A GREAT MYSTERY By David Maddox
What happened to the church at Laodicea? How did they go from being discussed by Paul in other letters with the implication that it was an alive and vibrant church spreading and living the truth of the Gospel to the church of which Jesus says, “I know your works; you are neither cold or hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16). This is a church that literally makes Jesus sick to His stomach such that He literally throws them up to get them out of His system – out of the big “C” Church.
Religion – actions without passion – they say they believe, but live as if they do not believe. That was the church at Laodicea. Where does this come from? That is the great mystery for Scripture does not provide us that answer, but oh how we need to know for most who claim Christ and most churches are lukewarm at best – no passion for Jesus outside the building. I have heard teachings trying to excuse this. One Pastor teaching Revelation went so far as to say that the seven churches mentioned in Revelation are symbols for coming church ages and that we are now living in the Laodicea church age so you should not expect more than what you now see. Hogwash – there is absolutely no Biblical support for such teaching. We either repent and be changed or we will suffer the same judgment that the church at Laodicea did.
I believe that the answer to the “what went wrong” question was once known and available at least to the Church in the First Century. Paul writes about it in the Book of Colossians. He instructs the church at Colossae, “And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea” (Colossians 4:16). So there was a letter to the Laodicean church from Paul. Assuming it contained warnings and instructions as do all his other letters – the answer is in the lost book. For decades I have dreamed that like the Dead Sea Scrolls God would have preserved this letter and it would be found in a cave somewhere and the message so needed for today would then be known. Obviously it has not been found, but the question needs to be answered – and for that all of us should seek the Lord so that He can reveal what is wrong in us and in our churches – and we can change before it is too late.
About David Maddox – After a legal career in both Texas and Arizona that spanned over 40 years as a civil litigator, God called David to leave his law practice and work full time as Discipleship Director for Time to Revive. That call is really the fruit of decades of prayer for revival and teaching God’s Word, writing discipleship materials and seeking to make disciples. David married Janet Whitehead in 1976 and they minister together from their Phoenix home. God has blessed them with four children and thus far seven grandchildren.
