Jesus loves this church, or he would not have rebuked them. He wants to be a friend with whom we enjoy spending time. Its like lukewarm coffee. The phrase he who has an ear qualifies everyone who will listen and obey. Whatever were doing, or however were serving, we need to examine our hearts and our motives and see if were doing it for the right reason. You will know Gods character and will, and that is the heart of spiritual discernment being able to distinguish the voice of God from the voice of the world. 14a To the angel of the church in Laodicea. We need to look at this verse in context with the entire passage. There are two terms that I would like to point out, and those are attrition and contrition. Attrition is regret for sin prompted by fear for oneself: Oh, no. As we will see, this was clearly a characteristic of the self-reliant people of this city. After such strong correction, it is especially poignant to note that God wants sinners to repent and will quickly forgive their sins if they do. Imparted righteousness is the righteousness of sanctification, wherein God causes the Christian to become more and more Christlike. These rivers provided the water the crops and flocks needed in the Lycos valley. He was the beginning of all things. The ancient Greeks thought that only a barbarian would drink undiluted wine. We know from this introduction that what follows is being said by Jesus. It was a central banking center and traded well in black wool and an innovative eye salve used for medicinal purposes. The city also became renowned throughout the empire for it's eye and ear salve. As the faithful and true witness, Jesus is relaying to us what he heard from God the Father. They are not taking care of needs, providing moral support, or genuinely caring about people. NPI number for Mrs Salve Aldea Pineda is 1669536868 and her . He had to take up a battle against the sin, and carry out His pledge: Not My will, but Yours, be done! Justification by its very nature does not have a progressive character. His obedience was because, as a man, He had self-will that was in agreement with the Father's. This suffering was not the physical suffering on the cross of Calvary. The stones were ground up to powder which was mixed with oil producing a well-known eye balm that was distributed throughout the Greek and Roman world. Laodicea had a famous school of medicine; and a special ointment known as Phrygian powder, famous for its cure of eye defects, was either manufactured or distributed there, as were ear ointments also. The word for overcomes is the Greek word (nika), which means to be victorious.25 What does it mean to overcome, to to be victorious? And because Jesus was the Creator, He has the rule over it. "Eyesalve to rub in your eyes" Laodicea was also famous as a healing center. The image is of a Savior who expects that His church will be looking for Him, awaiting His arrival. Suffer in the flesh, cease from sin. Since Christ is referring to spitting something out of his mouth, the image of lukewarm wine comes to mind. The verse is not talking about salvation; it is talking about usefulness or purpose. To be a cold Christian is to take care of needs, provide moral support, and genuinely care about people. Isaiah 55:1-3 (NASB). Uniquely situated on a large flat-topped hill, the town was protected from the flooding in the spring when the snow melted off the nearby mountains. A 1,000-year-old Anglo-Saxon 'eye salve' made from onion, garlic, wine and part of a cow's stomach has been shown to wipe out 90 percent of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, otherwise known as MRSA. 1. They think they have need of nothing because they are saved and on their way to heaven. As for rebuilding the city after an earthquake, history records that the Laodiceans did this again a few decades later. The act of hearing implied obedience. Coffee, for example, can be served either hot or iced (cold). It is an often-used phrase that Jesus utilized when speaking in parables. Six miles to the north, the town of Hierapolis sat on the top of the cliffs overlooking the valley. Lets remember the overall lesson from Christs message to Laodicea. Click the button below for more information about the copyright.Copyright. In addition, its wealth came from the production of a fine quality of famous glossy black woolwhether dyed or natural in color is not known. 1 Peter 1:5-9 compares faith with refined gold. It is showing that all things were created through Him. 1. In ancient Greek culture, the evening meal was a social event. Temples had a joint purpose of worship and medical studies. The hot/cold issue begs the question: What exactly is God talking about? The eye salve must be purchased, and it is expensive. Before considering the significance of this term and the rest of the message from Christ, lets note a few things about Laodiceas history. Christ told the church at Laodicea to buy____from Him to become truly rich. Making an everlasting covenant with God (salvation is only the starting point). They produced a world-famous salve, reputed to cure certain kinds of eye diseases. What does it mean to buy gold from Jesus? Hebrews 5:11-14 shows how the eye salve to fix spiritual discernment is utilized. According to Roman writer Tacticus, Rome offered to pay for the city to be rebuilt, but the people declined, saying that they were wealthy enough to restore their own city. Laodicea was a city that was so rich; it minted coins that bore the images of Apollo, Asclepius, and Zeus.16 The reproach in verse 17 assumes that the Christians in Laodicea were also rich, as the passage would have no meaning to poor people. Actions, behaviors, motives, and the heart are all intertwined; they cannot be separated. 19a Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. The word rebuke is the Greek word (elegch) and means to convict, to prove one in the wrong.21 Jesus is doing more than just telling the Laodiceans their faults; he is convicting them of their sin. Spiritual fire burns away spiritual impurities. The city's reputation was for its money transactions and the good quality of raven-black wool grown in the area.1 The black wool, spun into dark yarn, was added to yarn dyed in other colors and made some very intricately patterned colored clothing, which sold for a high price in Rome. It was the suffering of the cross He used daily, when He said No to His own will, the sin in His flesh, even when it bombarded Him incessantly with its demands and deceitful attraction. 2019 by Steven P. Wickstrom, all rights reserved. If I go to the store to purchase something, I exchange my money for the goods I wish to purchase. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be . While God sanctifies by grace, Christians are responsible to appropriate God's grace by faith. A cold Christian visits the shut-ins, the hospitalized, and in prison. St. John mentioned Laodicea as one of the Seven Churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation The same logic applies to hot or cold. Youre going to have to spend time reading the Bible to learn the truth, and by meditating on the Word, reinforce the truth. What will happen to me? Contrition, on the other hand, is regret for the sin committed against Gods love and regret for having grieved the Holy Spirit. The great Roman road stretching to the inland of Asia from the coast at Ephesus ran straight through its center, making Laodicea an important center of trade and communication. It is interesting to note that verse 15 starts with Jesus telling the church that he knows their deeds. I could wish you were cold or hot. The therapeutic virtues of the waters became the calling card of the town. By knowing and obeying the Word of God, you will be trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. You must know the truth so well that, when the lies of the enemy appear, you can recognize them. Incline your ear and come to Me. The city was at the crossroads of north-south traffic between Sardis and Perga and east-west from the Euphrates to Ephesus. It is important to keep this verse in context with the rest of the passage. People who are going to be faithful to God must not allow material things to lull them into a false sense of spiritual security. Since Scripture tells us that the Word (Jesus) was in the beginning with God and that all things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made (John 1:1-3), we know that Jesus was not a created Being. Jesus lived a life of humility. How do you buy gold when youre poor? This letter was not written by a weary shepherd, hoping to be let in for some comfort and a bite to eat. He took the skins of the sacrifices and clothed him. What happens if the church does not hear his voice and does not open the door? 5. The wine was almost always served either hot or warm, as the ancient Greeks had no efficient way to chill the wine. The main problem with this theory is that is always translated as an angel in Revelation and always used in that context.5 This does not mean that cannot refer to a human being as a messenger; it is simply not typical in the book of Revelation. Then we must take active, practical steps to avoid falling into sin. We cant relax and mistakenly assume we have it made. They were doing a lot of things (works and deeds). The fertile valley contained pastures with large flocks of sheep. God expects His people to maintain zeal for His way of life. If there had been a corresponding word in the Greek language, then amen could have been translated. 21bI will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 3. Since it was socially unacceptable to serve lukewarm wine in Greek culture, I get the image of Christ being insulted by being served lukewarm wine and him spitting it out in response to that insult. 3 Ways to Avoid Becoming a Lukewarm Church. Associated with the temple was a medical school. Only a few are willing; the rest have ears, but they do not have ears to hear (Matthew 7:1314, 2427). You dont expect (or want) to have lukewarm coffee served to you. There is a major problem associated with being an angelic angel. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8. Listen, that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David. (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12) It is the absolute truth and a powerful weapon against temptation and sin. He humbled Himself to the Father's will. Youre going to have to spend time reading the Word, studying the Word, memorizing the Word, meditating on the Word, and obeying the Word. It is possible that faith was the refined gold that Christians were told to purchase from Jesus. When we say that God imputes Christ's righteousness to us, it means that God thinks of Christ's righteousness as belonging to us, or regards it as belonging to us. Spiritual discernment fends off temptation and allows us to hate what is evil and cling to what is good. There are a couple of points that I need to make here that you might not have seen before. 15byou are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So wealthy was Laodicea that after the great earthquake of A.D. 17, which destroyed it, the people refused imperial help in rebuilding the city, choosing rather to do it entirely by themselves. What did Christ mean? About Laodicea (See Colossians 2:1; 4:13-16) . Gold, clothing, and eye salve represent the three major industries of Laodicea: banking, textiles, and medicines. The Greek word (aggelos) is typically translated as an angel or a messenger. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 NASB. In Gods eyes, anything not done for Him, has no value, no use, no purpose. Therefore be zealous and repent. Laodicea lies 40 miles southeast from Philadelphia in the Lycus Valley. The Greek word for deeds ( - ergon) means means denotes comprehensively what a man is and how he acts.13 Typically translated as works or deeds, these words do not accurately convey the richness of the Greek word. Christs threefold prescription to cure their condition paralleled the physical circumstances that had apparently deceived them. Laodicea SHARE History The leading city in the valley during the first century, Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake in AD 60. But in this verse, Jesus is telling the church that they are naked and in need of white garments that only he can provide. The Laodiceans were rich and self-sufficient, with no need for God to supply their needs. 14cthe Beginning of the creation of God. The town was built, perhaps unwisely, on a geological fault from which noxious vapors and hot mineral water escaped. -- Revelation 3: 14 (ESV) . Verse 20 is not a salvation message for non-Christians; it is a warning to Christians. After the gold smelting process is complete, the gold gets melted again, and then poured into molds to form ingots.17. The Greek used here, emesai, means to vomit. All of their success and self-righteousness was nakedness in Gods sight. The essential element in real repentance is that we must come to God in humbleness to request his forgiveness. Its another way of saying, Listen up! (19) Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. For example, lets say that I issued instructions for you to sit either on the left or the right side of the room but not in the center. The Greek word for "witness" ( - martus) means "one who can or does aver what he has seen or heard or knows. If it were a common practice to refer to the chief person in the church as a messenger, this would be evident in the other letters contained in the New Testament, especially in Paul's. Theater of popular music. It is to have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. Revelation 3:14-22 ointment made from spice nard and an eye salve made from Phrygian stones. It was uncontaminated water straight from the mountains. While this is not impossible, as John could have summoned a messenger from each of the churches to receive the appropriate correspondence, it is not probable. into Greek letters, and then into English letters. As a result of not being either hot or cold for Jesus, they are like a rancid drink or repugnant drink that leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. The church is being called on to pay close attention and seek Gods wisdom concerning the written Word. The ruins, now called Eski Hissar, or old castle, lie near the modern Gonjelli on the railroad, and they have long served as a quarry to the builders of the neighboring town of Denizli. The button below for more information about the copyright.Copyright nard and an innovative eye salve to fix spiritual discernment utilized. 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