Church News

There’s a misconception many evangelical Christians believe–whether subtly or overtly or just without really thinking about it: that the 7 churches John writes to in Revelation 2 and 3, are not just literal churches being written to, but are actually representative of church “ages”, the last church therefore representing the age the church is allegedly currently living in.

I’ve heard the late Leonard Ravenhill whom I respect immensely teach it this way; at a Promise Keepers event I went to, the president came on and shared about the time of history we’re living in, and not that he quoted much or any Scripture when sharing-touched on the ‘age John wrote about’ in passing; numerous preachers when teaching on end times events as I was growing up would teach this as so. I’m not a big end times buff, I say instead of waiting for the rapture to happen, let’s go get us some more souls to get raptured whenever that event happens–which I believe is after the tribulation, but if you disagree with me and I’m wrong, then that means I’m going home earlier than I thought. If I’m right and you’re wrong, then let say It’s safer to be wrong about my position.

Since I’ve heard over and over again “we’re living in the Laodicean age” of the Church, I thought I’d take the time to quickly take a look at this topic since statistically speaking, most people reading this will probably have been taught the same thing–that the 7 churches of Revelation are church ages, and therefore the end of church history is terrible. But is that true exegetically, and even logically?

Nope.

There are several reasons why this doesn’t hold up.

Problem number 1:

There’s no hint or suggestion that we’re to interpret these things as anything other than 7 actual churches John is writing to, like Paul, Peter, etc…wrote when they wrote to churches in the New Testament. Likewise the apostle John here is writing letters to actual churches in this part of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  Does anyone realize that’s the title of the last book in their Bibles?  It’s a revelation of Jesus, not of just end times events–but while I’m saying so, I read it like the “part two” of Song of Solomon.

Is there no application to apply to our day and age from these writings? I’m not saying that at all; we apply the teaching here as the shoe fits just like we do with other things written in the New Testament that may not be culturally relevant to us. But the idea that John is writing about ages or epochs of future history to unfold is pretty far fetched and unscriptural.

Problem number 2:

How do we know where we stand in church history? Do you think the church 1000 years ago had any idea there was 1000 years of history to go still? Every generation thinks theirs is the last or close to the return of Christ! The Church in the year 1000 would have thought they were the church of Laodecia, and same with the church during the Reformation.

The way we divide up history in order to make this fit the ‘church descriptions’ idea doesn’t add up properly. If I had a pie, and invited several friends over, I wouldn’t know how to cut the pie until they’ve all arrived and I see who they each brought or if anyone declined my invitation and isn’t going to show.

If I began to cut the pie into 6 pieces, and eight friends showed up, I’d have a mess on my hands trying to remedy the way the pie needs to be divided in order for everyone to have an equal share. So I would be smart to just wait and see who all would show up, and then cut it accordingly. Likewise, let’s pretend these are literal church ages–then we won’t know how to properly apply them to history and our current generation until the end has actually taken place, for only then will we have seen how things were supposed to go.

Problem 3:

Even if they were 7 church ages, it’s not so bad because Jesus has wonderful promises for this church “age”, and let me paste the passage in question in its entirety since I didn’t do it at the beginning:

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”(Revelation 3:14-22)

Notice Jesus doesn’t give up on them, but counsels them in what to do.

And secondly, it could be said this church is made the greatest promise of any of the churches written to-if anyone [of them, or any person gleaning from reading this] hears his voice and opens the door, he will come in to him and eat with him and he with him. Interesting for a write-off church as it’s commonly taught in our churches.

And second observation, maybe I interpret it wrong, I’m for the possibility of that, but read that last bit as encouragement to persevere and be conquerors and sit with him on his throne. Whatever exactly that means, but I won’t sit here in front of my laptop and speculate. Just let the text say what it says, and it definitely says they were lukewarm, and so on… and Jesus counsels them as to what they are to do.

Problem 4:

It is arrogant and small minded to apply these verses to over 2/3 of the modern church because most of the Church (besides North American and Europe) is under heavy persecution, not living in affluence like the church spoken of in this passage.

How can these verses be applied to the persecuted underground church in China? The church of Smyrna fits the description of most of the Church around the world today, or the church of Philadelphia, but not the Laodicean church, which again, like the rapture teaching altogether, is another thing that seems to me is taught in the Western church that is not going through any form of persecution or trials.

If the description DID fit, the church that Jesus most strongly rebukes, is the one Jesus promises the greatest blessings to.

There could be more reasons by just using logic and from reading the Scriptures for what they say, but I felt these suffice it since I didn’t want to lengthen this entry unnecessarily.

At any rate, let’s kill this sacred cow and stop believing and teaching others that we’re in the last days by pointing to Scriptures like this one.

If we are in the last days, please don’t tell each other something that happens in the news or our culture is evidence we’re “living in the Laodicean church age”, because we’re not.

Originally published here.

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