Author: Don Gerrity

Is Revelation 3 saying a believer will be spued out of Jesus mouth and Salvation is lost?

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 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. Because thou sayest, I AM RICH, AND INCREASED WITH GOODS, AND HAVE NEED Of NOTHING; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy OF ME gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” (Revelation 3: 14-18 KJV)

Laodicea was a city famous for its wealth. That is what is mentioned in Rev. 3:14-18, and not just general good works. Jesus has no commendation for this Church. This church became worldly wealthy in externals. But had pretty much stopped preaching the Gospel of Grace for salvation. They focused on WEALTH. This church is said to be the state of a majority of Christian organized Church religions of the End Times, the time we now live in. Look around! It is alive today! Mega wealthy churches, false prosperity gospels and prosperity preaching. It is rampant heresy today.

First, notice hot or cold are both seen as good here. It is the Lukewarm that is not good right?

Not all people that attend a church service know the Lord right? Matthew 7 shows how true that is and that many THINK they are true Christians and think they are saved by going to church services and by their works – yet never accepted the free gift of Salvation, not of works, through Christ crucified, died and risen. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 10:10-11)

The Corinthian Church is a church that Paul was rebuking as a very bad example of how believers should be living. In the case of the Church of Laodiceans in Revelation 3, it is their RICHES AND SELF SUFFICIENCY that is being addressed specifically as the root cause of their being so Luke warm, having fallen into a heretical, non-believing church. So far away from the Gospel truth that Jesus wants to spew them out of His mouth. 

Jesus addresses these unbelievers to come to Salvation. Why? They think they are saved but are not! They go to church. They tell others they are ‘Christian’. They believe they are spiritually rich and have God’s favour by their externals of wealth. Jesus is talking about unbelievers in this passage – not true believers of the Gospel of Grace through Jesus Christ that Apostle Paul taught.

Their works are useless for Salvation. It is the same as living under the Law of Moses. The Ten Commandments are God’s Holy standard but they cannot make anyone Holy! They are thinking they are rich spiritually yet have not even grasped Salvation through Christ’s act of atonement. A ONCE FOR ALL sacrifice for the sins of the world. (1 John 2:2, Hebrews 10:10-11)

These are people who are trying to cover up their sin by looking good to others instead of acknowledging the truth that they will never match up to the Holy standards of God.

These are people who are trying to cover up their sin by looking good to others instead of acknowledging the truth that they will never match up to the Holy standards of God. Do you see any church religions filled with people like this? It is RAMPANT in these last days! Church religions teaching false Salvation by works and false prosperity gospels. Most MEGA CHURCHES… BEWARE! They teach, ‘Your best life now…God wants you rich…do this..chant that..word of faith movement, declare it…’ ; it is all false!

Just look at Apostle Paul’s life and tell me that the prosperity Gospel is truth. Look how the Apostles as a group suffered for the Gospel message they preached. This ‘NAME IT & CLAIM IT…GAB IT & GRAB IT’  teaching is  false gospel! This ‘best life now’ Gospel is false heresy. Go tell a born again believer who is persecuted and even tortured for their faith this and see what they think. What about the porr who are born again, does their not having wealth mean God has abandoned them? It is pure heresy folks, that appeals to the Flesh. Run away from such false teaching church pulpits!

That is NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ! That is PRIDE. The same sin of Satan. Jesus said, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. It is Jesus who is the head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22), not us! It is the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:8-9). Naming and claiming something into your life as if God HAS TO DO SO is wrong? Who is acting like God there?

God is calling these unbelievers back to the true Gospel.  Calling them out to ‘change their mind’ (the Bible definition of the English translated word REPENT) in Revelation 3 so that they can be saved by entering HIS REST (see Hebrews 4 as well).

They are looking at their wealth, externals and works, thinking they are spiritually rich, instead of relying on God’s grace alone (Romans 4)! Yet, they are the opposite; having a large sin debt that keeps on growing and heading for the Great White Throne judgment. Never having trusted in Christ alone and HIS once for all sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:10-14, 1 John 2:2).

God does not want anyone to go to condemnation! That is why Jesus came and paid the debt of sins for us. Those that believe this are 100% forgiven. But believing right matters!

In his book, Understanding Revelation, I like how Jack Kelly explained the truth about the HOT, COLD and LUKEWARM aspects of this passage of Scripture when he wrote,

“The church in Laodicea receives no commendation, only this criticism, rich in symbolic sarcasm. Laodicea got its water from nearby Heiropolis, a hot spring resort that still flourishes today, now called Pamukkale. The water came across the valley in an open aqueduct. Having begun its journey fresh from the hot springs, it was luke warm by the time it arrived. Too cool to be used for cleaning or bathing, and too warm to be refreshing, it was unfit for use until it could be either heated up or cooled down. The fire of the Spirit had gone from the Church in Laodicea leaving its members engaged in “form without substance” ritual. Not that they minded. They were happy as clams with their no commitment, no responsibility religion. So it is in much of the emergent church today. They look like a church and do some things that a church does, but you won’t detect the power of the Holy Spirit there and the gospel of our salvation is only obvious by its absence. Even though their congregations are often large and well financed, their spiritual condition is one of poverty.”
– Jack Kelly, Free E-Book, Understanding Revelation

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That is what this passage is all about and it also fits the state of many Apostate Church pulpits today in these End Times. These people today need to stop sitting on the fence of the Gospel of Grace and accept the FREE GIFT WITHOUT WORKS REQUIRED of salvation by being born again in the Spirit through belief on Christ and HIS finished work on the cross alone by faith and not works. To realize that wealthy or poor externally does not make a person saved and that God loves all equally just as James wrote. We are all sinners saved by God’s GRACE and our Earthly wealth has NOTHING to do with our salvation. A believing poor person or rich are BOTH rich Spiritually and both look for the future rewards of Heaven.

“1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? 8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” (James 2:1-11 KJV)

Jesus is pleading with these people who think they are saved by externals to change their mind and get saved.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and REPENT. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 3: 14-21 KJV)

Here we see Jesus tells them to REPENT which in the Greek it was penned means ‘change your mind’. This word repent is used throughout the New Testament and the vast majority of the time it is used in the context of an unbeliever, who turns to belief in Christ alone for their Salvation by the accomplished work of Christ shedding His blood on the cross, paying for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD (1 John 2:2) and having their own sin debt paid for in full by belief on Christ alone (John 3:18, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Ephesians 2:8-9 and many more). Changing their mind from external good works for salvation, to belief on the Messiah, Jesus, The Christ.

Also, when a believer accepts Christ by believing in Christ alone for Salvation, where is Christ? Is Christ living inside the believer? Yes, Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us that the Holy Spirit dwells in and seals the person for eternal Salvation. But here in Revelation 3, we see Christ is OUTSIDE the person’s heart and knocking on the door, asking to let Christ in. And that happens only by BELIEF on Christ. (John 3:14-18)

There are people that outright reject God entirely. There are those that reject Jesus. But there are those that seek God using externals, hiding away their own Spirit wretchedness and nakedness before God. They go to church services thinking it is the way to please God and be forgiven. They say prayers even but they have never understood that Salvation is not of ourselves in any manner. It is only by belief on what Christ did on the cross 2000 years ago. Salvation is not by good works, being a good person, religious rituals, or doing more good than evil. ( Ephesians 2:8-9) That is not the Gospel of Christ crucified. That is doing the same as the Jews living under the Old Covenant. Apostle Paul calls this the Ministration of death and condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:7-9).

Jesus tells these people to REPENT and believe on Him alone for Salvation, not relying on their self righteousness nor wealth. Jesus says to come as you are! Salvation is HIS WORK ALONE! He can MAKE you Holy.

Jesus says,

“To him that OVERCOMETH will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

Who is it that overcometh? John, the writer of Revelation, by what he was told to write down, is the same John that wrote,

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even OUR FAITH. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that BELIEVETH that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5 KJV)

Do not go through rituals nor believe it is your works or wealth that save you without being born again! Jesus gave a very strong warning against that in Matthew 7:15-23. Even ‘many wonderful works’ done using Jesus’ name will not save anyone! Only belief and trust in the FINISHED WORK of Christ on the cross will.

“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14 KJV)

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19 KJV)

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:21 KJV)

Through one man, Adam, were were all born sinners but by the blood atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross and His rising from death are we MADE righteous BY GOD.

Where you will spend Eternity is at stake!

You can understand Salvation through Christ in the next minutes of your life. Find out why Jesus had to die and how to be saved by reading my full article at:

What Must I Do To Be Saved?