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Maurie Thompson's views on the Laodicean Church

_{The Laodicean Lie!
By Morrie Thompson
(Teen Challenge, South Australia)}

This is the LUKEWARM GENERATION. You don't have to be a theologian to understand we have come to the Laodicean era which Jesus prophesied would arise in the very last days. Simply compare what Jesus said about the lukewarm Laodicean church with what today is called the Church of Jesus Christ.

Jesus warns that he who has ears had best listen to what the Holy Ghost is saying about this religious system. Jesus dearly warned that a church would evolve in the last days of civilization which would boast that it was rich, growing and increasing in numbers, and self-sufficient. In other words, a church with great influence, gaining in visibility and power, while refusing all correction or scrutiny.

Jesus said of this church. "It will say...I am rich, increasing with goods [wealthy], and in need of nothing..." (Revelation 3:17).

How sad that this particular church, arrogant and boastful, is being heralded by so many undiscerning Christians as the glorious last days church of power and dominion which will subdue the world and bring King Jesus back. It is the Laodicean lie!

One person wrote the following, "Don't you realize. Morrie, that our next Premier will be a tongues-speaking. Spirit-filled man (unless I've missed something I haven't seen that.) Don't you know that all these great building projects by churches are ordained of God? The Lord is training leaders, raising up huge projects so they can move into government positions having learned all about high finances and building. The church is going to take over the government, Spirit-filled leaders are going to make the laws, doing away with abortion, pornography and crime. God has raised up a powerful church to take dominion now."

The main element in the concept of "the Kingdom of God on earth is that of a perfectly righteous rule, embracing all nations; under which rule all injustice, oppression and strife will cease, the evils of poverty be no more known, and all men dwell in peace and prosperity as brethren.

What alarms me is that many fundamentalists now share similar rose colored views about the role of the modem Australian Church; It seems to me they are boasting; "We" have arrived! We have charming, popular, articulate leaders. We have the money, the expertise and growing numbers who will join us-let's take dominion!"

I have heard pastors boast. "I am going to build the biggest church in XXXX (you fill in the name), because numbers mean power and influence. We must have a church big and powerful enough to enforce morality and the will of God on our nation and our communities." It is that blatant, that boastful!

This proud, rich, arrogant church now covets power. Not the power of God—but political power. It covets Canberra. Since we have failed to bring about a Jonah-like revival of repentance and a change in the hearts of men, we will, according to some, take over the reins of government and legislate righteousness.

It sounds so pious, so spiritual and vital. Like Israel, many of God's people are crying for an Imperial pulpit-with a spiritual leader who will root out the entrenched powers of evil and legislate a new moral system. The pointed, accusing finger of thundering prophets and weeping watchmen is to be replaced by the refined pen of Christian congressmen enacting moral laws.

Believe it or not-this is the very church God is going to spew of His mouth

God is not at all impressed with this church's bloated estimate of itself. The Laodicean lukewarm church is not destined to dominion, power and authority of any kind. It is destined to judgment! It is the worst kind of spiritual blindness to line up with those who boast that the modern Australian church, Pentecostal or otherwise, faces its finest hour. What an incredible lack of spiritual discernment. I, for one, must line up with what Jesus said of this last-day church.

Jesus rips off the facade and exposes the truth about the Laodicean church. It is not what it thinks it is—it is not what it says it is-It is not rich-it is poor. It is not on the_ increase-it is wretched and about to be forever cut off! It is not strong and in need of nothing - but rather, it is naked shameful! It is not a church with new revelation and deep Scriptural insights-Jesus said IT IS BLIND! It is not going to be the vehicle of Christ's dominion on earth, but rather the object of His wrath and abhorrence.

God's church is a triumphant, despised, persecuted remnant.

You can be sure God has a people for Himself in these final days, but they are a despised, holy and separated remnant. This holy remnant people walk in the light and enjoy great discernment. They see the modern Laodicean church through the eyes of Jesus and they will not be deceived by the pomp, bigness and outward grandeur of popular religion.

The true church is invisible; it is repentant; it yearns for the return of Christ, the beloved One. The true church cannot possibly enjoy the favor and goodwill of the world. Do we believe and tremble at God's Word or not? When will we ever face up to what Jesus warned was ahead for those who deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him.

Jesus said, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were, of the world, the world would love his ye were of the world, own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My sayings, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for My name's sake, because they know not Him that sent Me" (John l5: 18 - 2l).

Speaking of what will happen to saints in the last days, Jesus said, "they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake"(Luke 21:12).

Jesus went on to warn of betrayal, and "some of you shall be put to death...and ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake" Luke 21:16,17)

Paul emphatically states, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12).

It is absolutely impossible for the true church, or any of its leaders, to be approved or accepted by the world. A godly man, a godly church, will be persecuted and maligned by the world, by its kings and rulers. Jesus will permit no exceptions to this rule-for He warned, "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets" (Luke 6:26).

Woe to this Laodicean church and its political aspirations! If the world accepts you, it can only be the result of removing the reproach of the Cross. For nearly two thousand years the church of Jesus Christ has been rejected and persecuted by the world. The blood of millions of rejected martyrs cries out from the ground.

For centuries, Spirit-led men and women of God have been burned at the stake, sawn asunder, chased and hunted down like animals. Godly saints were beheaded; others were drowned; many were thrown to the lions. The Bibles says they all died in faith and the world was not worthy of them.

Am I now to believe that Jesus has changed His mind and has decided to close out the ages with a lukewarm, rich, pampered, boastful, self-centered church? Will the last army of God consist of precinct workers getting out the vote? Will the soul winners be replaced with petitioners going into the highways and hedges seeking signatures for some social cause?

God's great concern is with the church that claims to be Spirit-baptized!

The dead, cold, liberal church has long ago been given up to its sinful ways - it is not God's prime concern in these last days. There are entire denominations that have turned heathen-the Spirit of God left them years ago. But God's focus is on both the organized and unorganized evangelical and Pentecostal churches, fellowships and ministries. It is out of the Pentecostal body of believers that all prosperity preaching has sprung.

Those who claim to be Spirit-baptized and led are the ones who go forth saying, "God wants you rich, increased with goods and self-sufficient in all things." It is out of this body that the new doctrines of earthly dominion have been birthed.

I have been a Pentecostal preacher for over 15 years. I grieve over the seductions and false doctrines that are now sweeping away so many undiscerning Pentecostal believers. Multitudes of them are being duped, misled, swindled and carried away by doctrines of demons. What God deplores is THE MIXTURE being introduced in Pentecostal circles. Mixture is synonymous with lukewarmness. You find this mixture everywhere you look nowadays.

The Laodicean lie includes rejection of Christ's sudden imminent return. Can you believe what they are now preaching? They are saying, "Jesus can't come until we subdue the earth. He can't come until we take dominion and bring Him back to a world we have brought into submission." They mock the idea of an imminent, unexpected return of Christ. Jesus says it is "an evil servant" who sayeth in his heart, "My Lord delayeth His coming" (Matthew 24:48). This kind of teaching is a direct result of spiritual declension, lukewarmness and weariness with cross-bearing. When love for Jesus is on fire, there is a longing for His soon return-there is a yearning "to be with Him, to behold His glory!" But now, because sin abounds, the love many waxes cold; self-sacrifice and self-denial are repudiated; and the church runs off to seek the honor and power of this world. They now scoff at the idea of believers being "changed in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:51,52). They have put the coming of the Lord into the remote future and their primary concern is not what Christ is doing, but what the church is doing. The present interest is not internal, but external -- to gather in new members, to grow in influence and to set up an earthly kingdom.

Jesus said, "Behold, I come quickly" (Revelation 21:12). Paul wrote, "For yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night...but ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief..." (1 Thessalonians 5:2,4). Peter also confirmed the Lord's sudden return: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night" (2 Peter 3:10)

Jesus warned the church at Sardis to be ever watchful and expectant-and to repent, or be caught unawares. "Held fast and repent. If therefore thou shall not watch, I will come to thee as a thief, and thou shall not know what hour I will come upon thee" (Revelation 3:1-3).

Why should any Christian watch and be on the alert if Christ's coming is put off to some remote hour. Are we going to believe modem, lukewarm preachers, or will we rest our faith on what Jesus said, "Therefore be ye also ready, form such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh,.." (Matthew 24:44).

Jesus warned us, "Be on the alert, for you do not know the hour" (Matthew 25:13 NAS). That is the way New Testament, apostolic Christians lived in the first century. They shared Paul's intense desire "to depart and be with the Lord. They shared Paul's intense desire "to depart and be with the Lord." They were busy doing the Lord's work, occupying and obeying His commands-but like Abraham, they looked for a city whose builder and maker is God.

The kingdom, dominion preachers spiritualize everything having to do with Christ's soon return. But how do you spiritualize this most practical commandment of Jesus—"Therefore, be on the alert-for you do not know when the Master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midday, at cockcrowing, or in the morning-least He come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all, Be on the alert!" (Mark 13:35-37 NAS)

The crown of righteousness which the Judge shall give on that day is reserved only for "THEM THAT LOVE HIS APPEARING!" (2 Timothy 4:8). I ask you, do you anticipate His soon return? Do you yearn for it? Is His coming to gather His elect still your hope? It was for Paul, who wrote, "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).

The very last words of Jesus in the Bible are, "Surely, I come quickly" (Revelation 22:20). The Spirit and the bride say, "Corne!" (Revelation 22:17). What do you say?

Morriei web