Also, Christ presents himself in this seventh and last letter to the churches. We hear, “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.” This self-presentation of Christ is a strong call to the congregation to listen. Here speaks “the Amen,” in other words, what he speaks is sure and the truth. And even more, all of God's promises are “Yes and Amen” in Him; they find their fulfillment in and through Him. We better listen to Him! He also calls himself “the beginning (or source, origin) of all creation.” He is the Word in creation and, therefore, has absolute authority over all of creation.
The indictment that follows is serious. The church in Laodicea values itself highly. In verse 17, they think and say, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” They were clearly proud of their supposedly spiritual wealth. But the Lord complains about them, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” That they are neither hot nor warm is described as being lukewarm. It is the same thing. This is a very serious charge. What we read of Christ is unique in the Bible: He is disgusted with them and wants to spit them out. The religion in Laodicea is deceit, hypocrisy, and falsehood. Christ is the opposite: the Amen, the faithful, the true (verse 14). That is another reason why He presents Himself as the "Beginning of Creation," Laodicea needs re-creation.
What an indictment this is! The congregation is disgustingly mediocre. They boast of supposed salvation, but they are “poor, blind, and naked.” (verse 17) It seems they did not have the slightest degree of knowledge of their sins. The prayer, “Oh God be merciful to me, a sinner,” was foreign to them. They were "lukewarm," weak, half-hearted, always up for compromise.
Terrible is what we read in verse 17. They are: “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Five words that paint a terrible picture.
What a reason to search our hearts! Let us listen not for the congregation in Laodicea, but for ourselves. Are we spiritually minded or worldly minded? Do we think we are saved, but meanwhile live a worldly life? Do we say we love God above all else, but meanwhile love ourselves and the world? Do we say that we live a Christ-centered and Spirit-filled life, but in the meantime, we live a self-filled and worldly life? Let's examine our hearts!