As to Laodicea, nothing can be more striking than the contrast between it and Philadelphia. We have here the last phase of the professing Christian body. It is just about to be spewed out as something insufferably nauseous to Christ. It is not a question of gross immorality. It may, to man’s eye, present a very respectable appearance, but to the heart of Christ its condition is most repulsive. It is characterized by lukewarmness and indifference. “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 spew thee out of My mouth” (Rev. 3:15-1615I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15‑16)).
The Attitude Toward Christ
How solemn to find the professing church in such a condition! And to think how soon we pass from the attractions of Philadelphia — so gratifying to the heart of Christ, so refreshing to His spirit — to the withering atmosphere of Laodicea, where there is not a single redeeming feature! We have heartless indifference as to Christ and His interests, combined with the most deplorable self-congratulation. “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 eye salve, that thou mayest see” (Rev. 3:17-1817Because 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: 18I 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. (Revelation 3:17‑18)).
How solemn is all this! People boasting of their riches, and of their having need of nothing, and Christ outside. They have lost the sense of divine righteousness, symbolized by “gold,” and practical human righteousness, as symbolized by “white raiment,” and yet are full of themselves and their doings — the very reverse of the dear Philadelphian company. There, He reproves nothing; here, He commends nothing. There, Christ is all; here, He is actually outside, and the church is all. It is perfectly appalling to contemplate. We are just at the close. We have got to the last, solemn phase of the church as God’s witness on the earth.
Christ’s Attitude
Yet even here, in the face of this most deplorable condition of things, the infinite grace and changeless love of the heart of Christ shine out in all their undimmed luster. He is outside; this tells what the church is. But He is knocking, calling, waiting; this tells what He is, eternal and universal homage to His name! “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Rev. 3:1919As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Revelation 3:19)). The gold, the white raiment and the eye salve are offered. Love has various offices to discharge, various characters in which to clothe itself, but it is the same love still — “the same yesterday, and today, and forever,” even though it has to “rebuke and chasten.” Here His attitude and His action speak volumes, both as to the church and as to Himself. “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” (Rev. 3:2020Behold, 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)).
Here it is not to the outside sinner, but to the professing church the Lord makes this most solemn and weighty appeal. It is not Christ knocking at the door of the sinner’s heart (true as that is also), but at the door of those in the professing church.
The Individual
In the church of Sardis the remnant is spoken of as “a few names”; in Laodicea there is an “if” as to one. But even if there be a single hearing ear, if there be one to open the door, that one is assured of the high privilege, the immense favor, of supping with Christ — of having that precious One as guest and host: “I . . . with him, and he with Me.” When the corporate witness has reached the very lowest point, individual faithfulness is rewarded with intimate fellowship with the heart of Christ. Such is the infinite and everlasting love of our beloved Saviour and Lord!
C. H. Mackintosh, adapted