To be continued. The Antichrist Spirit 5

The Antichrist Spirit, #5

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:11)

But woe to those who accept the ways of the church of the Laodiceans!

The Laodicean believer "sees" very well by the light of the present world. But he is blind to the things of the Spirit. The world has put out his eyes just as the eyes of Samson were blinded by the Philistines.

In the Scriptures, godliness and spiritual sight go together:

Thine eyes [of the righteous] shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. (Isaiah 33:17)

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. (II Peter 1:9)

Only the pure in heart can see God. Apart from holy living no man can behold the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).

It is true also of the interpretation of the Scriptures. They were written by holy men who were moved by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures cannot be understood by the ungodly.

The Laodicean believer is surrounded with elaborate communication devices. But the filth of the world has blinded him. In addition, he is unable to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

The overcomer chooses the pure gold of tested faith and the white raiment of righteous, holy behavior. He sees ever more clearly what Christ is doing and hears what Christ is saying. His eyes and ears are opening to his true life that is in Heaven at the right hand of God. He "buys" these abilities by his obedience to Christ.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

Because the Laodicean believers define love as the giving of immediate satisfaction and pleasure to people, they cannot accept that Christ rebukes and chastens those whom He loves. The Laodicean supposes that God has given us faith so we will not suffer any pain or discomfort in the world.

The truth is, God is stricter with the fervent saints than He is with those who are not as close to Himself.

The reason for this is that the whole world is under a curse. The earth is filled with sin and rebellion against God. Satan goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Each of us has been born in sin and shaped in sinfulness. Is it any wonder, therefore, that Christ continually is rebuking and chastising those who are closest to Himself just as a father to the son who is dear to him? Even the righteous are saved with difficulty. It is only as we are rebuked and chastened that we have any hope at all of escaping destruction (II Thessalonians 1:5; I Peter 4:17-19).

Antichrist will persuade the Laodicean believer that the world is his friend and that he deserves to live a happy, carefree life in Christ. The Laodicean readily receives the concept that God is love but he is not able to conceive of God as a furnace of wrath.

Satan knows of the lake that burns with fire and sulfur but he conceals this spiritual reality from the Laodicean. The Laodicean believer holds a completely false concept of God, of Christ, of the Holy Spirit, of the holy angels, and of the other realities of which the present world merely is the grossest reflection.

Jesus rebukes and chastens us constantly so we may escape the spiritual perils of life in the world and be perfect in spirit, in soul, and in body, being completely prepared for His appearing and His Kingdom. We are to respond to His rebuke and chastening by repenting zealously. The true saint keeps his heart open before the Lord and is quick to repent at the slightest reproof from the Spirit of God.

(from Laodicea)