What is the church of Laodicea and what does it say to us?
The church of Laodicea was a real congregation in Asia Minor that had become lukewarm, self-satisfied and worldly, and Christ's message to them warns every believer today against the danger of spiritual complacency while offering mercy and restoration to those who repent.
Laodicea was one of the seven literal churches in Asia Minor that Jesus addressed through John in Revelation. Christ came to them as the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God, meaning He is the final, trustworthy confirmation of everything God has spoken and the firstborn of the new creation, the Church. He looked at this congregation and declared, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth (Revelation 3:15 to 16). Their sin was not open wickedness but hypocrisy, an attempt to mix love of the world with a profession of faith in Christ. They boasted, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, yet in reality they were wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked before God (Revelation 3:17). Outward prosperity had blinded them to their true spiritual poverty.
Even so, Christ did not abandon them. He counseled them to buy of Him gold tried in the fire, meaning faith refined through suffering rather than earthly wealth, white raiment to cover their shame, and eyesalve so they could see their condition clearly (Revelation 3:18). As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent (Revelation 3:19). His severe warning was balanced by mercy; the rebuke itself was proof of His love, meant to restore rather than destroy.
The most tender picture in this message is Christ standing at the door of their hearts: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20). Though they had grown complacent, the door had not yet been shut, and fellowship could still be restored if they responded to His voice. To the one who overcomes, He promises something remarkable, not just restored fellowship but shared authority: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne (Revelation 3:21).
This message is understood as speaking not only to that ancient congregation but prophetically to the church in the present day. The lukewarm, moneymaking, self-satisfied spirit of Laodicea is described as the disposition of much of the church today, a greedy and gainsaying people persuaded by a prosperity message that pushes Christ to the outside while the love of money takes His place. Those who remain in that condition without repenting are warned that they will enter the hour of God's wrath and share the portion of unbelievers, while the church that hears Christ's voice will be kept from that hour of wrath, since the seven last plagues represent the outpoured wrath of God from which believers are promised deliverance. The call to every reader is the same one given to Laodicea: be zealous, repent, and open the door, for He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches (Revelation 3:22).
The scriptures
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
From the books
This answer is drawn from these passages in the Mary Banks Faith Library.