DIAGNOSIS OF LAODICEA CHURCH - 2

The Declaration of Condition as Exhibited by the Consciousness of the Patient

"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:"

This is what the church said of itself. And since Christ is the faithful and true witness we can depend upon the fact that this opinion is exactly what the church thinks of itself. There is therefore no exaggeration and no minimizing. This opinion exhibits the complacency, conceit, and self-deception of this congregation.

This Church Makes Constant Public Testimony as to its Condition

"Because thou sayest," or "because you are saying."

This is no idle description of the conduct of the church. By its words it is possible to penetrate to the spirit which inspired those words. The meaning of its calculations were therefore put into words in public testimony as a practice. Time after time the members of the church in its testimony meetings or anniversaries, a summation of its progress and state and present needs were made public.

There is no reason to believe that these public statements were necessarily revolting. It is more reasonable to believe that with a quiet, reserved pride, they gave evidence of what they thought of themselves.

This church believes that it now enjoys a state of  present riches

"I am rich" (oti plousio)

This undoubtedly refers to material wealth, but as an indication that they are rich spiritually. If one were to visit this congregation he would be shown the church premises, would be told how much the property cost, the cost of the building. The facilities would be pointed out, the conveniences. The size of the treasury, therefore the possibilities for future enlargement.

This church believes that it has achieved this state of personal effort

"And increased with good" (KJV). "And have gotten riches" (ASV). Greek text: (kai peplouthka)

The perfect tense of the Greek verb for enrichment suggests that this is a present state of riches attained by the exercise of personal effort over a period of time.

In this there is no reference whatsoever to the good providence and grace of God. This same expression in another context might be regarded as good. But in this place it is definitely to be regarded as an expression of congregational pride. Someone might say, "We have accomplished this alone, whatever we want, we have.  we need new buildings, we'll build them."

This church believes that it has now reached a state of congre­gational self-sufficiency.

"And have need of nothing" (KJV, ASV) Greek: (ai ouden creian ecw)

This is a statement indicating a consciousness on their part that they do not have and will continue to have no need. This means self-sufficiency. They do not need to look to the outside for the supply of anything. In fact, implicit in this statement as well as from the words of Christ that follow, they think they do not even need Christ. They do not say so explic­itly, but Christ understands it that way.

If a visitor were to suggest some form of service that would create new spiritual power, they would have been astonished. If one should propose a mission, they would have replied that they did not need a mission; in fact, they do not want a mission, for they have need of nothing. A series of meetings for the deepening of spiritual life? No, hold them in some other church. A time of special humiliation and prayer? We have no need of humiliation. They have need of nothing because they have everything.

The Interpretation of Condition by Analysis of the Physi­cian

"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see."

The Great Physician diagnoses the case in a systematic way. He deals first with the attitude of the church, then its own recognition of the condition, and finally the actual condition.

The Spiritual Attitude of the Church as to its Condition

"And knowest not that thou . . ."

The Church is Completely Ignorant of its own Condition

"And knowest not" (kai ouk oidaV)

This ignorance is self imposed. This is the result of a period of refusing to recognize the facts that were available. Thus the use of the perfect tense of this verb. It might have known by experience the symptoms. But refusing to heed them led to the state of complete igno­rance. This is the fulfillment of Matt. 13:12, "Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that he hath."

The Church is Spiritually Conceited as to its Condition

"That thou art" (oti su ei). Literally, "That thou thyself are."

The emphatic use of the pronoun "thou" (ou) is to point to this one as the conceited, boastful one who has just declared that he was rich, increased with goods, and has need of nothing. This makes it clear that ignorance has its roots in a deliberated conceitedness that has led the church to reject any information concerning its actual state.

The Great Physician begins with the spiritual attitude in his diagnosis, because unless he can bring the church to recognition of this, it is useless to go farther.

The Spiritual Recognition of the Church as to its Condition

"Wretched and miserable" (o talaipwroV kai eleeinoV).

Both Alford and French argue for the presence of the article with the first two adjectives, but its absence with the three remaining. The versions, however, follow the texts which omit the article with the second word and understand its firat appearance to apply to all. Even if this latter may be true, Spiritual wealth is everything. "But thou art rich" was true of the Smyrna church in spirit of material poverty. True riches are not material (Luke 16:11).
"If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?"

The Laodicean church had material wealth and equated that as representing spiritual wealth. But from the viewpoint of Christ, this church was as a cringing beggar.

The Spiritual Potentialities are Removed from Activity

"And blind" (kai tujloV)

The faculty of sight can well represent all of the spiritual faculties. These senses are not functioning to bring the church into contact with true spiritual reality. The church is living in a real world, but it is the world of materialism and it is not in contact with true spiritual reality.

As for the function of sight, it is seeing, but only that which is near at hand. It is near­sighted, and failing to the present in relation to the future. It was this of which Peter wrote (2 Pet. 1:9). This church was thus living for the present with no concern for the future.
"But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."

The Spiritual Appearance was Reduced to Ugliness

"And naked" (kai gumnoV)

This expression does not mean naked in sense of nude, but stripped of the outer garments which make for glory and beauty. Beauty is a matter which varies with the eyes that judge it. There is no doubt that they thought they were outwardly attractive. Yet they were wearing the garments which they had designed. In the eyes of Christ they were reduced to a bare covering which in no sense was an adornment. Since Christ is talking about the condition of the church, He is not talking about the judicial robe of righteous­ness. He is talking about their actual, personal condition.

The adornment for those who are Christians is a life of good works (Tit. 2:1, 10). Good works are the righteous acts of the saints and consti­tute the fine linen, clear and white in which the bride shall finally be arrayed (Rev. 19:8).
"But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:" "Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."
"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

Because they have donned the ugly rags of world life, conduct, and principle, thus to Christ they present a shameful sight. He thus counsels them to buy white raiment and clothe their nakedness.