The Right to Repair

Revelation 3:14-22(NIV) 14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

This letter to the Laodiceon Church presents Jesus, the Lord of Creation, the Head of the Church and King triumphant over all God's creation. He Who came to take our place of shame, now offers the right to share His place on the throne. He revealed the Way to the throne and told us to follow Him. To follow anyone, we have to keep them in our focus. The Apostle Paul showed us that, while not knowing Jesus in the flesh to follow Him, it is possible to follow Jesus and do His work by keeping our spiritual eye on Him. But first we must be able to "see" Him. In verse 17, we know that Jesus saw this church as blind, yet in verse 18 He offers the salve to put on their eyes to see. He saw this church as naked. We humans seek to be clothed with this world's ideas and do not know it is the Emporer's robe. A church may have the building and the signs proclaiming to all that they are a church and not know they have nothing to offer. The church can only give what they have. Peter said to the blind man at the temple gate, "Such as I have, I give to you..." Jesus offers the white raiment to clothe ourselves with. Revelation 19:7-8(NIV) 7Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
To every condition that would cause them to be rejected, Jesus offers something for them to do to correct and reverse. There are two key words in this offer Jesus holds out to this church. Be "earnest" and "repent". The wide road that is easy and leads to destruction lacks these two signs. The way back to God requires these two things. Earnestly seeking Him means a whole-hearted seeking. "Repent" is more than being fearful of punishment or sorry while being scolded. There must be a turning away from a familiar way and a turning toward a new way that is earnestly sought.

Two covenant actions are revealed. Jesus states that He will rebuke and discipline because He loves. The response that is required is earnest corrective action that reveals true repentance. Overcome the human tendency that created the condition that God must reject. The human tendency was to be rich in this realm's wealth. Now seek the gold that has been refined by fire and can only be purchased from the hand of Jesus. Do you remember the revelation of Jesus with feet like burnished bronze? That only comes from walking through fire and He did it for us. He walked out the Law and the rejection of men that He might please the Father in all things. This earned Him the sonship He can extend to us, if we walk in His Way. (Philippians 2:5-13) He is a son in two ways: begotten of God into this realm, and faithful and obedient in all ways to the Father while walking out our salvation. Gold represents the Diety. You must purchase this gold with your human nature in an exchange. Your nature for His! Your desires for His. Your motivations for His. Your pleasure for His. It will cost you everything. But this is your only opportunity to purchase!

He knocks at the door He created for you. That door opens the way for you into His eternal joy. Only you can respond to His knocking. You hold in your self the key to overcome or remain in your passivity and human understanding and need.