Revelation 3:14-22 Freedom from the love of money is the key to true riches and to ruling with Christ on His throne
Revelation 3:14-22 Freedom from the love of money is the key to true riches and to ruling with Christ on His throne
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:
‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Background
The church in Laodicea was continuously vacillating between serving God and money. Hence, they were lukewarm, which is neither hot nor cold. Regrettably, the Laodicean’s love of money had brought upon them utter poverty and every kind of evil. It had also caused them to lose the ability to make sound decisions. Thus, they were summarily rejected by God. Where did they go wrong? The Laodicean community believed that they are already “good enough” by virtue of their wealth. Hence, they became complacent and stagnant having lost the desire to follow Christ to the end. As a result, they pass up on the opportunity to rule with Christ forever. Today’s devotion teaches us: Freedom from the love of money is the key to true riches and to ruling with Christ on His throne.
Observation
‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
“Cold” and “hot” are figures of speech implying opposing convictions or courses of action. “Cold” does not necessarily connote evil and neither does “hot” implies good. But the phrase “neither cold nor hot” connotes vacillation, or indecisiveness. One who is lukewarm will be pulled one way or another depending on which is more convenient. For example, one can profess to love God fully and yet be constantly thinking about making more money. Thus, such a one who has no principle is utterly useless deserving only to be spit out.
Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked，
The issue with the community in Laodicea is their utter ignorance to what true wealth is. They may be wealthy, but their true state is wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. One’s true state can be seen by his willingness to offer monetary assistance to another in need. One who is rich in his spirit will give despite their poverty. One who is poor in his spirit will be reluctant to give despite their great wealth.
I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Buy gold refined by fire
Gold refined by fire signifies the riches of one’s soul. When a person remains steadfast in God amid the trials and temptations of life, his soul is refined as gold. In short, to “buy from Me gold refined by fire” is to welcome God’s discipline to be refined. In so doing, he may be glorified as God’s son.
Buy white garments
One who is impure in his soul is perceived as naked and utterly shameful by God and the angels. To buy white garments is not to conceal, but to thoroughly cleanse one’s soul by the fire of the Holy Spirit. In so doing, he may purify his soul to experience communion with God and with the angels.
Buy eye salve
To buy eye salve to anoint your eyes is to remove falsity, to acquire a true and eternal perspective. In so doing, he may see and discern the path that leads to salvation. For one who is blind will inevitably make foolish decisions that destroy him.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
Christ implored the community of Laodicea to repent for He was about to discipline them. Although the Lord’s discipline will incur pain but the outcome is true riches for them. For the one who joyfully accepts Christ’s discipline, God will love him as a son (dine with him, and he with Me).
He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
He who overcomes is one who seeks true riches, who joyfully receives divine discipline while being sanctified. In the case of one who does not overcome, he hangs onto to his possessions, and discipline brings only bitterness and anger. Jesus gave up his possessions and even his only life, he accepted suffering and was perfected (see Hebrews 5:7-9). Consequently, God exalted Jesus to sit with Him on His throne to rule with Him. Likewise, those who harbour the same attitude will sit with God on His throne to serve all creation.
Truth
Freedom from the love of money is the key to true riches and to ruling with Christ on His throne
The love of money is the root of all darkness and poverty
The root of the Laodicean community’s problems is the love of money. The love of money is in itself poverty; it emanates from the spirit of slavery and abandonment. The love of money causes people to make moral compromises. As a result, they became stained, naked and in dire need of purification. What about blindness? The love of money predisposes people to illusions and wishful thinking causing them to take excessive risk. They may be wealthy, but their personhood is as the Lord described, “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked”.
You cannot serve God and money
Many in today’s generation are primarily motivated by the love of money. They are often discontented with what they possessed, being fearful of not having enough. Such feel a perpetual pain in their heart due to past financial losses. At the same time, they wonder why they cannot grow in the exercise of spiritual gifts and are perpetually lukewarm towards the things of God. Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24c). Inevitably, all will arrive at a position of either loving God and hating money, or loving money and hating God (see Matthew 6:24b). Such are often law abiding who offer tithes regularly but are not ready to part with their possessions to do God’s work wholeheartedly.
To rule with Christ, you must overcome the love of wealth and power
Jesus Himself showed us the way to rule with the Father; by overcoming the love of earthly wealth and power. For He gave everything, even His own life over to the Jews in obedience. Before Jesus went to the cross, the disciples asked Jesus how they could rule with the Father on His throne. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6). Therefore, anyone who desires to rule with the Father must walk the path that Jesus walked.
Beware of the Laodicean deception
The Laodicean deception is: “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” The Laodicean community believed that they are already perfect by virtue of their wealth. In other words, their wealth testifies to their perfection. Many indulge in a feel good gospel or the prosperity gospel because it removes the need for change and sacrifice. As a result, many become stagnant passing up on the opportunity to rule with Christ forever.
Application
We work not to hoard wealth but to serve
We must see to it that every ounce of wealth created is for the purpose of serving God, not to hoard it. Every ounce of wealth used for God’s purposes is converted (in real time) into treasures in heaven. Jesus said to the rich young ruler, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21).
Financial stewardship
Through the Lord’s guidance, we apportion our finances into 3:
- The first portion is for our personal consumption.
- The second portion is what we will use to provide for our future and for our children’s future.
- The third portion is what we will give away, to help others, and to supply for the needs of the ministry.
Practice self-assessment according to perfection
Assess ourselves often not according to our personal standards but according eternal life, which is perfect love, wisdom and power. Christ assessed the Laodiceans and found them lacking because they felt they were “good enough”. And God will spit out those who are stagnant who suppose that they are good enough.
Dear Lord, cleanse me and free me from the love of money. I am content with what I have because you have promised to never desert or forsake me. Thus, I will say that “The Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid. For no man can harm me or deprive me from God’s provision.” Provide for me someone who will disciple me, who exemplifies Jesus through his conduct (See Hebrews 13:5-7). In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.