(See the series here)
Are we witnessing the last
legs and laps of
Laodicean lackadaisicalness?
Laodicean lackadaisicalness?
In many
respects, Church Americana correlates itself with the nation of Israel, both
ancient and modern nations. Conveniently, however, Church Americana
omits at least three extremely important correlations with ancient
Israel, correlations that speak to the current Laodicean Church trait - lukewarmness. (See
the series)
#2. Strangers, Widows and
Orphans: The Old Testament is replete with God’s encouragements,
admonitions and judgments against Israel and Judah regarding His expectations
for treating strangers (gentile immigrants), widows and fatherless orphans.
Eventually, these nations were severely judged as noted earlier for their adamant
infractions against God’s laws and warnings.
So
how does this correlate with the Laodicean Church trait? In many nations, churches today,
especially Church Americana, have become relatively well-off, wealthy from affluent
lifestyles. For example, consider the growth of mega-churches around the world.
Though America began as an immigrant nation, today significant political
factions have ‘flipped’ in terms of their views on immigrants. This has been a trend
over several decades in the face of the so-called ‘browning of America’, with increasing
non-white immigration and statistical evidence
of the declining majority race. Within these factions, immigrants, once
welcomed, both legally and illegally, are now demonized.
Relatively wealthy and comfortable in the lap of American affluence, the so-called right-wing evangelical church, writ large, is widely regarded as one key faction in these groups. Its political influence is being felt both nationally and internationally, yet it seems blind and deaf concerning how its actions correlate (a) with ancient Israel and Judah’s actions that attracted God’s harsh judgments, (b) with core New Testament tenets about winning souls for Christ, and (c) with the general image Christ intends His Bride, The Church, to reflect and re-present to the onlooking, unsaved world. Rather than any notion of love, whether human love or the love of Jesus Christ, many across the world reportedly perceive real hate emanating from Church Americana. This is concerning and is also evidence of Laodicean character traits. In His warning to this church, Jesus writes through Apostle John:
Relatively wealthy and comfortable in the lap of American affluence, the so-called right-wing evangelical church, writ large, is widely regarded as one key faction in these groups. Its political influence is being felt both nationally and internationally, yet it seems blind and deaf concerning how its actions correlate (a) with ancient Israel and Judah’s actions that attracted God’s harsh judgments, (b) with core New Testament tenets about winning souls for Christ, and (c) with the general image Christ intends His Bride, The Church, to reflect and re-present to the onlooking, unsaved world. Rather than any notion of love, whether human love or the love of Jesus Christ, many across the world reportedly perceive real hate emanating from Church Americana. This is concerning and is also evidence of Laodicean character traits. In His warning to this church, Jesus writes through Apostle John:
…You
say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’. You do
not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I
counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be [spiritually]
rich; and white garments [righteousness], that you may be
clothed, that the shame of your [spiritual] nakedness may
not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see
[spiritually]. Be zealous and repent…
Ancient
Israel and Judah failed to ‘see’ the extent to which their sinful
actions made them abhorrent to God. With Israel’s priests’ sins, one time The Lord was so scornful, that He dispatched the prophet Malachi with this message:
‘I will smear on your faces feces from your festivals!’
(Malachi 2:3, KJ and YLT versions)
Worse yet, in their sinfulness, some
continued in their Jewish religious exercises, often in parallel with their sinful
worship and sacrifices to idol gods. They were effectively naked and blind,
spiritually. Similarly, Church Americana is naked and blind to what the
onlooking world …sees in its very public, often un-Christian attitudes and actions.
Lesson for
Lackadaisical Laodicean Christians:
Avoid selective correlations with ancient Israel
Avoid selective correlations with ancient Israel
