“THE LAODICEAN AGE”

 

By: Pastor J. L. Reunilla
Payatas Baptist Church, Quezon City
(From Makati Bulletin – June 14, 2009)

MANY theologians believe the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3, while historically real, also represent seven different stages in the development of the Christian faith. According to this view, we are now living out the Laodicean Age. This makes sense. “Laodicea” means rule of the people. It refers to the extremest definition of “democracy” which is, the majority determines what is right or wrong. Are we not seeing today such unprecedented trends as people seek to redefine gender, marriage and the family from what they always were to what they have never been? Are we not witness to the dogged persistence of a growing number that want to remove from the earth every vestige of God, faith and religion? We see morality by consensus.

We also see the secular devouring the sacred. The Laodiceans, by unanimous action, voted the Lord Jesus Christ out of the church. Hence, in Revelation 3:20, the supreme and all mighty God is outside the door of the church knocking. But the one characteristic of Laodicea that truly represents our world today is expressed by the Lord in verses 15 and 16 of Revelation 3: “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.” Here, “cold or hot” refers to choosing between two absolutes. The Laodiceans did not like absolutes. Instead of differentiating between things that differ and choosing one against the other, they used what is now known as Hegelian dialectics.

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel taught that to every thesis there is an opposite, an anti-thesis. To reach a higher plane of truth one must combine the two elements into a synthesis. The Laodiciean formula then is HOT + COLD = LUKE- WARM. If we ascribe HOT to represent God, heaven, eternity, all absolutes and things universal, then COLD represents man, earth, nature, things particular. LUKEWARM must mean the concepts of God, heaven, eternity, etc. are knocked off the pedestal and become adulterated as they are mingled with the things of man, the earth and nature. There is no higher plane of truth. Rather, the divine is corrupted , God is humanized. Isn’t this covered by what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:22 and 23: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.” The Laodiceans were not interested in honoring God and submitting to His will. They actually did not have any use for Him, other than claim His glory for their purposes. The Laodicean church was rich.

Like many monolithic (and cultic) churches today, their facilities are world class. Their equipment are state of the art, cutting edge technology. Because of their resources they can do anything they want. They have deceived the very elect (Matthew 24:24). There are many believers in our churches who make a partial commitment to the Lord.

They say they love God and wish to serve Him but at their terms. They reserve the right to obey when they want to obey, if they want to obey. While they claim to be disciples, they submit to divine will only when it is convenient. In a very real way they have become what the Apostle Paul warns about in 2 Timothy 3: 5- “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” The reason for this warning is this principle:
partial obedience is disobedience. If the God we say we serve is not LORD OF ALL, HE IS NOT LORD AT ALL! We must understand and be able to objectively apply absolute truth to ourselves, especially the warning of Matthew 7:22- 23: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Brethren, let us think seriously about this. It is not an idle threat. It is the Word of an immutable God.