Laodicea
Laodicea

·        14. And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and
true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:

The last period of the church age and the last letter to the church before the Rapture is to the church of
Laodicea.  This is the period we are living in.

Jesus is the Amen, the Truth, the one we can trust.  His deeds and words accurately testify to God.  Jesus
is the source of all things.  He is the creator.

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for
him:  
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

If you search the entire Bible, examine every leader of every religion, and scour every period of history,
you will find that Jesus is the only perfect man who ever lived.

·        15-16  I know thy works, that didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name.: I would thou wert
cold or hot.  So because thou art luke-warm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

The Laodicean church had become complacent ; they were comfortable, prospering, and self-satisfied.  
They were doing nothing to evangelize, grow, or glorify Jesus.  According to Jesus, in the passage, this is
the worst state of all for the church.

New Age influence

The New Age movement came into being in the United States during the 1960's, but is now a worldwide
phe-nomenon.  It originated as the umbrella for several groups: hippies, feminists, environmentalists, and
others.  New Agers are involved in many "consciousness raising" techniques such as channeling,
transcendental meditation, astrology, and developing psychic powers.  Basically, they see man as the sole
designer and maker of his future.  The movement dominates the United Nations and is greatly influencing
public education, many politicians, corporations, and the U.S. military.  Its greatest danger lies in its refec-
tion of Jesus as the Savior, its promotion of false religions and doctrines, its corruption of the church, and
its support of "peace at any price".  It is a major force behind the one-world religion movement that will help
trigger the judgment of God on the world.

A real problem is the enormous acceptance of New Age thinking.  It has pervaded the educational system,
the business world, and the political world.  Many business seminars are really New Age theology classes
in disguise.  Many public figures have embraced New Age ideas.  Hillary Clinton claims to consult with the
spirits of dead world leaders from the past.  But, she claims to be a 'committed Christian' and a 'prayerful
woman'.  Nancy Reagan used astrologers.  Shirley McClain is heavily involved in promoting reincarnation
and other 'New Age' philosophies.  School classes use 'channeling' and other New Age 'imagery' tools.  In
reality, they are flirting with demon spirits.

There are numerous New Age “gurus” out there:
Ron L. Hubbard, Deepak Chopra, Betty J. Eadie, Alan Watts, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, Dalai Lama, to name
a few.

The New Age Movement

At the heart of the “New Age” message is the sense that we are poised between two “ages.”  We are
headed into the Age of Aquarius, in which the sign of brotherhood, harmony, humanitarianism and a
higher consciousness is dominant.

But look what it has produced:

The 60’s saw an emergence of:

1.        Disrespect for authority and “the establishment”, and a crumbling of national pride.
2.        An interest in metaphysical ideas (abstract thinking).
3.        An acceptance of alternative lifestyles (homosexuality, free love or sex out of marriage).
4.        An acceptance or interest in socialistic government.
5.        An interest in spiritualism, the occult, and Eastern religions.
6.        A sudden increase in interest and reports of UFO and extraterrestrial sightings.

A recent poll revealed that 23 percent of Americans believe in reincarnation;  23 percent believe in
astrology; and 25 percent believe in a non-personal energy or life force.

The New Age Movement infiltrates religion, business, education and government.  It is made up of
thousands of organizations and movements; most of which have no conscious connection or even
knowledge of each other – yet there exists a network, subtly deteriorating the fiber of our society and faith.

The goal is a New World Order.  Most of the concepts look and sound good and moral.  They have similar
interests as Christians in many ways; many humanitarian projects are part of their agenda.

The danger is in the subtlety of their approach.  They often sound very Christian (99% truth). There is one
big problem: The New Age movement rejects the idea that God has revealed truth to us in his Book, the
Bible.  Their usage of common biblical terms are different from ours.  They have redefined many terms.  
·        “The Fall” refers to man forgetting  that he is, in fact, God.  
·        “Atonement” means that all mankind is already in union with God.  God is actually our “highest level
of consciousness”;  
·        thus, their emphasis on expanding ones consciousness through various psychic experiences.  
·        “Spirituality” refers to a return to the divine self.
·        Most people involved in New Age, or under its influence, are not aware of it.  They are innocently
drawn in.

How effective is this movement?

From a newsletter from Marlin Maddoux, Point of View, Feb. 1999:
UFO sightings are increasing, along with an explosion of “abductions” that have darkly occultic overtones.

New Age fascination with demonic “angels” is luring millions into the curse of spiritism.

282 Southern Baptists a week are reportedly converting to Mormonism, a polytheistic cult.

Evolution is being taught in classrooms, turning public schools into “Atheist Sunday School” taught 6 hours
a day, five days a week.

Members of Christian churches are bowing before idols taking secret blood oaths in Masonic and Shriner
Temples.

Jehovah’s Witnesses may become the top publisher in the history of the world.

Allah-worshipping fanatics are sweeping through the Third World – as Islamic missionaries fill America, too.

This is all part of the New Age agenda.

BASIC BELIEFS

1.        Two lies of Satan in the garden:
A.        “Ye shall be as Gods”-
New Age Movement is pantheism – God is in everything and everything is God.  We are all part of God,
and thus, each of us individually is God.  Through various “spiritual” avenues, one finds his inner divine
self.  People are also taught to seek “ascended masters”  for increase knowledge.  These range from self
appointed gurus to demonic entities.
B.        Reincarnation;  “Ye shall not die” –
This, among other teachings, comes directly from Eastern religions such as Buddhism.  Multiple chances
to reach heaven through a spiritual evolution.  But the Bible says we have “once to die, and then the
judgement.”  This lie causes people to wait and lose out.

IDEAS PROMOTED

1.        Personal enlightenment is what is needed; not salvation.
2.        Personal enlightenment comes through altered states of consciousness, psychic powers, and spirit
contact.  Thus, the emphasis in drug usage, spiritualism and the occult.
3.        Political activism to produce a “new world order” – to break down all political, religious, ethnic and
social barriers.
4.        All religions are good, and a blending of religious ideology is what is needed to bring peace.  
(design your own beliefs – take what you like, delete the rest.  The only exception in dogmatic Christian
beliefs.)
5.        There are no absolutes.  All is relative.
6.        There is no right and wrong, good and evil.
7.        God is a supreme Being or a Higher Consciousness that we can all eventually be equal with.  
(Ultimately the goal is to dethrone God, and ac-cording to one New Age Movement spokesman, to deify
Lucifer.)  God is like “The Force” with a dark side and a good side.
8.        Widespread acceptance of witchcraft, magic, etc.
9.        UFOs and contact with Extra-Terrestrials is the subject of numerous books.

DANGERS

New Age philosophy is everywhere.

1.        In government they are working toward world globalism – a “new world order” – which sounds good,
except the Bible predicted this in relation to the end of the world – the final effort of evil to rule, and God’s
intervention.  New Age actually parallels Nazism in their belief in a superior race, and the need to purge
society of those who do not cooper-ate with their goals; particularly Christians and Jesus.  Disarmament is
one of their goals, but they plan to keep the weapons to control dissident groups (Christians?).  These
facts are documented in their publications.
2.        In education, religion is taught abstractly, Christianity is played down or ignored, humanistic ideas
replace Christian dogma.  Absolutes are being replaced with opinions, values, and situational ethics.  
Everything is relative.  Self-concept is a supreme doctrine.  Thousands of self-help books fill our stores
teaching us to get along without God.  Subliminal tapes, yoga, pyramid power, crystals, etc.
3.        Our children are the primary target.  Cartoons are filled with magic, creatures who resemble
demons, interaction with demons, wizards, witches, dragons, etc.  Heroes receive godlike powers through
crystals, magic swords, witches spells, or revelations.  Movies depict contact with beings from outer space,
people with magical powers, “The Force”, and those who teach us to use “the force.”
4.        Adults are influenced by popular names, i.e. Shirley McClain and others, who have popularized the
idea of having spirit guides who lead them to wealth and fame.  Channeling, astral projection and such
ideas are taught for self-enlightenment.  These are simply new names for demon possession.  Our own
selfishness and greed draws us into these ideologies.  Satan will offer great rewards but will deliver
ultimate torment.

TWO GREAT DANGERS TO BE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT:

1.        Spiritually hungry people will be drawn into the lies of the New Age Movement and denied faith in
Christ.
2.        Christians may not be so much sucked into New Age teaching, but may allow subtle New Age
teachings and philosophies to pervade their thinking and become an inroad to subtle deception.  This
leaves them open with their guard down.


What To Watch Out For

Not everyone who thinks along New Age lines would consider himself a part of the New Age movement.

How can you tell look for any or all of the following ideas:

1.        We are one with Mother Earth.
2.        God is an impersonal energy or force.
3.        We are all “God”.
4.        Jesus, like many other great “Masters,” was and ordinary man who be-came a “master of wisdom.”
5.        To discover the “divine within” means a “consciousness revolution.”
6.        As “Gods” we can manipulate the supernatural. (i.e. Christian Science)

The danger I see is that the New Age ideology is infiltrating the church.  They look and act like Christians.  
Doctrines and practices slip in that appear Christian, but are, in essence, drawing people away from the
real Christ and into a false Christ - a more humanitarian Christ.  Many Christians are tending to combine
their faith with assorted New Age beliefs.  Doing that, you get a distorted mixture or belief.

A recent report from inside the Vatican claims that the Pope prophesied that Jesus would return as a
female political figure.

·        17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest
not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked:

This church prides itself in its bank accounts, buildings, and members of high standing.  If we have all
these things, why do we need anything else?  That is the thinking that pervades such conditions.  And it is
this thinking that will destroy the church.  

What we really need is prayer and humility.

The Laodiceans thought they were rich, but Jesus saw them as wretched.  We must keep our eyes on the
true riches of God.  

A Catholic official was showing a visitor around the Vatican.  As he showed him the great riches of the
church he commented, “We can no longer say, ‘silver and gold have I none’.  The visitor said, “And neither
can we say, in the name of Jesus rise up and walk’.”

Mt 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added
unto you.  

Mt 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

There is much teaching today that God will make you rich, and that if you are not, then you are just not
believing God.  This is false doctrine and typical of a Laodicean church.

1 Timothy   6
5  wranglings of men corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, supposing that godliness is a way of gain.
6. But godliness with contentment is great gain:

How you handle worldly goods is a pretty good spiritual indicator.
We had better remember, if God did not spare the Jews when they abandoned him, neither will he spare
the church.  I believe it was John Wesley who counseled, “Make all you can make; save all you can save;
and give all you can give.”

·        18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich;.

Gold is put into a red-hot furnace not to destroy it, but to purify it.  The ore is melted, the impurities are
drawn out, and the pure gold is left.  We also are put into God's fur-nace of testing not to destroy our faith,
but to refine it.  Tri-als humble us, sins are drawn out through repentance, and  what is left is an improved
Christian.


…buy from me…
If we really want to be rich (in God), we must buy from Jesus, with spiritual currency, a faith that grows
stronger with every test.  

“…and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made
manifest; …”

…cover your shameful nakedness…
When we stand before the judgment throne, the only thing that will hide our spiritual nakedness is the
righteousness of Jesus.

“…and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see…”

…eye-salve…
to cure their spiritual blindness.

·        19-22  As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

The Lord will not allow anyone He loves to escape discipline.

Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son,
despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father
chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.


“…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…”

By all rights, Jesus could have demanded that the church come to his door.  He could have required to
knock, beg, cry, and plead for salvation, but instead, it was he who came to their door knocking.  He  does
not force anyone to open the door, but hopes they will.

He will “sup with them”, perhaps referring to fellowship, or possibly pointing forward to the Marriage Supper
of the Lamb.

“…He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down
with my Father in his throne.  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.”

The overcomers will sit on the throne with Him and reign with him.
Next Chapter - Chapter 4