comes unawares as a thief in the night. It calls for reform in God's institutions because they have become permeated with the spirit of the world, and for decided testimony in favor of health reform so that meat is not placed before patients in sanitariums. It calls Oakland and Berkeley to repent, Battle Creek institutions to be purified, and those reasoning about the Sanitarium fire and Dr. Kellogg to face a condition in which the Lord cannot work without thorough breaking up of the fallow ground of the heart, where one lost in the fog of sophistry has talked out damaging theories harming many souls, gives little hope of making straight paths for the feet, and needs the dawning of spiritual light in the soul.
The message also concerns nominal first-day Adventists who make a mighty effort yet do not gain victory, while those who have the truth prevail as one chases a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight. They are brought into close quarters, lost and confused in foggy terrible fear with anguish of spirit taking hold of them, unwilling to admit that the door is shut. By saying the shut door was of the devil they ascribe to Satan what belongs to God and what the Holy Ghost has done, committing the sin against the Holy Ghost against their own lives, so that they shall die the death. Hearing what the Spirit says is looking at the Pattern, following Him because He is meek and lowly in heart, and shutting the eyes to everything but present saving truth, with the faithful charged not to tarry with the message but to fly, buckle on the armor, and fight the good fight of faith.
Applicability of the rebuke to members who are proud, self-sufficient, stubbornly unbelieving and unwilling to yield even when evidence is piled upon evidence does not blot out the church, end its existence, or authorize breaking it into independent atoms. God reproves and corrects His chosen people on earth, the church He has made depositaries of His law with sacred trust of eternal truth to give to the world, warning those who have made great profession but have not kept in step with the Leader that they will be spewed out unless they repent. That message gives no authority for pronouncing the commandment-keeping church Babylon and calling God's people out of her, and no such message comes from any heavenly messenger or any human agent inspired by the Spirit. Christ, the great Head who moves in the midst of the candlesticks, will never be without a church, and faults in the organized body do not justify abandoning it. All church members are put on trial for their own soul's sake to obtain guiding light from past experience and heed the warning against dishonoring God's name, for those who dishonor it will have no place in His kingdom, while faithful true witnesses stand unflinchingly when the test comes and take the places of those who refuse to shine and whose candle is put out for faithlessness. Tares remain with wheat until angels do the separating at harvest.
The call addresses ministers, ministers' wives and families, churches, young men and young women, families, the Medical Missionary Association, idlers in the vineyard, and individuals such as Sister J, leaving each church and each family to decide whether to remain in the Laodicean condition or change position. What the Spirit says is a message of great importance calling everyone with an ear to hear and obey on the knees, with deep searching of heart and clean work for eternity under the convicting converting power of the gospel. To hear is to be a truly sanctified soul living the Word, educated and taught of God rather than by human unsanctified teachers, learning the highest education which is obedience to all God's commandments and listening to the voice pronounced in awful grandeur from Sinai, because dangers follow gospel ministers from different sources, especially from unsanctified unconverted companions, and unless hearts are searched there will be an irreligious element in the home. Hearing means having religion in the home and educating and training children to well-balanced characters the Lord can approve, requiring thorough work in home life without which God's blessing cannot be expected, for the Lord works with human effort but will not do the work given to parents. The warning not to remain in Laodicea's condition is applied to families called to reform their homes, including turning from harmful habits and practicing health reform so mind and body are fit for His service. Sister J is warned to repent and take the True Witness's counsel seriously, because indifference and neglected duties endanger salvation.
Content of Message
The Spirit lays bare a lukewarm, unconverted profession that is neither cold nor hot but insipid and disgusting to Christ's taste, self-sufficient and self-confident while claiming to be rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing. In truth those so described are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, colder and more formal about religious things and determined to carry out their own ideas and plans, honestly deceived about their deplorable condition yet correctly rebuked by the True Witness who knows their works. They claim to belong to God but are blinded by worldliness and self-exaltation, failing to recognize the sacredness of present truth and lacking devotion, sanctification, and living experience of renewal through grace. Their religion has degenerated into mere form, a name to live while dead, defiled by envy and evil-surmising and false reports, by selfishness, covetousness, pride, worldly fashions, empty talk, and love of the world, with evil choking the good seed in the heart while God tests each person as severe judgment and cleansing draw near.
Christ counsels buying from Him gold tried in the fire that they may be rich, white raiment that they may be clothed so the shame of nakedness does not appear, and eyesalve that they may see. That gold is precious gold of character, His truth and grace and salvation, and the white vesture is His own righteousness which alone will do for the children of God, while the eyesalve anoints blind eyes to give spiritual sight so they make no mistake. Recognizing spiritual need and feeling destitution is necessary for receiving the treasure provided in Christ, throwing away mere feelings, showing becoming zeal, and seeking with earnestness what answers Laodicea's lack. Hearing therefore means leaving off caviling and gossiping over one another's cases and not letting Christ's pleadings fall on ears dull or closed, but buying His provision, opening the door of the heart, and welcoming Him in.
As many as He loves He rebukes and chastens, not to destroy or discourage but to heal and restore, calling all to be zealous and repent. That call includes confessing, making peace, turning from strife and dishonest dealings, and putting away selfishness, greed, boasting, self-sufficiency, willful ignorance, and misrepresentation of Christ. All are to overcome as He overcame, by whole-hearted obedience to all God's commandments and by keeping Christ's works to the end, receiving spiritual riches and righteousness and blessings. The warning and appeal, with counsel, invitation to fellowship, and promise to the overcomer, is the True Witness's appeal to His chosen people that the church must receive.
Christ stands at the door and knocks, seeking entrance and fellowship, and if any hear His voice and open the door He will come in and sup together with him. When the mind is willing to admit Jesus, His image is reflected in the soul and an intensity of love is created, which is the work of the Holy Spirit striving to be recognized. Truly hearing that invitation requires faith in and love for a personal Saviour, not merely professing belief but practicing the faith, opening the heart to receive His richest blessings and representing Christ in spirit, in words, and in all character with Christ as chief Cornerstone. Many have ears but will not hear, letting Him knock in vain, while those who humble themselves in repentance and confession and draw near to God will have God draw near to them.
To Sardis the message warns those having a name that they live but are dead to be watchful, do first works, and strengthen the things which remain ready to die, because their works are not found perfect before God. To Thyatira the charge to those who have not the doctrine and depths of Satan is to hold fast what they already have till Christ comes and to keep His works unto the end. To overcomers are promised white garments, names kept in the book of life, confession before the Father and angels, authority over the nations with rule as with a rod of iron even as Christ received of the Father, the morning star, and a seat with Christ in His throne as He overcame and sat down with His Father in His throne. That closing call is directed to those who take burdens upon themselves, devote God-given abilities to doing Christ's words, and partake of His sufferings, that they may partake of His glory, turning from pride and self-reliance to childlike trust and genuine humility and seeking the Spirit's graces.
The message is both warning and mercy to those who have sinned against great light, who had received faithful instruction but failed to take the truth to heart and act on it, and hearing without following leads to rejecting the Lord's warnings and appeals. It is words of mercy and encouragement and warning from the Messenger of heaven, not from human lips, from One who cannot be swayed by any human influence. What the Spirit says is God's step-by-step straight testing work that manifests what is in the heart and strikes directly at cherished idols, requiring sacrifice of idols, purification through obeying the truth, and overcoming selfishness, pride, and evil passions at every advanced step, be the price what it may. So received, the message to Laodicea brings a general breaking up of the soul under the Spirit and power of God and is just what is needed as a precious and rich blessing, fitting those who heed for the latter rain and for translation.
Meaning of Hearing
To hear is to take the whole third chapter to oneself, reading it through and reading verses 16-22 in particular as spoken to one's own soul to save or to lose. It is to turn the eyes within, feel a deep interest in one's own case, examine the heart to know where one stands, afflict the soul, mourn and pray and beg for salvation, and take the counsel of the True Witness personally while there is still time to buy of Christ. Hearing is first work upon one's own heart rather than judging or controlling others, reproving them, binding burdens upon them, or turning aside reproof by asking whether others need it. It is to have an experience for oneself by taking hold individually, being zealous and repenting, righting every known wrong, then believing God accepts, taking Him at His word instead of mourning, seeking Him diligently, climbing up by faith and drinking of salvation, so that one who feels down and knows not how to rise may rise and move understandingly with fear of God and confidence toward others. So understood, hearing brings into closer relation with God, walking humbly, wrestling for the crown of immortality and life that measures with the life of God and the eternal weight of glory for every overcomer, coming out from the world and being separate and touching not the unclean that God may receive His sons and daughters, showing appreciation for the great gift of Christ and getting ready to meet the Lord in peace at His very soon coming in the clouds of heaven.
Hearing requires diligent study of every word of the chapter by those who watch for souls as those who must give an account, and preaching of it as Bible truth in clear decided tones under the Holy Spirit, guarding every outpost lest souls be left in uncertainty or led wrong into the enemy's snare to perish in confusion with their blood required at unfaithful watchmen. It means holding fast what was heard and learned from the Source of all light, remembering how truth was received and heard, and refusing for a moment human interpretations and fables that would loosen one pin or remove one pillar from the platform of truth, since receiving them spoils faith, confuses understanding and makes faith in Jesus Christ of none effect. The call to study carefully guards against men arising with claims of new light whose theories, if received, would destroy faith in truths tested for half a century, and against subtle theories spread by mind upon mind through those departed from the faith that imperceptibly imbue with a spirit drawing away from the faith. Those in every place who read what was seen and written in a book and sent to the churches are to study the chapter to see what it means, and those who hear and remain faithful and true and righteous will have sins and transgressions blotted out until Christ comes in the clouds with power and great glory to take His faithful children to Himself.
Hearing is not finished at once but takes time, for God bears patiently, weighs moral worth, lets excitement fade to prove character, and sees whether obedience springs from principle and faith rather than feeling, excitement or fear. The delay since the message went forth is granted to develop character, bring out what is in the heart, separate the precious from the vile, and give angels time to do their work in weighing and marking the development of character. The spuing of the lukewarm from the mouth is the Lord's own testing work, not to be done in a moment nor taken into human hands by pushing off those who do not come up to human standard, closing up the work at once, or fearing to associate with those supposed to be spewed out, but believers are to wait patiently for the Lord and not act in a hurried fanatical spirit. Prideful dress with ruffles and bonnets covered with bows and ribbons indexes pride dwelling in the heart and contradicts profession of waiting for Jesus to change vile bodies and fashion them like His most glorious body, showing what the time of proving reveals.
To hear is to receive the word with faith and put it into practice, for merely listening does not make it effective. It binds those under solemn covenant obligations not to be inattentive but to keep every precept of God's law and be loyal to it as subjects of His kingdom, to do first works, trade talents in good works and witness, and maintain vigilant action with the whole armor lest indifference and sloth lose religion and heaven. In this setting it means answering the call to repent, confess, make peace, turn from strife and dishonest dealings so sins may be blotted out and character made pure, doing humble work of repentance now to receive pardon and save souls from death instead of mixing repentance with hay, wood and stubble while talking principle but practicing wrong and underhanded dealing that must come into judgment. Heeding the True Witness means accepting each successive test, giving up cherished idols, overcoming selfishness, pride and evil passions, and those who stand every test have followed that counsel and are fitted for the latter rain and translation, with precious promises to every overcomer.
Hearing is shown in thorough work in the home, having religion in the home and educating and training children to well-balanced characters the Lord can approve with pure conversation, for while these essential duties are neglected the blessing cannot be expected, since the Lord works with human effort but will not do the work given to parents. It reforms the home and its habits and diet, lays property upon the altar to sell part or all and give up the world out of the heart, enters the dwelling of afflicted families to labor and pray for them until light shines, gives tithes and offerings so grace and power are not lacking, and ceases to plead for treasure here in a way that pulls back those coming to surrender and holds them in bondage. It finds out what makes hearts hard as steel toward brethren and whether love is lacking, for excellent qualifications are neutralized by selfishness and covetousness, self-love, self-deception and self-justification for gross neglect to help brethren by word and deed, like a dead fly in the ointment. Therefore hearing is to be watchful and strengthen things ready to die, remember how truth was received and heard, hold fast and repent, let the convicting power of the Holy Spirit finish true conversion by crucifying self, cease to see others' mistakes and to hold opinion and self-exaltation, stop broken ranks and warfare against brethren, love in deed, buy gold tried in the fire and white raiment and eyesalve, lest one weighed by Him who never mistakes be found with a name to live while dead, lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, and be spewed out.
Results of Response
Truly receiving the straight testimony of the True Witness works deep repentance, obedience and purification in those who heed what the Spirit says to the churches. The receiver is led to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth, reviving the living testimony in the church. Heeding means accepting each successive test, giving up cherished idols, sacrificing whatever is prized higher than truth, and overcoming selfishness, pride and evil passions at every advanced point, be the price what it may. Those who so hear and stand every test are purified through obeying the truth, receive the latter rain, and are fitted for translation. That thorough reformation fits for the loud cry of the third angel and for the presence of Jesus, preparing to meet the Lord in peace at His soon coming with power and great glory.
Proclaiming this straight testimony causes a shaking among God's people, because some will not bear it and will rise up against it. Persisting in lukewarmness brings rejection as nauseating and unfit for the family, being spewed out of the mouth of the Lord, having the candlestick removed, and being left joined to idols. Most love this world and earthly treasure better than Jesus and heaven and eternal life, and with that earthly treasure they will perish unless the church speedily arouses, afflicts the soul, is zealous and repents. Those who hear solemn truth but do not practice it grow less aware of its value and remain unmoved by calls to repent, and unless they exchange lukewarmness for love and zeal they go into darkness and are ensnared and overcome by the enemy. The indifferent are shut in by darkness, and those refusing to turn face hardness of heart toward hopeless apostasy and judgment where confession and tears will not undo the record.
The message allows no deception and no smooth words telling Laodiceans they are about right, that they have borne undeserved chastisement and reproof, been unnecessarily discouraged by severity, or are not guilty of the wrongs and sins for which they have been reproved. It must be borne to a lukewarm church to arouse God's people from security and dangerous deception about their real standing in wretchedness, blindness and poverty, reproving wrongs, neglect of duty, selfishness, pride and love of the world. If received, this pointed testimony living in the church arouses to action, self-abasement, confession of sins, zealous repentance, and promptly and decidedly putting away wrongs, sins, darling sins and iniquity, calling sin sin and meeting iniquity. It must be received personally and not dismissed as uncalled for or as not meaning them, while clinging to doubts and feeling in need of nothing, for those who refuse it are in greatest need of grace and spiritual discernment to discover deficiency in spiritual knowledge. Hearing is step-by-step following of God in a life of constant battle and march with no rest from warfare, maintaining victory over temptation by constant unceasing effort in Bible humility, patience, faith, love, self-denial, watchfulness, sacrifice and holiness, with practical knowledge of Bible truth leading to lowliness of life, conformity of will to Christ, and obedience to all God's requirements.
Even when the condition is displeasing there is hope if heeded, for loving rebuke offers tested gold, fellowship and a throne, and calls to be zealous and repent before a self-complacent spirit becomes the sole ruling power in life. Hearing ends heartless singing and brings the joy of Christ in the heart with inspired songs from warm thankful hearts, meekness and humility that better glorify God, and personal labor with an evangelistic spirit to invigorate others with the hope of the gospel. True faith lets the Spirit mold and fashion the soul to become a pure and holy dwelling place for God, where Christ is formed within as the hope of glory imparting new life, so that church trials separating members from Christ disappear. That reconversion by the Holy Spirit coming into the heart molds, softens and subdues hard stony unsympathetic hearts, puts away false pride, pharisaism, accusing, criticizing and evil surmising, and seeks the spirit of a little child with sanctified vision, lest the title to the immortal inheritance be lost and the terrible words, I know you not, be heard. The closing call is needed now to bring a higher standard in schools and among workers, working in Christ and in Christ's way in meekness and lowliness of heart giving rest even in hardest conflict, seeking and saving the lost with the Spirit of the true Helper through conversion with a new heart, receiving the light of the Sun of Righteousness and the baptism of the Holy Ghost and walking in the light.
The delay since the message went forth is to develop character, bring out what is in the heart, manifest what is in the heart by step-by-step straight testing work striking directly at cherished idols, and separate the precious from the vile. Prideful dress with ruffles and bonnets covered with bows and ribbons is the index to pride dwelling in the heart, contradicting profession to wait for Jesus to change vile bodies and fashion them like His most glorious body. The spuing of the lukewarm out of the Lord's mouth is the Lord's own patient work of testing character while time is granted to develop character and for angels to weigh moral worth, not to be taken into human hands by pushing off those who do not come up to the standard, closing up the work at once, acting in hurried fanatical spirit, or fearing to associate with those thought to be spewed out. The Laodicean message must affect the church with lasting influence through heeding the counsel of the True Witness and zealous repentance, yet its influence is lost too soon when that counsel goes unheeded and repentance is lacking. The message to the Laodicean church was exactly what the church needed at that time and brought it a rich blessing.
Proclaiming the Message
The solemn message to the Laodiceans must not be neglected by ministers preaching present truth but must be proclaimed with power, clearly and distinctly, as watchmen warning of danger under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is not a smooth message and allows no deception or smooth words, for it does not tell the lukewarm that they are about right, that they have borne chastisement and reproof they never deserved, that they have been unnecessarily discouraged by severity, or that they are not guilty of the wrongs and sins for which they have been reproved. It is a plain, practical, close, rebuking testimony telling a people who suppose they are in good prosperous condition, rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, that they are in need of everything, reproving wrongs, neglect of duty, selfishness, pride, love of the world, ambition, self-exaltation, double-dealing, hypocrisy, deception and destitution of spiritual power. The rebuke comes from divine love, from Christ who died to redeem from death and who rebukes those He loves to lead them to repentance, and it must be borne to arouse from security and dangerous deception about real standing in wretchedness, blindness and poverty, crying aloud and sparing not with patience and self-control. If received it arouses to action, self-abasement, confession of sins, zealous repentance and prompt decided putting away of wrongs, sins and iniquity, and only the pointed testimony living in the church, reproving wrongs, calling sins sins and meeting iniquity, answers to it, yet many will not endure it but will refuse Heaven's merciful message and will shield and sympathize with those God would reprove and make to feel their true poverty, while faithful servants bear plain testimony showing transgressions and sins.
All who have an ear are to read the message, especially verses 16-22 and the whole of Revelation 3:14-22, and ask God to show its import, for it is revealed truth of God with special meaning and mercy for the present time and is being fulfilled today. Hearing means taking the counsel personally while it is not too late to buy of Christ, coming into closer relation with God, walking humbly with God, wrestling for the crown of immortality and life that measures with the life of God, coming out from the world and being separate and touching not the unclean so that God will receive His sons and daughters, showing appreciation for the great gift of Christ, purifying the mind by obeying the truth, and getting ready to meet the Lord in peace at His very soon coming in the clouds of heaven. It belongs to those who have light and privileges, who have their Bibles, the ministry of the Word, and testimonies with appeals and instruction, and calls them to live knowing God's eye is upon them like a flame of fire, reading the secret of the soul with all things naked and open before Him from whom nothing is hidden, discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart so that no deed of darkness can be screened and no sin meditated in the mind is unknown, recognizing that words, conduct and motives are seen by God. Since no one could stand if the Lord marked iniquities, hearts must now be humbled before God and sins repented of while there is a Mediator pleading in their behalf, that all sins may be laid upon the Sin-bearer. Messages so received move hearers to warn others and invite them to the water of life.
What the Spirit says to the churches in Revelation 1-3 is an earnest warning to prepare to meet the Lord coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Hearing requires turning from indifference to the signs foretold by Christ that prove the end of the world is right upon us, advancing to receive the grace of God so its saving effect is felt day by day as strength and grace is not received in vain, with watchfulness and prayer in faith bringing the rich and precious blessing through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christ repeatedly urges listening because hearing the messages given to the churches is how truth is received and preparation is made for coming trials. Laborers are to come to God confidently and listen for His instruction, gaining fresh experience, for receiving the Word's divine light keeps error from taking root in the heart. The message to Laodicea reveals the spiritual condition of the churches and demands practical self-application by humbly receiving the light and richest blessings God proffers in mercy, opening the heart to the Holy Spirit so God can use him and being converted in order to enter heaven, while refusal through stubbornness and rebellion leaves men destitute of the Holy Spirit, unusable and lost, and those who have lost first love and grown indifferent or impure must retrace their steps, repent and be transformed and must not ignore Christ's reproof.
The call requires reform in homes, institutions and gatherings, with decided witness in favor of truth by those whose religious experience has become insipid. God's institutions have become permeated with the spirit of the world, and all are called to bear decided testimony in favor of health reform, meaning meat should not be placed before patients in sanitariums. Camp-meetings held in a tame, shiftless way in out-of-the-way places to save expense, as if to hide the light, prove the church far behind in spirituality and are not in God's order. The Laodicean condition is unacceptable to Christ, seen in the Medical Missionary Association not doing the work its name implies nor preparing people for an experience that can stand the judgment, with a commercial spirit dishonoring God and belittling His work. The same warning applies to Christians who become halfhearted through dependence on lawyers, legal documents and worldly principles, a condition abhorrent to God, calling for seeking the lost in schools in Christ's meek way, rejecting the commercial spirit, and putting abilities to holy use lest neglect lead away from truth.
As the last testimony Jesus gave to John, closing message after message to the seven churches from Ephesus through Pergamos, Sardis and Philadelphia to Laodicea, it rebukes selfishness that leaves destitute places unworked and requires earnest effort to put workers into those fields. It warns against walking in the same path as the Jewish nation in the days of Christ, remaining in dense darkness of error while having seen great light and had large opportunities and many privileges. Those who know present truth must realize individual responsibility to communicate the light graciously given them, to be Christ's light penetrating the darkness of error covering the religious world and to continue service as witnesses, for every converted soul is appointed to witness, trading upon every talent of light, ability and influence in good works and not merely much talk, yoked with Christ in perfect obedience, letting light shine rather than hindering, while those who know the truth but feel no special burden to reveal corresponding works fall under reproof like the servant who knew his master's will but did it not, and talents not put out to the exchangers will be required again with the improvements the Lord requires of His stewards. The Word of life in Revelation 3 is to be spoken with freedom and a clear, distinct voice to large, attentive congregations including the sick, lifting up Christ as physician who rebukes disease and raises sufferers to health when presented to Him in faith and as the risen Saviour who proclaims Himself the resurrection and the life and alone can heal the sick and raise the dead. It applies to those professing to follow Jesus yet dishonoring their profession by making false paths for their own feet and others' feet, going on for years against light and knowledge, corrupted in faith and principle, sacrificing faith for worldly favor and leavened with what is opposed to righteousness until they do not know what pure religion is, showing they are not servants of Christ because they do not do His works and will never have eternal life unless they see the sinfulness of their course and how greatly it has dishonored God, calling them for their souls' sake to repent and be converted, for first compunction of conscience refused leads to hardness of heart preparing for hopeless apostasy and the judgments of God, even while Christ's heart still yearns and His hand is still stretched out to save with provision that all who receive Him shall be given power to become sons of God, deciding which side to stand on as the Lord comes to punish iniquity near the emptying and burning of the earth. Hearing requires careful self-searching and correction of evil, leaving tangled disputes over little particulars and dwelling upon the great principles of faith, coming out from the world and being separate to follow Jesus with the gates of life thrown wide open so every benighted soul can see the way to return, for Satan is unwilling for this message to be rightly understood, and though the Lord shows for about two years when things are not right, failure to heed leaves blindness that plunges further into difficulty, as with one who drank deeply of the spirit of worldlings and cherished unsanctified ambition to be a remarkable man and is warned that without heavenly wisdom and walking in the cast-up path separated from the world he will become remarkable in a way he does not expect, while its heavenly eyesalve anoints the eyes of the blind so they make no mistake and its voice is Jesus with angels calling the deceived brother to come.