The Laodicean Church

In his book, 'Adventuring Through the Bible,' Dr. Ray C. Stedman mentions some exciting insights about the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation.  He says that the letters to the seven churches are to be studied at three levels:  Firstly, they are addressed to actual churches, dealing with real problems. Secondly, these churches symbolize individual churches during any time in history. We can also recognize the spiritual condition of our Church there. Thirdly, each of the seven churches is to be understood to represent a specific period in the Church's history from the first century until today.  This thought was new to me, and it made a lot of sense. While the Church in Ephesus covered the period from AD 70 to about AD 160, the Church in Philadelphia represented the evangelical period of the 19th century when the Church expanded into the far corners of the earth in a great missionary movement.  The Church in Laodicea had money, power, and influence but did not depend on Christ. The Lord pictures Himself standing outside the door of the Church, knocking for admittance. Dr. Stedman says it picturizes today's Church, and I cannot agree with him more!!  

When Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened" (Matthew 13:33), what He meant was that the Kingdom of Heaven would start small but at one time engulf the whole world.  But instead of the values of Christ invading the world's value system, the value system of the world has invaded the Church!  Whether it is corruption, abuse of power, divisions based on caste or the problem of dowry, everything finds a place in today's Church!  No wonder Jesus is standing outside knocking!  There will always be exceptions, and that is the call for us today.   The message to the churches has to be understood at a personal level also.  We can identify our spiritual condition also with one of these churches.  The call is for anyone who has an ear, to hear what the Spirit says to the churches because to him who overcomes, a reward is promised! 

My friend, this may be the Laodicean era in the history of the Church, but God is calling us today to live like the Philadelphians!  May the Lord help us be faithful to our calling to finally receive the heavenly reward.

---