Jesus makes a statement about the hot and cold of Laodicea that apparently does not sit well with some. Dr. Chip Bennett is lead “pastor” for Grace Community Church in Sarasota, FL. In a recent video, he counsels his followers regarding a new revelation he has had regarding the hot and cold of Laodicea.
He positions his lesson on Revelation 3:15-161 by expressing his long-held struggle with the inference from the passage that Jesus was condemning their lack of spiritual fervency. He shares that it gave him guilt, and “wondering does God really loved me; am I really a Christian, and all of that.” However, “One day,” he states, “when I was reading in Revelation, and I was reading some other commentaries, and started to go to school, and the academic setting, I realized…”
Interestingly, this effort to explain scripture by Dr. Chip Bennett is based on unsubstantiated claims! This “story” about Laodicea is not supported by the historical record. Indeed, Wikipedia’s entry accounts for only one water source which came from the south (neither Colossae or Hierapolis).
How Scripture answers "What is the hot and cold of Laodicea (Revelation 3:15-16)?"
Explaining the hot and cold of Laodicea does not require some special revelation of modern theological thought or archaeological discovery (even if were true, Dr. Bennett). Jesus is, in fact, very concerned about their “salvational fervency,” unless we are to believe that Jesus “spitting them out” due to their lukewarm state and His call for them to repent1 would still allow for their salvation? Some Christians at Sardis were in the same predicament2 – instead of “lukewarm” they were “dead”.
Likewise, those who were at Pergamum were in jeopardy to losing their salvation due to them accepting false teaching3. Are we to believe any of these Christians were eligible for their final reward in their current state (lukewarm1, dead2, accepting false teaching3)? If so, why is Jesus telling them to repent123? Indeed, Jesus provides the grave warnings to Christians so that they might turn from their sin (e.g. “repent”) and “conquer” the “second death”4.
The approach by Dr. Bennett to Revelation 3 and the hot and cold of Laodicea raises some important observations and lessons:
- We don’t need extra-biblical information to understand God’s word — in fact, God Himself tells us that Scripture alone should interpret Scripture.
- We can’t rationalize away what Scripture is plainly telling us, regardless if it makes us “feel guilty”, or we believe it to be particularly challenging, or maybe it doesn’t align with a pre-conceived doctrine (which would require us to rethink our pre-conceived doctrine).
- Going to outside “experts” for insights into God’s word can lead us down a path of misrepresenting truth and leading others astray.
Answer built on scripture-blocks below
I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
I [Jesus] know your deeds. I would prefer that you were cold or hot, but they are neither. Since you are lukewarm, and neither hot or cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
A letter to the church at Laodicea, the seventh of seven letters written to the seven churches of Asia from Jesus. They viewed themselves as being “rich” but Jesus says they are, in fact, “poor” (vs 17) and tells them to repent (vs 19).
Applying Revelation 3:15-16 to this question...
Jesus points out to the Laodiceans, based on their works, that they are “lukewarm,” and He would prefer they were “cold or hot” – either state avoiding Him discarding them (e.g. spitting them out of His mouth).
The context makes it clear that they had become complacent in their spiritual lives. Actually, they were in the worst position since they believed themselves to be “rich” toward God (in good standing with God), when in fact they were poor. Jesus provides imagery indicating that He is the source for their remedy and calls for them to repent (vss 18-19).
And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Write to the angel at the church in Sardis these words of the One [Jesus] that has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars — I know your deeds and even though your reputation is that you are alive, you are in fact dead. Wake up and strengthen yourselves before it’s too late, for your works are not yet complete in the sight of God.
A letter to the church at Sardis, the fifth of seven letters written to the seven churches of Asia from Jesus. They had a reputation of being alive, but Jesus knew them to be dead based on their works (vs 1) and he calls them to “repent” and “wake up” (vs 3).
Applying Revelation 3:1-2 to this question...
Like the Laodiceans1, the Christians in Sardis were called out for their [lack of] works and being “dead” in Jesus’ eyes.
Jesus goes on to tell them to repent or He “will come against” them, and they were at risk of having their name blotted out of the book of life.
Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
Unless you repent, I [Jesus] will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
A letter to the church at Pergamum, the third of seven letters written to the seven churches of Asia from Jesus.
Applying Revelation 2:16 to this question...
The Christians at the church in Pergamum were likewise told to repent.
In their case, their repentance was necessary for following after false teaching/teachers — probably why Jesus highlights the “sword of my mouth” (His word) as the instrument of correction.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.
Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Anyone that conquers will not be hurt by the second death.
A letter to the church at Smyrna from “the first and the last, who died and came to life” (vs 8) warning them specifically of coming persecution and reminding them of their richness of blessings in Christ. The previous verse 10 (“Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life”) defines several things in this verse:
- Those that “conquer” are the ones being “faithful unto death” and receiving “the crown of life” from Jesus.
- The second death is what follows the first, physical death [for those that don’t “conquer”].
- The opposite of receiving the second death is a [second] spiritual life.
Each of the seven letters have a “To the one that conquers…” statement from Jesus, but each with a different ending…
- “…I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (2:7)
- “…will not be hurt by the second death.” (2:11)
- “…I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” (2:17)
- “…and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.” (2:26-28)
- “…will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” (3:5)
- “…I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.” (3:12)
- “…I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (3:21)
Gathering all of these statements together, we get a complete picture of what awaits “the one that conquers.”
Applying Revelation 2:11 to this question...
These Christians were at risk of not conquering and being “hurt by the second death”. They were at risk of losing their reward (e.g. salvation).
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