Notice the tremendous deception that prevails in the Laodicean churches. The Laodiceans say to the Lord, "We don't need you, we are rich and increased with goods. We have need of nothing." Jesus responds, "You are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked."

The Laodiceans are ignorant of the attitude of Christ toward them. They are in a state of delusion. Can you imagine the shock that the Laodicean experiences when he dies and passes into the realm of spiritual realities?

Why are the Laodiceans so deceived?

It is because they do not have a true witness of God among them. There is no individual who is standing in the Presence of God and showing them God's Person, His ways, His will, and His eternal purpose in Christ.

The Laodiceans have had Christian ministry but few of their ministers are portraying a true picture of God.

We see this today in the churches. There is an abundance of ministry. But where is the true witness of God? Numerous Christians think of God as a kind of Santa Claus, as a good-natured gentleman in the sky who is always blessing people, desiring only that human beings love Him and understand how merciful He is.

One Christian described the Lord as "good old Jesus" and would not listen to the words of repentance and godly living, declaring that "good old Jesus" would always take care of him. The subsequent events in the life of that individual and his family were tragic indeed, not because he was presumptuous in speaking of the King of kings in such a manner but because being a Christian does not make us immune to the laws of cause and effect, of sowing and reaping.

How many Christian people have ended up in prison because they thought God was winking at their behavior and that the punishment that fell on unsaved sinners could never fall on Christian sinners!

In some instances current Christian teaching is presenting a false concept of God. Our God is a consuming Fire, the Creator of all things. God is not human. Jesus was born a human being. God the Father, however, is not human. He is a Spirit. God does not think as we do. He is not sentimental as we are. His love is different from ours. His love sent His only begotten Son to the cross.

God requires the shedding of blood in order for His wrath to be appeased. That fact alone should warn us we are not dealing with a human being but with a Spirit who in countless ways is totally different from us.

It is only as Jesus, our High Priest, intercedes for us in the Presence of God that we are saved from destruction.

God is love—pure, holy love. It is His will to reveal His love to human beings and to give them the desires of their heart.

God also is wrath—pure, holy wrath. He cannot and will not accept unrighteousness—behavior alien to His sense of right and wrong, to His Nature.

To be continued.