Reaping the Whirlwind

Here is an excerpt from the book "Reaping the Whirlwind" by Joe Crews. Used by Permission. To order the book, click here.

LAODICEA - AN UNHOLY MIXTURE

Even though the book of Revelation identifies our church as the "remnant," it also applies another name to it in the context of the seven prophetic churches. The last one before Christ returns is given the significant title of "Laodicea." We have never denied our historical relationship to this final manifestation of God's called out people. At the same time, we have not been very eager to accept the characterization so vividly depicted by the apostle John. He described this church as a strange mixture of flesh and spirit. Apparently blinded by its compromising posture, it seems unable to recognize the true nature of its nauseous, lukewarm state.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 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: 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. Revelation 3:15-18.

How fortunate we are to have this divine preview of the special snare Satan will use against us in these last days. We have not only been forewarned; we have also been assured of God's willingness to provide the divine remedy for this potentially fatal condition. He offers eyesalve to overcome the blindness, white raiment to overcome the nakedness, and gold to overcome the poverty. In other words, no one really needs to remain lukewarm and Laodicean. Says the True Witness:

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 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. Revelation 3:19, 20.

The most exciting thing I see in these verses is that God loves Laodicea, even though she is self-deceived and divided in her loyalty. He pleads with her to turn back and accept His solution for all her ills. In plain, simple language He says, "Repent, and open the door for me to come into your heart." Here we find the buying power to obtain all the prescriptions for a total recovery. The person of Jesus, received into the heart, will bring righteousness, faith, and the Holy Spirit. Those who were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked now enter into an overcoming experience that leads them at last to sit side by side with the Father on His throne. What a prospect!

Please take note that the Laodicean message is a call to "repent" and "open the door" to Jesus. But what are we to repent of? Obviously those who are deep into this paralyzing predicament do not even recognize that they are sinning. They claim to be rich and in need of nothing! Lukewarm water causes one to relax and become lethargic. Laodiceans are oblivious to their desperate and lost condition. " And knowest not that thou art wretched . . . and blind, and naked. " Revelation 3:17.

That's the real problem with Laodicea. She really can't see. The most tragic thing about the worldly state of the church is that she doesn't recognize her own miserable plight. She is comfortable with the way things are going. Platitudes and generalizations roll over the ears of Laodiceans without making the tiniest impression. Books and articles have also been written about the need to repent of this loathsome attitude which God detests. Yet, we see the situation almost growing worse. Why? Why hasn't the message been heeded?

I've analyzed many of the appeals in our publications, and they are wonderfully presented. But as I studied deeper, I discovered that almost none of them spelled out what to repent of. Suddenly it became clear to me why there was little response. Those eloquent appeals to turn from sin bring no response because Laodiceans cannot see. They are incapable of discerning sin. Vague terms like "sin" do not really register with them. They need to have sin defined, described, and delineated. We have assumed too often that the Holy Spirit will take over and teach the details if we just provide the general appeals.

I searched deeper into the Spirit of Prophecy and discovered that Sister White brought some of the strongest rebukes against those who would not boldly give the straight testimony and call sin by its right name. It was then that I began to realize that in these final probationary moments, God is depending on watchmen to blow a trumpet of warning in such clear notes that not even a blind, sleepy Laodicean can fail to get the message. When people are half asleep, it often requires much more stimulation to shake them back to full reality.

Just how serious is the Laodicean condition? And how important is the work of arousing the sleeping saints?

Sister White wrote:

"The testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance, and all that truly receive it will obey it and be purified." Testimonies, Vol. 1, p. 181.

Surely we need no stronger words than these to impress us with the necessity of properly understanding the message. The urgency of the repeated call to "cry aloud and spare not" and "call sin by its right name" indicates that a very pointed testimony is to be born to the church.

TIME FOR THE STRAIGHT TESTIMONY

Surely the time has come for every Seventh-day Adventist to learn about the sins of Laodicea -its worldliness, pride, etc.-and to join those who will cry out against this nauseating mixture of flesh and spirit. Ministers and members must be willing to risk criticism in order to preach the Laodicean message. There are a thousand more pleasant subjects, but the hour is too late to substitute smooth things. Neither do the sleeping saints need any more soothing messages. This is the hour for an awakening.

If you think John the Baptist was too strong and direct in his preaching, you may rise up against the kind of messages God is leading men to proclaim today. Was John too blunt when he called the king into question for being unlawfully married? If so, we must be more blunt. Consider this statement:

In this fearful time, just before Christ is to come the second time, God's faithful preachers will have to bear a still more pointed testimony than was borne by John the Baptist. A responsible, important work is before them; and those who speak smooth things, God will not acknowledge as his shepherds. A fearful woe is upon them.- Testimonies, Vol. 1, p. 321.

Will the religious leaders of today feel any better about being corrected than those in John's day? Surely we can expect the same outrage to be expressed by those who are settled in the comfortable, self-righteous mold of Laodicea. How dare anyone charge the true church with wrong-doing or apostasy!

"Anciently, when Elijah was sent with a message from God to the people, they did not heed the warning. They thought him unnecessarily severe. They even thought that he must have lost his senses because he denounced them, the favored people of God, as sinners and their crimes as so aggravated that the judgments of God would awaken against them. Satan and his host have ever been arrayed against those who bear the message of warning and who reprove sins. The unconsecrated will also be united with the adversary of souls to make the work of God's faithful servants as hard as possible." Testimonies, Vol 3, p. 261.

In these days of separation and testing, the spirit of fear must not mold the ministry of responsible pastors and leaders. It is no kindness to comfort those who are asleep in Zion. We may be inclined, like Eli, to be very gentle and loving, but don't ever forget how that lack of firmness led to Eli's rejection. Much good can be said about the man, but he was too fearful of taking a strong, uncompromising, public stand against sin.

"Eli was gentle, loving, and kind, and had a true interest in the service of God and the prosperity of His cause. He was a man who had power in prayer. He never rose up in rebellion against the words of God. But he was wanting; he did not have firmness of character to reprove sin and execute justice against the sinner so that God could depend upon him to keep Israel pure. He did not add to his faith the courage and power to say No at the right time and in the right place. Sin is sin; righteousness is righteousness. The trumpet note of warning must be sounded. We are living in a fearfully wicked age. The worship of God will become corrupted unless there are wide-awake men at every post of duty." Testimonies, Vol. 4, p. 517.

Will God hold many sweet, gentle pastors responsible for sins they find no heart to expose and rebuke?

"If wrongs are apparent among His people, and if the servants of God pass on indifferent to them, they virtually sustain and justify the sinner, and are alike guilty and will just as surely receive the displeasure of God; for they will be made responsible for the sins of the guilty." Testimonies, Vol. 3, pp. 265, 266.

"If the leaders of the church neglect to diligently search out the sins which bring the displeasure of God upon the body, they become responsible for these sins." Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 269.

"Those who have too little courage to reprove wrong, or who through indolence or lack of interest make no earnest effort to purify the family or the church of God, are held accountable for the evil that may result from their neglect of duty. We are just as responsible for evils that we might have checked in others by exercise of parental or pastoral authority as if the acts had been our own." {CG 235.4}

In anticipation of his last-ditch effort to make God's special remnant lose confidence in the law, would it not be logical for Satan to infiltrate the church with uncommitted pastors as well as unconverted members? When viewed in the context of the age-long warfare, it is easy to see how he would attempt such a long-range tactical ploy.

(Taken from Chapters 1 and 10 of the book "Reaping the Whirlwind" by Joe Crews. Used by Permission)

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