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Am I a Laodicean?, December 8
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.
Revelation 3:15, 16
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The condition of many of those who claim to be the children of God
is exactly represented by the message to the Laodicean church. There is
opened before those who serve God, truths of inestimable value, which,
brought into the practical life, show the difference between those who
serve God and those who serve Him not....
The Bible is the storehouse of the unsearchable riches of God. But
those who have a knowledge of the truth do not understand it as fully
as they might. They do not bring the love of Christ into the heart and
life. The student of the Word finds himself bending over a fountain of
living water. The church needs to drink deeply of the spirituality of the
Word. Their service to God needs to be very different from the tame,
lifeless, emotionless religious experience that makes many believers but
little different from those who believe not.
Halfhearted Christians are worse than infidels; for their deceptive
words and noncommittal position lead many astray. The infidel shows
his colors. The lukewarm Christian deceives both parties. He is neither a
good worldling nor a good Christian. Satan uses him to do a work that no
one else can do.
Love of self excludes the love of Christ. Those who live for self are
ranged under the head of the Laodicean church who are lukewarm, neither
cold nor hot. The ardor of the first love has lapsed into a selfish egotism.
The love of Christ in the heart is expressed in the actions. If love for
Christ is dull, the love for those for whom Christ has died will degenerate.
There may be a wonderful appearance for zeal and ceremonies, but this
is the substance of their self-inflated religion. Christ represents them as
nauseating to His taste.
Let us thank the Lord that while this class is so numerous, there is still
time for repentance.
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