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Episode 34: #7: The Church of Laodicea - The Luke-worm Church
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The church of Laodicea is the last of seven churches addressed in the Bible Book of Revelation. We are not told who founded the church of Laodicea in the Bible, yet from textual evidence in the New Testament, we know that Apostle Paul mentioned Epaphras in Colossians 1:7-8, as a faithful minister of the church at Colossae. According to historians, this church was one of Laodicea’s close neighbors. Therefore, it seems feasible that he may have been responsible also for planting the church at Laodicea.
Revelation 3:15-16; “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
The Christians at Laodicea were affected by Domitian’s decrees. Their response to this persecution—which even involved their ability to buy and sell—is what causes them to be called a “lukewarm” church.
It became so hard that those Christians who refused to worship the image the emperor were killed. Christians could no longer buy or sell unless they had taken the mark of the beast (Revelation 13). The pressure upon rich Christians to maintain their wealth was intense. Since a great deal of Laodicea’s wealth depended upon trade, the Christian merchants were in a dilemma. Would they cooperate with the imperial cult and maintain their trade associations, or would they forswear Domitian and reaffirm their faith in Christ? Many of the Laodicean Christians compromised their faith in such ways that the writer of the apocalypse could say, “I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16).
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Revelation 3:15-16; “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
The Christians at Laodicea were affected by Domitian’s decrees. Their response to this persecution—which even involved their ability to buy and sell—is what causes them to be called a “lukewarm” church.
It became so hard that those Christians who refused to worship the image the emperor were killed. Christians could no longer buy or sell unless they had taken the mark of the beast (Revelation 13). The pressure upon rich Christians to maintain their wealth was intense. Since a great deal of Laodicea’s wealth depended upon trade, the Christian merchants were in a dilemma. Would they cooperate with the imperial cult and maintain their trade associations, or would they forswear Domitian and reaffirm their faith in Christ? Many of the Laodicean Christians compromised their faith in such ways that the writer of the apocalypse could say, “I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16).
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