"And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 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 spue thee out of my 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: 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 eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 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. 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. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
If indeed the seven churches of Asia, to whom Jesus sent these letters, do represent the progressive dispensations of time since Jesus ascended, the church at Laodicea addressed in today's lesson, surely represents the condition of Christianity today.
Today's "church" appears to have no spiritual compass. Too many are content to devotedly occupy the same pew two to three times a week while doing no more than waiting for the lost to come sit down beside them. Folks that is NOT what we, as the children of God, are to do. We are to, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, *baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."(Matthew 28:19-20)
*"Baptizing", as that term is applied in this quote, if correctly translated, means to 'educate as to'. That is reflected in the intent of the phrase "in the name of", which implies something that is taught, or something to be learned. Refer to Acts 8:12; "But when they believed Philip PREACHING the things concerning the kingdom of God, and THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, they were baptized, both men and women." Philip clearly preached the "name of Jesus Christ".~
NOTE:I will be glad to answer any questions concerning my understanding of what is written herein.
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