The church of Laodicea

Revelation

'...These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God'(Rev3:14)

He is 'the Amen' because everything is perfect in Him(IICor1:20). He is the faithful witness, because ,in all His trials He stood faithful to God, and a true witness, because He declared just what he Father wanted Him to,

' For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, He gave me a commandment ,what I should say, and what I should speak'(John12:49)

He is 'the beginning of the creation of God', because all things were created by Him and for Him. He was before all creation, and therefore uncreated. All of creation speaks of Him, or reveals part of His character

Reproach

'I know thy works, 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 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:' (Rev3:15-17)

The fault of this church was that it had become lukewarm. It had lost its warmth and zeal for God. This happened for three reasons:

(1) Self-satisfaction or complacency

(2) worldly riches

(3) Lack of understanding regarding their own state.

The spiritual state of the Laodicean church was 'neither cold nor hot...wretched ,and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked' Therefore Jesus say's. I will spue thee out of my mouth'(Rev3:15-17) This shows that the church will cease to be in the Body of Christ or Christ Himself. 

Remedy

'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 slave, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent'(Rev3:18-19)

'Gold tried in the fire', speaks of precious faith that stood all fiery trials (Peter1:7).a life if suffering for the truth enriches faith.

'white raiment' points to the righteousness of the saints (Rev19:7-8)

'Anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see' refers to the opening of the eyes of spiritual understanding. Paul spoke of his ministry, saying that he was sent 'to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery' which was not revealed in ages past (Eph3:9).The Church must have a clear vision of her calling and abide in the hope of His coming.

'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' (Rev3:20)

From this we can gather that Jesus was outside the church.

'I will come in to him' speaks of the fellowship Christ would like to have with the church.'....If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him(John14:23)

.'...And will sup with him and he with me': This speaks of the blessings of the intimate fellowship we have with the Triune God

' for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in Holy Ghost'(Rom14:17) when the Triune God comes into our life, He forms His kingdom within us and makes us throne worthy.

This fellowship with the Triune God leads to sanctification. Therefore  He says, 'As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten...'(Rev3:19)

Reward

'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' (Rev3:21)

They were promised that they would be seated with Christ in His throne, the highest place of power and authority, if they would overcome all things even as He overcame.

The messages and revelation of Christ to the seven churches are for the Churches of God down the centuries, and particularly  to the churches which are waiting for the coming of the Lord in these last days. The message to each church ends with the words: 'He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches', and again 'To him that overcometh'. From this we understand that he true church is the one which consists of people who overcome. Only they can hear what the spirit says . God wants to prepare such a  church ,to meet Him at his coming. And hence, it is evident that the Lord is coming for the overcomer and not for those who are merely born again and do not have spiritual growth and sanctification.