Introduction: If you are like most employees, you have (or had when you were working) some sort of evaluation of your work. Have you ever heard of an evaluation of your religious life? In law school it is common for the only student evaluation to be the final exam. Many view the Christian life like that. When Jesus comes, you get to find out if you passed! Our study this week is about evaluating our relationship with God and how we might improve it. Let’s dive in!

I. The Church in Laodicea

A. Read Revelation 1:4-5. How many churches are receiving a message through John from Jesus and the seven spirits? (Seven.)

B. Skim over Revelation chapters 1-3 and then read Revelation 3:14. Which of the seven churches is Laodicea? (It is the seventh.)

1. We know that the church of Laodicea was located in the Lycus River Valley in the area of Phrygia. That tells us that it was an actual church. Do you think the message that follows is only for the members of that church? If you say, “yes,” then why do we find it in the Bible? (Most Bible scholars answer, “no.” John MacArthur comments that these seven churches also represent the types of churches that exist “through the church age.”)
2. Do you think that because Laodicea is the last of the seven churches, it describes Christians living in the last days? (This is the view of many. They also believe that we are living in the last days and therefore the message to Laodicea applies to us.)
3. Of course, there is great uncertainty on this point. For one thing, we are not certain that we are living in the last days. What do you think? Are we living in the last days on earth?

C. Read Revelation 3:15-17. Let’s proceed on the assumption that the advice to the Laodiceans applies to us. What does God say is His reaction to us? (He wants to spit us out of His mouth. That obviously cannot be good.)

D. Look again at Revelation 3:17. How does the view of the Laodiceans compare with reality? (They are polar opposites. They think they are rich and need nothing; in fact, they are poor and need everything—even clothes.)

1. How could their opinion be so wrong? How can a person be both naked and wretched and think that they are rich and need nothing? (Either these members are mentally ill, or they have different standards.)

E. Read Revelation 3:18. Wait a minute! If these people are poor, how can they possibly buy gold or white garments?

1. How can paying for gold and garments possibly make them rich? (Very obviously, we have two different views. Trading one asset for another does not increase wealth. What we have is different perceptions of what the Laodiceans need.)

F. Read Revelation 7:13-14 and Isaiah 61:10. What is the cost of these white garments? (Nothing. They are given by God or made clean by the blood of Jesus. They provide our righteousness before God.)

G. Read 1 Peter 1:6-7. What does this suggest is meant by the  Revelation 3:18 reference to “gold refined by fire?” (Gold refined by fire is faith.)

1. So let’s put these two concepts about white garments and refined gold together to understand what is wrong with the Laodiceans. What is the reasonable conclusion as to what is wrong with them? (They have rejected righteousness by faith alone. They lack faith in it. Righteousness by faith is something everyone can afford. It is a free gift.)
2. What is the basis for the Laodiceans’ belief that they are rich and need nothing when just the opposite is true? (Read Isaiah 64:6. We are unclean. All our righteousness is like a polluted garment. The Laodiceans relied on their own good works to show their worthiness before God. That is how they were so badly deceived and did not understand their true state.

II. Turning Laodicea Around

A. Read Revelation 3:19. How do you reprove someone who does not believe in righteousness by faith alone?

1. Are those who believe that they are doing the works that God requires of them the least likely to think they need to repent?
2. Notice that the verse says, “be zealous.” Do we normally consider those who rely on faith alone to be the non-zealous group?
3. How would you be zealous in promoting righteousness by faith alone among others?

B. Read Revelation 3:20. How does this word picture of Jesus coming to the front door of our home and knocking fit the idea of righteousness by faith alone? (Jesus approaches us. We are not working to be worthy to approach Him.)

1. What is required to have Jesus dine with us? (First, we need to “hear” His voice. That means we need to understand the doctrine of righteousness by faith alone. Second, we need to open the door. This means we must accept the doctrine.)

C. Read Revelation 3:21. Revelation uses the word “conquer.” Is that how you would describe understanding and accepting a doctrine that Jesus did it all?

1. When we think about striving to obey, that seems more consistent with the idea of conquering. How would you explain that?
2. Worse, Jesus says that we conquer just as He conquered. Jesus was not saved by grace alone. He obeyed perfectly. He suffered terribly. How should we understand that we conquer as Jesus conquered? (Read Colossians 2:11-13. We have an almost unfathomable opportunity. In baptism we participate in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and in Him we are counted righteous before God.)
3. Let me ask again how the acceptance of grace can reasonably be termed “conquering?” (Pride makes it hard to rely on grace alone. We take pride in our good works.)

D. Read Revelation 3:22. Do you have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit says to you?

III. Keeping the Commandments

A. Read John 15:9-11 and John 15:14. Does this seem like a dramatic change of direction? We go straight from righteousness by faith alone to being told we are not God’s friend if we do not obey His commandments. Can you reconcile what we read in Revelation 3 with what we are reading in John 15?

B. Look again at John 15:9. What does Jesus want for us? (To abide in His love.)

1. John 15:10 tells us that we abide in Jesus’ love if we keep His commandments. Does this mean that God will not love us if we do not obey His commandments? Is obedience a test of our love for God? (My answer is, “no.” I understand that God gave us His commandments to make our lives better. The commandments are an act of love. If we wish to abide in God’s love, we keep His commandments.)

C. Friend, are you confident in your own works, or confident in righteousness by faith alone? Why not decide today to rest only on what Jesus has done for you?

IV. Next week: To Know God.

Copr. 2026, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

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