NOTE: All comments in brackets [ ] or in parentheses ( ) as well as highlighted text (bolded and/or in blue) are from the author of this study.
Bible quotations are in maroon.
The book of Revelation talks about a 7th Church of God era that is to come after God’s Philadelphia Era Church, His Laodicean Era Church. This Church has been the object of much criticism by the ministry of God’s Church according to whom being part of this Church was a sure pathway to loss of salvation. This Church was described as losing its salvation because of it being lukewarm and that to be saved it was necessary to be part of God’s Philadelphia Era Church. No true Christian would ever want to be part of the Laodicean Church and we all had to be on our guards to ensure we were not becoming Laodicean as this Church Era is not promised protection from the coming Great Tribulation. According to the sermons then made the Laodiceans were left by God in the Great Tribulation to jolt them out of their lukewarmness and give them one last chance at salvation but in the process they would lose their physical lives.
According to the ministry, this last Church of God Era would exist during the Great Tribulation and they would be part of the great martyrdom of God’s true saints that was to occur at the fifth seal of the book of Revelation. No one but no one wanted to have to go through the Great Tribulation and be martyred.
One of the many false churches of God that arose after the death of Mr. Armstrong and the subsequent destruction of the corporate body of God’s Church, preached in the strongest terms that the only way the Laodiceans could be saved was for them to become Philadelphians.
There was much confusion among the membership of the Worldwide Church of God before it became one of the false Christian churches of this world about the Laodicean Era Church, when it would appear, who were to be the Laodiceans, could they be saved and many were wondering if the Church was becoming Laodicean, etc.
Thankfully, Mr. Armstrong did clarify the matter but not in an easy to follow way as the information is a little bit here and a little bit there in his sermons and writings and some work is required in pulling together all the threads scattered here and there in his literature and sermons and making the big picture emerge and become clear.
There is a study which comprehensively pulls together all the information given us by Mr. Armstrong on God’s Laodicean Era Church which answers all of the previous questions and more. It is available by clicking on the following hyperlink Who are the Laodiceans and When Does the Laodicean Era Start?
However in the present study, I would like to focus on the conversion process for those individuals that will make up God’s Laodicean Era Church and what is their reward which to many remains a bit of a mystery which they would probably be happy to see explained.
The Laodiceans
One of the first things to keep firmly in mind is that the local churches that may exist during the coming Laodicean Era of God’s Church as well as isolated converted individuals and small family groups, in order to be part of God’s Church, will all have gone through the same process of conversion as those of the Philadelphia Era and as those of all the other eras of God’s church. There are several eras of God’s Church and in each era there are many congregations spread all over the world as well as individuals who have been called and repented and who have never known of the existence of any of these scattered groups. Remember that only 80 years ago 100 miles was a very great distance and there were none of our modern communication tools in existence in those days. That there were isolated individuals and congregations in those days should not be a big surprise. Even in the days of the Worldwide Church of God there were true Christians whom God had called who did not know of the existence of the corporate body of God’s Church.
The Laodiceans, as all other Church of God era saints, will all have God’s Spirit dwelling in them and will be full members in every respects of God’s Church. They are not any different when it comes to their status as converted individuals than those of any of the other eras of God’s Church.
God’s Laodicean era saints will be part of God’s temple as its living stones; they are all begotten sons of God and they are all inheritors of salvation upon remaining faithful to their calling until the end of their natural lives or the Second Coming of Christ.
False Teachings about the Laodicean Church
As previously stated, Mr. Armstrong did not make it easy for us today to understand the Laodicean Church. All the information is there but scattered and needs to be put together for the right understanding to be had of this remnant Church.
This left ample room for all sorts of false teachings to be made regarding the Laodiceans and here are some of the most notable ones which some of you may have heard before.
- In order for the Laodiceans to be saved they have to become Philadelphian
- The worst thing that can happen to a true Christian especially one living in the end-time is to become Laodicean
- The Laodiceans will die in the Great Tribulation
- God is putting the Laodiceans in the Great Tribulation to purify them and shock them out of their lukewarmness
- The Laodiceans lose their salvation.
The ministry also struggled to explain in a clear and easy to understand way what was the “lukewarmness” of the Laodiceans. Their explanations remained at the literal and physical level of the words used in the Bible. They likened the lukewarmness of the Laodiceans to lukewarm water which they said tasted awful. This of course really explained nothing about what it is to be lukewarm as a Christian but that was the level and type of explanation provided to the members which really shed no real light on what it meant to be lukewarm spiritually speaking.
All this only added to the mystery of who were the Laodiceans, when they would appear, what is their reward if any and whether ourselves we were becoming “lukewarm.”
Who are the Saints in the Great Tribulation?
Are we already into the Laodicean Era of God’s Church without our knowing it? Have the truly converted now alive become the Laodicean Church spoken of in the Book of Revelation. There are many who believe that with the death of Mr. Armstrong the Laodicean Era of God’s Church began. If that were the case, that the church has become Laodicean, who would be the Philadelphians that God will protect during the Great Tribulation?
Let’s see if the Scriptures can come to our aid in clarifying these vitally important matters.
In the book of Revelation we read the following.
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The fifth seal is the great martyrdom of true saints that occurs during the first part of the Great Tribulation.
Who are the true saints of God’s Church who find themselves in the Great Tribulation and that are being put to death because of their faith?
We know that God promised to keep His Philadelphian saints from the Great Tribulation; that they are to be taken on the wings of a great eagle to a place of safety.
Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
There is a place of safety for those who convert before the beginning of the Great Tribulation and who are being faithful when the tribulation starts. They will be in a place of safety for the 1260 day time of the Tribulation or 3 1/2 years (for a time, and times and half a time).
Who then are the true saints that will be martyred in great number during the Great Tribulation?
Would it be the Laodiceans as many believe?
Let’s continue our study.
The Start of the Laodicean Era of God’s Church
As we progress through the opening of the seals of the Book of Revelation we come to the sixth seal in which we read the following.
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
The sixth seal describes the heavenly signs that will be seen around the world and scare men out of their wits; they will be trying to hide themselves as fast as they can from the faces that they see in the sky asking for the mountains and the rocks to fall on them.
Then in Revelation chapter 7 following the miraculous signs in the heavens and before the beginning of the events of the 7th seal we have the sealing of the 144,000 and of the great multitude that no man could number.
Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
The 144,000 and the great multitude inherit salvation; they are pictured standing before the throne and the Lamb wearing the fine white linen, the white robes which is the righteousness of Christ imputed to them and which saves them. Their sins upon repentance have been forgiven. They have gone through a conversion process; their sins have been forgiven and Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to them and they are saved. If you are not familiar with how Christians are saved the following study provides a detailed explanation of the process; simply click on the following hyperlink: Salvation by Imputation
Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Rev 7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Right after the events of the 6th seal (the heavenly signs) we see an angel having the seal of the living God telling the four angels who are about to perform their assigned task of which we read about in Revelation 8 to hold off until the servants of our God have been sealed. The events of the Day of the Lord are about to begin, the time of God’s intervention in the affairs of men which is the second part of the Great Tribulation, but before they are allowed to start, the 144,000 (12,000 from each of the tribes of the children of Israel) and the great, innumerable multitude are sealed with the seal of the living God in their forehead. They, the 144,000 and the great, innumerable multitude, are called the “servants of our God.” They have committed themselves to serving God and God’s promise is sure; upon repentance God’s Spirit is given.
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
God’s promise of receiving the Holy Spirit is “to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” The 144,000 and the great multitude are already the servants of God before their sealing which means that they already have God’s Holy Spirit. Their conversion occurred after the events of the 5th seal because had it been during the 5th seal they would have died in the great martyrdom of saints.
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Here we have both the question which many have asked AND the answer to that question. John in a vision is being given a message which he wrote down in a book and which we have today as the Book of the Apocalypse or of Revelation. It is revelation from Christ which He, Christ, sent by his angel unto his servant John.
Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
The 5th seal is a great martyrdom of God’s true saints (5th seal). Following that event, the supernatural signs in the heavens (6th seal) occur. They are seen around the world and so terrify men that they ask for the mountains and the rocks to fall on them to hide them from the faces that they see in the sky when all of a sudden it is rolled up as a scroll. Then occurs a great conversion of people from “…. all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues…..” mentioned in Rev 7:9 as well as of the 144,000. These 2 groups “have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev7:14). They underwent a conversion process: they repented, their sins were forgiven and they become God’s Laodicean Era Church which will last but a very short time as at the blowing of the 7th trump of the 7th seal of Revelation, Christ’s Second Coming occurs and all of God’s saints, including His faithful Laodicean Era saints become glorified spirit beings and part of the Bride of Christ.
The Great Tribulation is composed of two main parts; first the wrath of Satan, the martyrdom of God’s true saints, then the second part which is the events of the Day of the Lord. Satan’s wrath and the events of the Day of the Lord constitute a single and continuous time of Great Tribulation or of great trouble coming upon the inhabitants of the earth.
Those sealed before the beginning of the Day of the Lord came out of great tribulation (Rev 7:14) i.e., a time of great trouble where there was much upheaval, misery and death NOT “the” Great Tribulation which encompasses the wrath of Satan and the Day of the Lord. They were in that first part of the Great Tribulation which is the wrath of Satan when the great martyrdom of true saints occurred; they lived through the great martyrdom of saints but without themselves then yet being converted; this is why they did not die in that moment of great tribulation. They came out of, or lived through great tribulation i.e., Satan’s wrath and they experienced the heavenly signs which caused great fear in men. Their conversion occurs after the events of the 5th seal and during the sixth seal. This is the time when God’s Laodicean Era begins.
Please note that their conversion, the time of the sealing of the Laodicean saints, is AFTER the events of the fifth seal and during the sixth seal and just before the beginning of the events of the 7th seal. Their sealing is AFTER their conversion, they are already the servants of God at the time of their sealing.
God’s Laodicean Church arrives during the events of the 6th seal AFTER Satan’s wrath (the 5th seal) and just before the beginning of the Day of the Lord which begins with the 7th seal. The Laodiceans were not in a place of safety; when the 5th seal events occur, they were not yet converted. The Day of the Lord, the time of great destruction, suffering and death follows their conversion which occurred during the 6th seal.
Why are they being sealed?
Eze 9:2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
Eze 9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;
Eze 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
Eze 9:5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
Eze 9:6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
Please note that the angel sealing the 144,000 and the innumerable multitude seals them in their forehead with the seal of God as were the men in Ezekiel 9 and which is the mark indicating they are under God’s protection. They are to be protected from the events of the Day of the Lord that are following immediately after their sealing. They are not in a place of safety and this is how God protects them.
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these [the 144,000 and the great multitude who are the servants of God] which are arrayed in white robes? [They are all wearing white robes which represents the righteousness of the saints (Rev 19:8)] and whence came they?
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [They accepted their calling from God the Father and their sins were forgiven.]
Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. [They are saved and will become part of God’s Kingdom at the time of Christ’s 2nd Coming during the events of the 7th seal.]
The Laodiceans are in the second part of the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord which is God’s wrath upon mankind but they are protected from it by God Himself because they are His servants; they do not die in it. However, there is 50% of the Laodicean church which loses its salvation as made evident by the parable of the 10 virgin that went out to meet the bridegroom and where 5 of them did not have enough oil and lost out on salvation.
Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
A number of interesting questions then arise.
- Who are the true saints being martyred during the time of Satan’s wrath; it’s not the Laodiceans whose conversion has not yet then occurred and are therefore not saints at that time.
- And, how were the Laodiceans converted? Did it happen all of a sudden following a dramatic event?
- Did God change His administration of the conversion process where first there is a need for knowledge to be given, for understanding to occur and for a choice to be made by the person whom God is calling?
Conversion means to change from what we are to become something else but in order to be able to do so you must first know what changes you have to make to become what God wants you to be. Supernatural events are not knowledge nor do they give understanding. Knowledge and understanding of God’s spiritual truth is only made possible by God’s Spirit. A period of learning of some of the truth of God is required before conversion can occur. God first gives us enough knowledge for us to be able to make a decision; He brings us to the crossroads where we have to choose to either remain in the world or commit ourselves to a life of obedience to Him. Time is required for that process to work itself out. Conversion is not a spontaneous event which results from witnessing a dramatic or emotionally stirring event.
So how and when did the Laodiceans become converted?
Conversion of the Laodiceans
All throughout the Bible the conversion process is explained and you, who is a long term member of God’s Church should be very familiar with the process, so I will only do a high-level summary here as a refresher.
God the Father calls people to become a part of His Church by placing His spirit with the person being called. God’s Spirit is then with the person and not IN the person. It will lead the person being called to acquire knowledge and get understanding of God’s spiritual truth which that person before always immediately rejected but now this time its different. The individual becomes curious and begins looking at more and more information and in time, acquires sufficient information to realize that God exists, that He is calling Him and that He has to decide whether to follow God’s calling or ignore it and go back into the world.
At the time of the destruction of the corporate body of God’s Church following the death of Mr. Armstrong there were many books and booklets authored by him as well as copies made of many of his sermons which survived the destruction of the corporate body of the Church. With the advent of the internet, this information can now be found on several web sites and is freely available to all who may develop an interest in it. These would be people from all over the world that God is calling. All the information required for conversion is now freely available around the world.
During and since the passing of Mr. Armstrong and the end of the corporate body of the Church, there were a lot of people who were reading this literature and listening to sermon tapes and though interested, were never able to bring themselves to take the next step and this was to start applying the truth in their lives contained in this literature and voice recordings. They remained undecided though still interested. They had acquired different levels of knowledge and understanding though never converted.
When they see the events of the wrath of Satan it will become very evident to many of them that what they had been reading and the sermon tapes they had been listening to were indeed speaking of real events and that they are now witnessing them. The Heavenly Signs is the ultimate event that will lead many to convert. Their knowledge and understanding acquired before the actual events occurring will enable them to understand what is going on in the world when end-time events begin. They will understand that these events precede and lead up to Christ’s 2nd Coming; they will commit themselves to obeying God and they will become the servants of God who are sealed to protect them from the coming events of the Day of the Lord which are immediately in their future.
The Laodiceans come out of tribulation, the first part of the Great Tribulation which is Satan’s wrath. Their conversion occurs after the end of Satan’s wrath and before the beginning of the Day of the Lord which is also a time of tribulation and is the second part of the GREAT tribulation. Over the years they had read themselves into the truth and listened to the recorded sermons and when the heavenly signs occur, they finally understand that what they have is God’s truth and they commit themselves to obeying God. God’s Spirit enters them, they become begotten sons of God and God, just before the beginning of the Day of the Lord, seals them to protect them. Their conversion was not during the time of Satan’s wrath (the first part of the GREAT tribulation) when God’s saints were martyred. If it had been, they would have been part of the great martyrdom of saints and there would be no Laodicean Era Church.
Who are the Saints Martyred During the Fifth Seal
It was commonly preached by the ministry of the Worldwide Church of God when it existed that the saints martyred during the Great Tribulation were those Philadelphians who were not found worthy to escape and the Laodiceans.
The Philadelphia Era of God’s Church will end with the beginning of the Laodicean Era of God’s Church. The Laodicean Era of God’s Church will start with the conversion of those who are to form the church of that era. Their conversion occurs after the fifth seal and not before. Therefore the saints that are martyred during the wrath of Satan portion of the Great Tribulation will be mostly individuals whose conversion occurred during the time period of the 5th seal and will include previously converted individuals with spiritual attitudes that belong to other eras of God’s Church (Ephesus, Thyatara, Sardis, etc.) and who will not be in the Place of Safety.
Those converting during the time of Satan’s wrath will be some of the people who had been reading and studying the literature produced by the Worldwide Church of God and who may have been listening to some of the sermon tapes and who had never made the decision to commit themselves to obeying God. When the events they had read about start happening, they will realize that what they had been reading but, which they did not then believe was true, and they will then make their commitment.
This occurs while God’s Philadelphia Era is still in existence; the Laodicean Era has yet to start; it will start during the 6th seal. This means that those that convert during the 5th seal will be Philadelphia Era Christians as these individuals convert after the start of the Great Tribulation and during the wrath of Satan portion of the Great Tribulation. Their conversion is during the events of the 5th seal while it is still the Philadelphian Era. Had they believed without seeing the actual events and being converted they would have been taken to the promised place of safety but their conversion occurs during the time of the wrath of Satan. They will have to go through that period of tribulation as true Christians and suffer martyrdom. They are God’s Philadelphian saints suffering death during the time period of the 5th seal; the conversion of the Laodiceans and the beginning of that Church Era only occurs AFTER the events of the 5th seal and during those of the 6th seal.
Therefore, to be clear, the great martyrdom of saints will be of individuals who convert during the first part of the Great Tribulation which makes them Philadelphia Era saints. There will also be other true saints of God whose conversion occurred before the start of the Great Tribulation but whose spiritual attitude is not Philadelphian; since they are not Philadelphian in their spiritual attitude, they will also be in the events of the 5th seal or Great Martyrdom of Saints. Being a Philadelphian is about the spiritual attitude of the individual, not the era of God’s Church in which one is born.
All this is a bit complicated and you may need to read over the explanations given to make sure you get the correct understanding of who are the Laodiceans, when the Laodicean Era begins and who are God’s saints martyred during the 5th seal.
As you are probably starting to realize, things are not as you have heard them explained over the years by the ministry. Hopefully, you are keeping an open mind and are objectively examining what this study is saying and not rejecting the clear message of the Scriptures because it goes against your long held beliefs.
What is the Reward of the Laodiceans?
One of the most destructive false church of God to have arisen after the death of Mr. Armstrong loudly proclaimed that for the Laodiceans to be saved they have to become Philadelphian. Nowhere but NOWHERE is there any biblical proof of any such thing. It is fully from the imagination of this great deceiver who is using religion as a means to make a living for himself, his family, his relatives and his key enablers.
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, [Acts 20:30; 3 John 1:8-9]; who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. [From God, at the time of the judgment]
2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
This has been occurring since early on after the foundation of God’s Church and many of us have personally witnessed how false teachers have arisen from the ranks of God’s true Church and have founded so-called churches of God teaching doctrines that were never part of the true Church’s teachings and enriching themselves, their family and their loyal supporters from the tithes and offerings of the people building for themselves and their friends a gated community where they live in luxurious houses and enjoy the best food while the people go without in order to support the Work. And as 2 Pe 2:22 very clearly states, it is the many in God’s Church that will follow their pernicious ways. This also makes it equally clear that it is the “few” that will resist these false teachers. What we do is up to each of us individually.
From Revelation 3:14-22 we have a description of God’s Laodicean Era Church and we read in verse 21 that the Laodiceans that overcome the lukewarmness that is the main problem of this era Christians will be granted to sit with Christ on His throne as Christ is presently sitting with His Father on His throne.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
This is no small reward. The Laodiceans that overcome will sit with Christ on His throne; they will rule with Christ on His very throne; they will share in and exercise the very authority of Christ.
Please note that God does not say that the Laodicean that becomes Philadelphian will rule with Me on My Throne. NO, the Laodicean that overcomes the lukewarmness affecting the era, will rule with Christ.
We have to always be on our guards and wary of the biblically-unsubstantiated pronouncements of people who have appointed themselves as great men of God.
If you will go through Revelation 2 and 3, you will see that each of God’s era saints have their own weaknesses to overcome and their own rewards. Sardis Era saints do not get the reward of the Ephesean Era saints any more than the Laodicean Era saints get the reward of the Philadelphia Era saints. These rewards are from God and He has determined who is to get them.
One last point on which I would like to spend some time is the lukewarmness of the Laodiceans.
Being Lukewarm Spiritually
Let’s see if we can, using all the knowledge we have acquired as long term members of God’s Church, if it is not possible for us to determine with a reasonable level of certainty what is means, spiritually speaking, for a Christian to be lukewarm.
Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Here Christ says to the Laodiceans that He knows their works i.e., He knows how well they have been or have not been applying in their personal lives the truth they have received. And His conclusion is that they are neither zealous (hot) in their obedience to God nor are they totally indifferent (cold). They are lackadaisical, half-hearted, indolent, and listless in their obedience. They do the minimum they think required to remain part of God’s Church while maintaining their interests in the things of this world. They want the one without giving up the other; they have a foot in the Church and a foot in the world. Spiritually speaking they are not fully in the Church nor fully in the world and Christ says that He wishes that they would make up their minds and fully commit to one or the other.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
They are in the body of Christ which is the Church and Christ says He will expel them from His body; they will no longer be part of God’s Church, they will lose their salvation if they stay the way they are.
Why does Christ say they are lukewarm? In what significant way are they disobeying God?
Rev 3:17 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:
In Rev 3:17, Christ defines for us what He means when He says they are lukewarm. They say that they have it all and need nothing more. And what is it that they say they do not need more of? They are of the opinion that they have all the truth that can be had from the Bible. God’s Elijah came and restored “all things” they say. They know it and therefore there is nothing left for them to learn. All they have to do is celebrate the Holy days, attend weekly services, stop off on the way home for a good meal with friends and that’s it they have fulfilled what is required of them.
But God says that by limiting themselves to simply doing that they do not realize just how far they are from meeting His expectations. Salvation is not a spectator sport, nor is it a one-time acquisition of knowledge or something which after a certain amount of time no longer requires any time and effort.
What was restored to God’s Church by God’s end-time Elijah was the foundational truth of the Church (1 Cor’n 3:9-15) lost throughout the centuries of persecution but these are not the only truth that can be known. Christians have to be growing in knowledge and understanding all through their lives.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
This is a command from God to His sons. A Christian’s life has to be one continuous process of growth in knowledge and understanding; spiritual embryos that have ceased to grow are dead. The food that sustains them and provides growth is spiritual food i.e., growth in knowledge and understanding of God’s truth.
Pro 2.:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; [If your desire is to gain more wisdom and gain greater understanding of God’s truth?]
Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; [If God’s truth or wisdom for you is of very great importance like silver and you search for it as someone who is looking for hidden treasures]
Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD [What it means to be obedient to God in the way God wants you to be], and find the knowledge of God.[And God will give you knowledge as you study your Bible which contain yet to be uncovered hidden treasures of truth and understanding which are not part of the foundational truth restored to God’s Church but which adds to them and build on the foundation.]
The Laodiceans are told what they have to do to fill the deficiency God is pointing out to them. They have to get busy, crack open their Bible, turn off the television for a while, get off the social media and dedicate time to good, solid, in-depth Bible study which will allow God to speak to them.
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, [the pure truth of God] that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, [the fine white linen which is Christ’s righteousness imputed to the faithful believers which God gives to those that are obeying Him] that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear [because you are wearing the white raiment or clothing of the saints; the fine white linen, the white robes which you have because of your obedience to God]; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
God’s advice to the Laodiceans is to get back to poring over the Scriptures like you once did when first called and with as much interest and fervor. Go at it like someone looking for hidden treasure. Do what God through Paul tells all Christians to do all throughout their life:
1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
The truth which Paul taught to the congregations of his days is truth which he received from Christ and it is the same truth Christ gave the apostles. It is truth which Paul calls the foundation on which every man is to build. “Every man” here is talking about all converted Christians in the congregations raised by Paul and by extension all true Christians throughout the ages. It is something that all have to do. What does it mean to build on the foundation?
True Christians have had the foundational truth given the apostles and Paul restored to the Philadelphia Era Church by God’s promised end-time Elijah who was to restore all things i.e., all the truth originally given the Church by Christ and which was lost because of the persecutions that came upon the Church.
The Laodicean converts will be the recipients of this truth which they will have mastered to a smaller or greater extent and will think of themselves as knowing all that needs to be known. They think of themselves as being rich and increased with goods (they have the restored truth) and need nothing more. They say “We don’t have to keep studying the Bible, God’s end-time Elijah restored it all and anyway, God does not want us to know everything.” But they do need more; they have to build on the foundation of truth given them through continuing study of the Bible. They have the foundation and a foundation is something to build on, it is not the whole edifice of truth.
Pro 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. [God’s wisdom is something that one has to find; that one has to get; it involves time and effort spent in studying the Scriptures; it does not just enter our minds in our sleep or while we are watching television]
Pro 3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. [Men search diligently for hidden treasure and for silver but to find wisdom and to get understanding is incomparably more valuable than fine gold.]
Pro 3:15 She [Wisdom which is knowledge and understanding of the truth of God] is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
Pro 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Pro 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Pro 3:18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. [Wisdom and understanding gained by continuous study of the Scriptures is a tree of life, it keeps our spiritual embryos alive as it feeds and grows on the spiritual food obtained from continuing study of the Scriptures.]
There is a major study fully covering this very topic that awaits you at the following hyperlink: Are You Spiritually Mature? If you have not already done so, it would be very much worth your while to read through it. It is beyond the scope of this study for me to repeat it all here.
God sees a major weakness affecting Laodicean Era saints and is rebuking and chastening them because He loves them.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. [Change your ways and go back (repent) to studying the Scriptures with interest and joy as you did when you fist started discovering and loving the truth; as in the days when you could not get enough of it and spent many hours in studying the Scriptures to see what else you might learn.]
Rev 3:20 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. [Christ says He is right there knocking at the door of the individual Christian wanting to be given the opportunity to give them more truth; they will eat together and more truth will be given them. But, they have to make the effort of opening the door to Christ by getting back to studying their Bibles which is when Christ will be supping with them.]
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. [The Laodiceans have to overcome their lack of interest in continuing with their Bible studies thinking they have all the knowledge they need and that nothing more needs to be added to it; Christ say they are wrong. They need a continuous supply of spiritual food to keep their spiritual embryos alive and growing so as to be able to be born again at Christ’s 2nd Coming.]
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
In Conclusion
God’s Laodicean Era Church and saints will go through the same type of conversion process as occurred for all of God’s saints throughout all of God’s Church Eras. They will be given knowledge and God will place His Spirit with them to give them understanding and they will be taken to the crossroads as we all have been where they will have to decide whether to commit themselves to obeying God or to go back into the world.
The knowledge to which the Laodicean converts will have access to is the truth restored by God’s Elijah to God’s Philadelphia Era Church which is now widely available on the internet.
Their conversion occurs AFTER the events of the 5th seal, the Great Martyrdom of saints and before the beginning of the events of the 7th seal, the Day of the Lord. They were not converted during the time period of the 5th seal. God seals them before the 7th seal begins to protect them from the death and destruction that will then start. At the time of their sealing they are already converted and have dwelling in them God’s Holy Spirit and God calls them His servants.
Half of the Laodicean Era converts lose their salvation because they run out of oil or of God’s Holy Spirit from lack of continuing attentive and detailed Bible study (Matt 25). They did not think it necessary to keep on attentively and carefully studying their Bible to find truth God left for them to discover after having given them the foundational truth of God’s Church.
The Laodiceans see themselves as having all they need to know in the truth restored to God’s Church by God’s Elijah but God says compared to what you could know and which is there for you to discover if you will spend quality time studying your Bible, you are poor, wretched and miserable and don’t even know it and this is why I am now telling you that you are that way; I love you and do not want you to lose your salvation from lack of spiritual food which is needed to keep your spiritual embryo alive and growing.
Thankfully, half the Laodicean era Church responds to God’s warning and they repent. They are saved and will sit with Christ on His throne as Christ sits on His Father’s throne. The number that repent is 144,000 and a great multitude from all nations, kindreds, people and tongues that is so vast that it cannot be counted. All these converts represent only 50% of those who will constitute God’s Laodicean Era Church. There occurs a very large conversion of individuals after the events of the 5th seal. A great multitude loses its salvation (50%) and another great multitude, the other 50%, is saved.
There will be a massive worldwide conversion of people that will be so vast as to be uncountable. The great multitude that loses its conversion will go through the great time of destruction, suffering and death which is coming during the Day of the Lord, without God’s protection. A great many of them will lose their lives if not all of them. The Day of the Lord will be even more destructive than the wrath of Satan. The wrath of Satan was directed at God’s Church; the wrath of God will fall on unconverted mankind. All you need to do to understand this is read through the 7 trumpet plagues and the 7 vial plagues. The destruction will be on a planetary scale and impact all nations.
God’s Laodicean Era Church will be short-lived. Their conversion occurs after the 5th seal of Revelation and they become glorified spirit beings at the sounding of the 7th trumpet of the 7th seal. They are like the workers that were called at the 11th hour to work in the vineyard (Matt 20). They did not have to labor for as long a time and under the hot sun as those who were hired earlier in the day but they received the same reward at the end of the day.
The Laodicean Church will be the biggest Church to have ever existed to that time and the one where the greatest number of individuals responded to God’s warning to repent and its reward will be to sit with Christ on His throne.
God's Spiritual Nation 