Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 3:14-19.

 

“¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

 

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

 

¹⁵ ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot;  I wish that you were cold or hot.  ¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.  ¹⁷ Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed;  and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.  ¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline;  therefore be zealous and repent.”  Revelation 3:14-19.                                   

Luke-warm people are content to be in the middle of the pack.  They take comfort that they are better than others.  They are not drunk, drug users, nor abusive to others.  They support themselves.  They rest in the fact that they are moral, law-abiding citizens.  But, they don’t really look out for others or seek to be more.  They are like spit:  luke-warm, tolerable in their own mouths, but repulsive to everyone else.  They are self-righteous.   

Cold people admit that they have problems.  They don’t take care of themselves as they should.  They know that they are weak.  They make a lot of mistakes.  They are like frozen ice;  they really don’t get anything done, and others should be careful when they encounter them so as to not slip on them.  But, they are looking for a savior (small “s”).  They are sad sinners. 

Hot people are busy helping others.  They are always running around “doing”.  They are like boiling water;  they may be doing many things but not the “one thing” that they should be doing.  But, they are looking for solutions.  They are sincere searchers.   

Cold people and hot people are closer to salvation than luke-warm people, because they are at least looking for a savior (small “s”) or solutions.  They are more likely than luke-warm people to repent.  Verse 19.  They are more likely to buy that “gold refined by fire”, “white garments” and that “eye salve”.  Verse 18. 

There is hope for the cold people.  There is hope for the hot people.  “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline;  therefore be zealous and repent.”  Verse 19.