The Final Church

I want to talk a little on the last church age of that final generation. It is known as the Laodicean church age. The church at Laodicea is the church of pointless lukewarmness. It describes the moral condition of the church at the close of the church age. There is nothing to commend in this church, although it thinks it is perfect. The fault with this church (age) is that it is neither cold nor hot; there is neither zeal for God nor absolute denial of the Lord. Lukewarmness is hot and cold together. In the Laodicean church age there are great humanitarian and cultural projects without the saving grace of the gospel. Here is their attitude toward Christ; they are totally indifferent. It is worse to be lukewarm than to be one who abandons all profession. An active, positive opposition could be faced with better results.

I used to believe that the believers of this generation make up the church of the Laodiceans. I now believe I was only half right. It is my belief that the true Christian's of our generation make up the Philadelphian church age. When the true believers (Philadelphian church age) are raptured, the Lacodicean church will remain on earth, spewed out by God to endure the Tribulation Period. This church claims it has need of nothing; it is self-satisfied and self-complacent. Boasting of wealth and methods of organization, it fails to realize the absence of spiritual life in its midst. It is organizational religion in its purest form. Christ informs them that they are utterly insensitive to their condition.

For their threefold need (poverty, nakedness, and blindness), they are advised to buy, without money and price to be sure, gold, which speaks of divine righteousness, white raiment, which denote practical righteousness, and eye salve, which points to spiritual discernment. Their trouble was that they had never really seen themselves as sinners in need of a Savior.

This is the reason why I believe we as believer's are living in the Philadelphian church age rather than the Laodicean church age. Here is the description of the Philadelphian church.

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 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. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:7-11)

Some very interesting characteristics of this church age are found in verse 8 which states, "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." The open door God speaks of is the worldwide missions and witness that has taken place in these last days. At this time we are freely preaching the Gospel throughout most of the world. Infact, up until these last few years Russia had been off limits to the Gospel. But when the Berlin Wall fell so did the restrictions on the Gospel. God has virtually opened up every door to presenting Jesus as Lord. Yes, there are still a few countries that forbid the spreading of the Word, but soon, they to will be opened. This church age is also commended for their faithfulness and the keeping of God's Word.

I also find verse 10 a very interesting passage because it lends light on a very controversial issue, "Will the church go through the tribulation period?" This verse, I believe, puts that question to rest. "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." Yes, the Laodicean church will go through the tribulation period, but the Philadelphian church will be raptured. Although the Philadelphian church age has been around for many years, the tale end of this age has overlapped with the Laodicean church age. When the rapture occurs the Philadelphian church, which all true believers of this generation are apart of, will be caught up, and the Laodicean church will be left behind.

Why do I say this? Because in verse 10 God says that because of the faithfulness of this church, He would keep them from the hour of temptation (tribulation period) which shall come upon the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. When Jesus comes He will rapture the Philadelphian church and will spew out the Laodicean church leaving them to go through the tribulation period. At this time there are two church ages co-existing on the earth. The faithful and true church (Philadelphian church), and a church that has left God out (Laodicean church). They're religious in nature but do not possess Jesus as Lord. I'm sure there are those who are reading this who are thinking, "You're making this way to complicated. The Philadelphian church has past and the present church age is the Laodicean church. Because our present church age is so liberal and chose ease rather than to suffer for Christ they will have to go through the tribulation period. It's that simple!" If that's true, why did God make a point of stating to the Philadelphian church that they would not have to go through the tribulation period, but made no such promise to the previous five churches. Why did God pointedly state that the Laocidean church would have to go through the tribulation period? Again, He made no such mandate to the first five churches! It's also strange that although none of the first six churches will go through the tribulation period, only one was specifically promised they wouldn't. From these passages, it is clear to me that we as true born again believer's of this generation will be raptured, while those of the false church will be left behind to go through the tribulation period.

This is an uncanny description of the Laodicean church. Many church members today think they are saved because they are good people. They go to church occasionally falsely believing this is the key to heaven. Today, you have to convince people they are lost before you can attempt to share the gospel with them. It always bothers me when I hear people talking about their salvation experience and bring up the fact that they used to go to church all the time, but they're presently a little backslide. Or they are a member of this or that church, like attending church or membership is the key to eternal life. If you are basing your salvation on your goodness and/or church affiliation you're going to be left behind as part of the Lacodicean church age. I don't know how many times I've heard, "Well, only God knows if someone is saved or not, that's not for us to judge. That's ridiculous! I can tell you this, I don't want to wait until I see God face to face to find out whether I'm saved or not. The Bible says that we can and will know them be their fruits or observing what their life yields. Just because someone claims salvation doesn't give them salvation. When you decide to live for Jesus, you will change and yield your members (or body) to do whatever He desires. Unfortunately, many will have to endure The Tribulation Period because they thought church membership or church affiliation would get them to heaven. I hope and pray that this is not your claim to salvation.

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