Some Christians simply do NOT make sense. But, take heart because there is some good news here. Read all the way to the end....
Ninety-five percent of black Christians voted for Obama.
Fifty percent of Catholics voted against their own church teachings, including seventy-five percent of all Hispanic Catholics. Obama also captured 75% of self-described atheists and 42% of non-evangelical Protestants.
So, what does it all mean?
The Book of the Revelation begins with Jesus standing among the seven golden candlesticks, each representing one of the seven Churches of Asia Minor. Each church can be symbolically representative of a particular epoch in Church history, as identified by the major characteristics singled out by the Lord for either commendation or condemnation.
The sixth Church epoch is represented by the Church of Philadelphia -- the evangelical Church that sent missionaries around the world, carrying the Gospel to the lost -- it is the only Church to receive commendation from the Lord. When we come to the seventh Church, the Church of Laodicea . . THIS is the Church that will be dominant at the time of the Rapture.
Jesus is not describing last days' society -- that was Paul. Jesus is addressing a Church. The word "Church" (ekklesia) should not be applied to unbelievers. The word "ekklesia" is found in one hundred and fifteen places in the New Testament. It is translated in English one hundred and thirteen times as "church" and the remaining times it is translated as "assembly."
In classical Greek the word "ekklesia" meant "an assembly of citizens summoned by the crier, the legislative assembly". The word as used in the New Testament is taken from the root of this word, which simply means to "call out". In New Testament times the word was exclusively used to represent a group of people assembled together for a particular cause or purpose. In the case of the Church at Laodicea, it refers to the Christians -- the "called out ones" who lived among the pagans in the city of Laodicea.
The Lord describes the Laodicean Church thusly:
"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)This doesn't mean that the Laodicean believers will lose their salvation. It means their churches will reflect their lukewarm nature; powerless, dead and ineffective. It is the kind of churches that could RE-elect Barack Obama, not because they believe in him or his cause, but because he promises to give them stuff as part of his social gospel.
"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 . . ." (3:17)The Lord offers counsel to this Church, but doesn't hold out any hope that they will take it. Instead, He promises rebuke and chastening. Notice that, while Jesus stood within the other churches, He stands outside Laodicea, asking to be admitted.
John was recording Jesus' explanation of where those social conditions will ultimately lead. Listen carefully to what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.
"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."Paul wrote to Timothy about social conditions in the last days. America's choice on November 6 has moved it firmly over from 2 Timothy 3:1-6 to Revelation 3:14-21. The "perilous times" have shifted to the Church itself.
Paul admonished the Church to "continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them." (2 Timothy 3:14)
What comes next? Persecutions and afflictions at the hands of evil men and seducers. (2 Timothy 3:12-13) Jesus' message comes from the other end of the spectrum, admonishing the Church to repent from having become what Paul had warned of. Jesus ends His outline of the seven epochs of the Church Age by saying, "Listen up."
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."Why the Lord's admonition to listen carefully? Note the difference in what comes next for Laodicea. Not more persecutions and afflictions -- that was Philadelphia. The Church of Philadelphia is no more.
We are Laodicea. What comes next?
"After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, COME UP HITHER, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." (Revelation 4:1)
It's not all bad news. Laodicea is
just one verse away from the Rapture
Archives of past issues of The Omega Letter Intelligence Digest can be found at: www.omegaletter.com
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