The letter to the church in Laodicea

Believers, believe right. See Christ's message to the church in Laodicea, which still exists today in the form of beliefs held by some Christians. Revelation 3: 

15“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—"

Christ said "I could wish you were cold or hot." The “hot” here is definitely not doing our best at keeping the Law in order to gain right-standing with God while still calling on Jesus, as many teach and believe. This would mean getting cut off from Christ and falling from grace. See Galatians 5:4-

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."

The Law demands perfect obedience from those who try to keep it, but no one can be made righteous in the sight of God by law-keeping. See Romans 3:20- "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands..."

Thanks to the preaching of something else that is not the gospel , many Christians are still trying to get right with God through works of the Law, after Christ died and rose to put us right with God. But Galatians 2:21 says: "I refuse to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with God through the Law, it means that Christ died for nothing!"

Believers, our right-standing with God has nothing to do with what we do/did or how well we keep the Law. It's got all to do with what Christ has done, because God loved us so. It's a gift without which one cannot be free from the grip of sin. Romans 5:19 tells us "By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous." 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Christ said "I could wish you were cold or hot."

The interpretation of being "hot" as Christians doing their best to keep the Law in order to be right with God would mean that “cold” is having a total disregard for God's law. Christ said “I could wish you were cold or hot.” Why would Christ wish for us to have a total disregard for the law? He came to fulfill the very same Law for us! That is how holy and upright the Law is. It takes the blood of the Son of God- our Saviour Jesus Christ- to save us from the consequences of disobedience to the Law: death, preceded by its symptoms of curses, sickness, lack, anxiety, oppression, stress, etc.

Believers, the lukewarm church is the church that is neither under Law nor under Grace; neither cold nor hot. One leg on Mount Sinai and the other on Mount Zion. Calling Christ "Saviour" but not believing that He accomplished all that He did for us on the cross.

Think of it as the whole world writing an exam for which the price of failure is death (the wages of sin is death) and where failing one question means our score is zero (you break one law, keep the rest and you are guilty of all according to James 2:10) For us to pass (be saved from eternal damnation, sin and addiction, oppression, sickness, etc) we need a 100% score, no more, no less. But everyone has already failed at least one question (all have sinned; there is none righteous.) We were all doomed.

God saw how hopeless our case was and sent His own Son to die for our sins, because He loved us so. Christ died the death that we all should have died and righteously offered all of us the requisite 100% score (His Righteousness, see Romans 5:19) that gives life. This is the only brand of righteousness that cuts it with God. All of our own righteousnesses from doing good things and obeying the law to get right with God are like "a menstrual rag" in God's sight according to Isaiah 64:6-

"We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."

But many people hang on to their 99% or less righteousness score that comes from self-effort at keeping the law and doing good works (aka self-righteousness) which is as good as zero because of their 1% or more stain (break one law and you're guilty of all Says James 2:10.)

Others attempt to take some marks from Grace (Christ’s freely given 100%) to "complete" their own score (righteousnesses from works of the Law!) Believing that these "a menstrual rag" righteous works should count for something with God, such say “I know I am not perfect but God will see that I’ve tried my best.” One leg on Mount Zion and the other on Mount Sinai. These ones here are not totally under Law and not totally under Grace. Neither hot nor cold! This is an abomination to the Lord. See Christ's words to this lukewarm church:

Revelation 3:"16 So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust].17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [without hope and in great need],"

These ones feel that they have some good in them, that they are still "okay.,” e.g. "I pay my tithes so I am good with God." But this is just ONE of the many laws that those under law must keep in order to escape judgment and get the blessing. Don't forget that under law, if you break one law you are guilty of all (James 2:10.) Such do not know that they need white garments (Christ's righteousness). They strive to keep the Law to get some righteousness and think “Jesus will understand, see how hard I tried and do the rest.”

Remember Isaiah 64:6- "We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."

Even we would balk at the thought of drinking a cool glass of seemingly cold water that has just a tiny speck of the offerer's menstrual rag in it! But many offer concentrated menstrual rags to God and think this is the way to heaven. Because such reject God's gift of righteousness and hold on to their own filthy rags righteousnesses that proceed from self (self-righteousness,) they are cut off from Christ. See Galatians 5:4 - 

"Those of you who try to be put right with God by obeying the Law have cut yourselves off from Christ. You are outside God's grace."

Believers, let's not be found with this belief. Our best can never cut it with the Most High God. It takes only the blood of Jesus (no additives) to escape the wrath of God, overcome sinful acts and live right. It takes Grace. We are "accepted in the Beloved," not in our good works.

Christ said "I could wish you were cold or hot." Better to be totally under Law where you see that you can never pass by your own efforts and be driven to Grace; or totally under grace, where you get to enjoy the full benefits of our Lord's goodness that leads to repentance. Only this way can we overcome sin.

See our Saviour's words in Revelation 3:

"I counsel you to buy from Me gold that has been heated red hot and refined by fire so that you may become truly rich; and white clothes [representing righteousness] to clothe yourself so that the shame of your nakedness will not be seen; and healing salve to put on your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will].20 Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me."

Believers, let's forsake our own filthy (menstrual) rag righteousnesss from works of the Law and rest in Christ's perfect gift of righteousness to us. With His gift of righteousness comes no condemnation for all who are in Christ Jesus. It's His "Neither do I condemn you"that makes us "go and sin no more." You will not continue to sin. This is the logic of heaven.

Consider Revelation 3:20: "Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me."

This message was written to a CHURCH. Did you notice that Christ is knocking on the door of the church in verse 20 and not a brothel or a club for sinners? We tend to think that this verse refers to people who have no heart for God and are just sinning anyhow but these ones are not even in the church! The message is for people in the church who are professing Christ yet rejecting His gift of righteousness and depending on their own righteousnesses from works of the Law and their good deeds to get right with God and enjoy His freely given (Romans 8:32) blessings in Christ.

Believers, the spirit of the antichrist is not Anti-God. It is a spirit that rejects the finished work of Christ in making the sinner righteous and depends on human effort to make one godly (be like God.) Same strategy was used to deceive Eve into believing that she would "be like God" if she ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Like the law which also which gives the knowledge of good and evil, the result is death. The letter kills...

Believers, by His grace, let's not be found here. Let Christ be to you Saviour to the uttermost. See Romans 5:17-

"17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.