Introduction:  The Laodicean message is spoken to "us" christians  who claim to be following the path of our savior rather than what this world has to offer.  Where does your heart truly lie on this issue and can the onlooker really see a difference between a person of the world and a real christian during earth's last bit of time in existence?  This earth will definitely end soon, and people will only have the recorded testimony of their lives to represent them.  This portion of the website is about that message, what is it about, what happened to change things, and how does it affect the final years of your life?

Rev 3  (v. 14) And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, these things says the Amen.... (v. 15) I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I could wish you were cold or hot. (v. 16) So then, because you are lukewarm....I will spew thee out of My mouth.

What does the bible say about the condition of the Laodicean church?   Continue reading:

Rev 3  (v. 17) Because you say, "I am rich....and have need of nothing; [but] do not know that you are wretched....poor, blind, and naked. (v. 18) I counsel you to buy from Me, gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed....

Bible history consistently supports, that this message is talking about us today, meaning "you and me" the christians of the 21st century.  There was a message presented to us a while back, which was not fully accepted.  This portion of our study will seek to discover what that message was really about and how it affects you personally.

The word of God cannot work effectually in the heart when it is barred out by unbelief.  The message which the messengers have been proclaiming is the message to the Laodicean church.  This message has not had the influence that it should have had upon the mind and heart of the believers....they are to receive the word of God, not as something originating with men, but as the word of God.[1]  

I  Thes 2  (v. 13) For this reason we also thank God....because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

Many have treated the message to the Laodiceans as it has come to them, as the word of man.  Both [the] message and messenger have been held in doubt by those who should have been the first to discern and act upon it as the word of God.  Had they received the word of God sent to them, they would not now be in darkness.^[1]  

Col 2  (v. 1) For I want you to know what a great struggle I have for you and those in Laodicea.... (v. 2) that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ.

Those who name the name of Christ should....fear to ridicule the message or the messenger....The true christian will fear to make light of God's message, lest he may lay a stumbling block in the way of a soul who may see and imitate his example....The message given us by A.T. Jones, and E.J. Waggoner is the message of God to the Laodicean church, and woe be unto anyone who professes to believe the truth and yet does not reflect to others the God-given rays.^[2]  

In 1888, the Lord sent a refreshing message that startled us and revealed Christ as a Savior who does not wait for us to initiate a "relationship" or to maintain it with Him. 

God is not hiding in a celestial office where we must seek Him out....Rather, the message is shocking, even to us today: your salvation does not depend on your perseverance or hard work in seeking the Lord.  The Savior takes the initiative in seeking you.  This has been hard for us to humble ourselves and grasp.^[3]    

The problem was with (us) as the church, the wife of the bridegroom:

Rev 19  (v. 7) Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.

Probably unknown to the corporate body or to the church, something was moving down the verses of Revelation 19 and had come as far as the time for verses 7 and 8.  It was now time to "rejoice," for something must happen that had never before happened in history....Living in "the time of the end" meant that verses 7 and 8 of Revelation 19 had to be fulfilled in the progressive Christian experience of the church as a body...."The marriage of the Lamb is come and His wife has made herself ready."  But she hadn't done it, yet.^[4]

Rev 19  (v. 8) And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

How can the heavenly Bridegroom get His church's attention and finally fulfill this prophecy?   By sending a message that woos the heart, a tender, quiet, heart-warming message, the Bridegroom coming close in an appeal, a gentle touch of truth.

Christ is the source of every right impulse.  He is the only one that can implant in the heart enmity against sin.  Every desire for truth and purity, every conviction of our own sinfulness, is an evidence that His Spirit is moving upon our hearts....In dying for sinners, Christ manifested a love that is incomprehensible; and as the sinner beholds this love, it softens the heart, impresses the mind, and inspires contrition in the soul.^[5]

To review this topic about Christ's incomprehensible love, see the study:  Why—You are Saved

They begin to comprehend something of the righteousness of Christ, and exclaim, "What is sin, that it should require such a sacrifice for the redemption of its victim?  Was all this love, all this suffering, all this humiliation, demanded, that we might not perish, but have everlasting life?"  The sinner may resist this love, may refuse to be drawn to Christ; but if he does not resist he will be drawn to Jesus; a knowledge of the plan of salvation will lead him to the foot of the cross in repentance for his sins, which have caused the sufferings of God's dear Son.^[5]   

John 12  (v. 32) And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.

It was the essence of the message of Jones and Waggoner regarding righteousness by faith....As Christ was lifted up as the Lamb of God, true to His promise, He was "drawing all persons" to Himself.  His death for us was the equivalent of the second death.  He had "poured out His soul unto death," even the second.^[6]

Well, how did the church receive this wooing, heart-warming message?   Let us take note of this recorded comment:

....God sends a restoring, healing message to men, calling upon them to look away from man and earthly things, and place their trust in God.  He has given his people the truth with power through the Holy Spirit....But when these messengers gave the truth they had received to the people, they were as unbelieving as the Israelites.^[7] 

Many are caviling over the truth brought to them by humble messengers.  They question, how can this message be truth?  How is it possible that by looking to Jesus and believing in his imputed righteousness, I may gain eternal life?  Those who have thus refused to see the truth do not realize that it is God with whom they are in controversy, that in refusing the message sent them, they are refusing Christ.^[7]

What again, was the "most precious" message that the church people were refusing, in Minneapolis, back in 1888?

Now brethren, when did that message of the righteousness of Christ, begin with us as a people?  (one or two [people] in the audience: "three or four years ago.")  Which was it, three? or four?  (congregation: "four.")  Yes, four. Where was it?  (congregation: "Minneapolis.")[8] 

What then did the brethren reject at Minneapolis?  (some in the congregation: "The loud cry.")  What is that message of righteousness?  The testimony has told us what it is; the loud cry—the latter rain.  Then what did the brethren in that fearful position in which they stood, reject at Minneapolis?  They rejected the latter rain—the loud cry of the third angel's message.  Brethren, isn't it too bad?[8] 

Of course the brethren did not know they were doing this, but the Spirit of the Lord was there to tell them they were doing it, was it not?  But when they were rejecting the loud cry, "the teaching of righteousness," and then the Spirit of the Lord, by His prophet, stood there and told us what they were doing—what then?[8]

Oh, then they simply set this prophet aside with all the rest.  That was the next thing.  Brethren, it is time to think of these things.  It is time to think soberly, to think carefully.^[8]

Yes, brothers and sisters, I believe that was good advice.  Let us now think soberly and carefully as we examine this lost message in more detail together!!

References:

1. E.G. White and the Loud Cry, (2011). The 1888 Materials, p.1050-1051, Letter to Uriah Smith (19 Sep 1892). Quoted on p.37, Fourth Angel Publishers.

2. E.G. White and the Loud Cry, (2011). The 1888 Materials, p.1052, Letter to Uriah Smith (19 Sep 1892). Quoted on p.38, Fourth Angel Publishers.

3. Robert Wieland, (2007). 1888 for Almost Dummies, p.73, Glad Tidings Publishers.

4. Robert Wieland, (2007). 1888 for Almost Dummies, p.75, Glad Tidings Publishers.

5. E.G. White, Steps to Christ “Repentance” p.26-27

6. Robert Wieland, (2007). 1888 for Almost Dummies, p.77, Glad Tidings Publishers.

7. E.G. White and the Loud Cry, (2011). The 1888 Materials, p.1687-1688, Letter dated (11 May 1899). Quoted on p.55-56, Fourth Angel Publishers.

8. A.T. Jones, Sermon 9, (1893). The General Conference Bulletin, p.183