We Are In The Laodicea Church Age

[HappyHope]

I am a firm believer in the 7 Church Age theory. I believe that we are currently in the Laodicea Church Age. If I am correct about this then Jesus will return very soon.

I used to think this but I had a cool moment with the Lord a few weeks ago that made me reconsider. I now lean towards another theory. I'm wondering if different people are in different churches even in this modern age. My understanding of Rev ain't all that so dont quote me.

 

[Gifts From Above]

I used to think this but I had a cool moment with the Lord a few weeks ago that made me reconsider. I now lean towards another theory. I'm wondering if different people are in different churches even in this modern age. My understanding of Rev ain't all that so dont quote me.

Yes, different people are in different churches but the age speaks to the spiritual condition of the church in general as a whole. That doesn’t mean that every church that exists during this time is Laodicean.

 

[parousia70]

I am a firm believer in the 7 Church Age theory.

Just so I'm clear, your contention is that the letters to the seven Churches are not addressed to 7 actual 1st century Churches?

I believe that we are currently in the Laodicea Church Age.

Nowhere in Revelation do we see St. John say that these Churches stand for, or "represent" segments of history or the Churches of any FUTURE time.

St. John simply doesn't allow for such an allegorical, mythical construct of his letter written and urgently sent to those ACTUAL 1st-century Churches in Asia Minor.

If I am correct about this then Jesus will return very soon.

When you say “he’s returning very soon”, do you mean the same thing the apostles meant when they said “he’s returning very soon”, 2000 years ago? Or do you mean something different?

Do you believe the Divinely inspired 1st century Apostles were wrong about how soon it was, but that you today are right?

 

[Dave L]

I seemed to have missed the physical appearance of Satan. Are you claiming your church has let him in to preach a couple of times? Satan as being bound for the last 1990 years is more ridiculous than the 7 church age interpretation. Satan loves the amil point he is bound and incapacitated. His attack is more powerful to the unsuspecting church thinking he his bound, when he has probably visited and preached many times in their churches unawares.

Revelation is about the Church victorious. Wouldn't Satan love to have you think about an age of defeat for the Church based on false prophecy?

 

[Dave L]

I already told you that it’s a prophecy.

Branham may have been a bit unorthodox but he was certainly no heretic.

How do you explain the reputable sources I’ve cited.

Like I’ve already stated a lot of good bible believing Christians believe in this doctrine.

It is not prophecy. It is a factual statement about the conditions of 7 regional churches. Revelation is about the Church victorious. You turn it into the Church expecting failure when the true Church cannot fail.

 

[Dave L]

How does that relate to our discussion?

Jesus returns at the end of the Church Age. Actually he returns on the last day which will be the end of the Laodicea Church Age. So the answer to your question is no. The Church will exist until he returns.

There will never be a Laodicean Church other than the original. The true Church always overcomes.
“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God [the Church] are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” 1 John 3:9–10 (KJV 1900)

 

[HappyHope]

Yes, different people are in different churches but the age speaks to the spiritual condition of the church in general as a whole. That doesn’t mean that every church that exists during this time is Laodicean.

Which church(es) or believers might you consider Laodicen today? Or do you feel individuals in the same physical church building can technically be in different Revelation churches spiritually? I'm not sure I follow you.

 

[Gifts From Above]

Which church(es) or believers might you consider Laodicen today? Or do you feel individuals in the same physical church building can technically be in different Revelation churches spiritually? I'm not sure I follow you.

Yes, I would say that members in the same congregation could be in different places spiritually. I would consider many of the American mega churches and liberal churches to be Laodicean. I would probably consider Lakewood Church which is pastored by Joel Osteen to be Laodicean Church for example.

 

[Gifts From Above]

It is not prophecy. It is a factual statement about the conditions of 7 regional churches. Revelation is about the Church victorious. You turn it into the Church expecting failure when the true Church cannot fail.

Revelation 1:3 states that the book is a book of prophecy. How can you be sure that the message to the seven churches is not prophecy?

 

[Gifts From Above]

There will never be a Laodicean Church other than the original.

You have no proof of this.

 

[Gifts From Above]

Just so I'm clear, your contention is that the letters to the seven Churches are not addressed to 7 actual 1st century Churches?

I do believe that the letter is addressed to those 1st century churches. But I also believe that it has duel fulfillment and is also addressed to the church ages.

 

[Dave L]

You have no proof of this.

I have proof. Scripture is missing any information on the "church age theory". All you need to do is cough it up to prove you are right.

 

[Dave L]

Revelation 1:3 states that the book is a book of prophecy. How can you be sure that the message to the seven churches is not prophecy?

The first part is literal. The 7 churches had those problems Jesus corrected. They were real churches.

 

[Gifts From Above]

Nowhere in Revelation do we see St. John say that these Churches stand for, or "represent" segments of history or the Churches of any FUTURE time.

St. John simply doesn't allow for such an allegorical, mythical construct of his letter written and urgently sent to those ACTUAL 1st-century Churches in Asia Minor.

Just because this doctrine isn’t spelled out plainly by the apostle John doesn’t mean that it is incorrect. Many prophecies are hard to understand.

 

[Gifts From Above]

The first part is literal. The 7 churches had those problems Jesus corrected. They were real churches.

I’m not debating whether or not they were real churches. I believe that they were actual 1st century churches.

 

[Gifts From Above]

I have proof. Scripture is missing any information on the "church age theory". All you need to do is cough it up to prove you are right.

No, you cannot prove me wrong. I have already provided a lot of links and videos so I have already proved my side.

 

[Dave L]

No, you cannot prove me wrong. I have already provided a lot of links and videos so I have already proved my side.

It's not biblical until you present a passage saying so.

 

[HappyHope]

Yes, I would say that members in the same congregation could be in different places spiritually. I would consider many of the American mega churches and liberal churches to be Laodicean. I would probably consider Lakewood Church which is pastored by Joel Osteen to be Laodicean Church for example.

This is my assumption too but I don’t want to label anyone. I’m sorry I had you call out specific churches. I assumed you would label churches in one country as —— and another country might be ——-. We do seem to agree though. Cool. I’m not ready to share my full experience but the Lord drew me to Rev 2-3 which I thought was weird and had me understand what church I belonged to. One was emphasized to me. I have Bible reading issues these days but that passage was like chocolate. I couldn’t read it enough. It was comforting but Rev is not where I go for comfort. This led me to believe not everyone around me belongs to the same Revelation church. And to be clear I don’t have an affinity for eschatology. So it was a sudden odd experience for me. Thanks for your post!

 

[Gifts From Above]

It's not biblical until you present a passage saying so.

Just because it’s not spelled out for you completely and totally in black and white doesn’t mean that it’s not true. Many of the Old Testament prophecies that have been fulfilled were hard to understand and were not spelled out plainly.

 

[parousia70]

Just because this doctrine isn’t spelled out plainly by the apostle John doesn’t mean that it is incorrect. Many prophecies are hard to understand.

One must be able to demonstrate the tenants any biblical doctrine from the pages of scripture in order to assert the doctrine is biblical. One cannot simply make up doctrine out of thin air, which appears to be what you are doing here.

The fact remains, the 7 Church age theory has not one iota of scripture to back it up.
Not even one passage.

it has been invented from the unbiblical traditions of men, and has no scriptural support.
If it had scriptural support of any kind, it could be demonstrated from the pages of scripture.

Can you demonstrate the correctness of this doctrine from the pages of scripture?