Introduction
The Book of Revelation is fascinating, mysterious, and enlightening. In the early chapters, God addresses several significant concerns that shed light on the church’s role. Christianity’s goal is to enter heaven; God is preparing people for the end of days and warns of the coming danger for those who are unprepared. What’s particularly interesting is the hope amid the cold truth distributed throughout Revelation. In Revelation 3:18, God offers us gold refined by fire so people can be rich, not according to the world’s ideals of wealth, but with a Godly perspective of enduring possessions that matter at the end of man’s life.
Lukewarm Living
Many proclaim to be Christians without acknowledging the responsibilities of the title. The Bible calls such people neither hot nor cold but “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:15). Martin Luther King said, “worship is as much a part of the human organism as the rising of the sun is to the cosmic order.” King considered Christianity a recurring activity just as day is called to order. Ezra Taft Benson determined that “to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength is all-consuming and all-encompassing. It is no lukewarm endeavor.” Christianity is not a filler on a form; it is a routine that should never be interrupted or broken if it must achieve its purpose.
We are compelled to this commitment by Biblical mentions of the words “day and night.” Day and night imply eternity, endless ages, forever and ever. Faithful followers of Christ can expect eternal life in heaven, but this begins on earth. God encourages Christians to read the Bible and meditate on it, “day and night” (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2). In Isaiah 62:6, God’s watchmen on the walls are called to watch day and night. In 2 Chronicles 6:20, we are told to open our eyes towards God’s house day and night. The Bible presents us with occasions in which God’s servants appeal to Him day and night in earnestness to have their prayers heard and answered (Luke, Psalm, Isaiah, Acts, Thessalonians, Timothy). In Revelation 7:15, we are even told that heaven’s elders serve the Master day and night.
Here’s the interesting thing; the Bible also tells us that those who fall into the hands of the devil will be tormented “day and night” (Revelation 20:10). The question is, which day and night will await you? The scriptures are obvious in their presentation of earth’s final flashes: there will be two outcomes, but the more worthwhile can only be realized through persistence.
God’s point of view
God’s perspective of a lukewarm life contradicts heartfelt Christianity; He says, “I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16). In Biblical days, hot and cold drinks were served at feasts, but never lukewarm. Instead, doctors used lukewarm water to cause retching. Lukewarm was not desirous then and isn’t now. Would you like to have a lukewarm meal? In Revelation 3:17, God explains why He is repulsed by the unenthusiastic, “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Neither hot nor cold, such people straddle the middle of these two outlooks, belonging nowhere, only camping out. The human eye is capable of only so much sight, but the eyes of the Lord are in every place (Proverbs 15:3).
Poverty & misery
People are blinded by material possessions, not recognizing their real poverty and misery. Most people have what they need and want, but they do not have what’s required to meet the demands of their natures. Man is by design, a spiritual being who requires spiritual nourishment. Money cannot satisfy the needs of the soul. Why do great and even righteous men fall? They are “pious pretenders” who have not strengthened their spirits to deal with life’s major challenges like death, grief, and suffering. What a wretched condition! Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53). Our souls depend on communion with God; it is the fundamental element of life. If this is the case, we are to derive that where Christ is, life is, but the absence of Christ is death. The poor man is the unprepared, miserable man. Now maybe a good time to revisit our definition of poverty.
Blindness and nakedness
The Bible repeatedly talks about riches. Repetition is a literary technique used for emphasis, clarity, and remembrance. A little insight will persuade readers of the Bible to consider the significance of wealth. God believes that wealth is blinding to life’s realities: our existence, purpose, and values. How many of us can boast of a clear vision and peace of mind? Christianity is a life of peace, and the God of Israel is a God of peace. The Bible regards stability as one of the greatest blessings of life and specifies how you can have it, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).
To describe riches as nakedness appears incongruous, yet the Bible calls the rich naked (Revelation 3:18). A naked man is ashamed, but a clothed man is confident. The godless lack the garment of salvation to cover their souls and, as a result, remain exposed to the blizzards of life, which ultimately devastate them. Just as clothing protects and respects the body, Christ is our support and safety. Oh, how happy is the man whose sins are covered and adorned by righteousness!
Pitiable
Rich, complacent, and proud people are pathetic because they have no defense – no God, no Helper, no Savior, and no hope. There are people around us with no philosophy of life, no perspective of the afterlife, and no idea of their duty; they exist in mental darkness and can be deemed unhappier than the physically blind. Surrounded by their affluence, they do not understand themselves, God, or their condition. What a sad reality is facing this world! May God help us!
The Great Offer: Refined Gold
“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.”
Hans Urs von Balthasar
One beautiful thing about Christianity is that God always offers people an attractive alternative; there is always a solution to an underlined problem; some form of redemption, hope for change, restoration, and rebuilding. People are imperfect, but the Christian life is about turning their ashes into beauty; what a realistic ideology!
God offers us gold refined by fire, which symbolizes purity and brilliance. Here are some striking characteristics of gold: it is dense, which makes it impenetrable; it is soft but malleable, which means that it can be shaped without breaking, and it does not tarnish or corrode. Gold is a precious and highly favored material that attracts attention wherever spotted. Here’s something exciting, God promises to take us to a city of pure gold (Revelation 21:18), whose main street will also be made of gold (Revelation 21:21). In Biblical times, the significance of gold was wealth, prominence, and value.
To compare God’s package with refined gold speaks of the very best one can get. The pinnacle of life is not real estate, a garage of cars, stocks, jewelry, fame, or extravagant living. Instead, the Bible says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).
Pure, attired, perceptive
God designates that a soul headed to heaven is the most sophisticated perspective of wealth. This position is arresting because it counters the norm by calling people to a higher order of thinking and living. Unfortunately, many are unwilling to make the jump, but here are several ideas worth considering.
God’s wealth makes us pure, attired, and perceptive. The Bible tells us that “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). What a captivating way to evaluate wealth. By this standard, the only thing that can satisfy a man’s needs is God Himself, and therefore, it is God Who makes the poor man rich and accomplished. By contrast, if you don’t have Him, you are poor and unfulfilled.
If material possessions keep us from serving God, we don’t possess them; they own and deprive us. The wealth God offers is hidden in the heart of man, owned by God Who knows, sees, hears, and loves; nothing can take this away from us. The Bible tells us in John 10:28, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me…” These possessions do not end, so they do not need to be continuously replenished. Instead, they are like fine gold and can beat the test of time.
God wants to dress our spirits in white coats of righteousness. He desires to take care of our inner selves, the most important asset we own. The world can buy this life from Him, without money or price, but with themselves: heart, soul, and mind. With this possession, eyes are opened, consciences are cleared, and senses can perceive the desolation of humankind and the consolation of a loving Father. Righteousness is not self-administered; it is a marriage of trust and relentless pursuit to achieve progress. The Christian life is faith that receives.
Conclusion
Examine the chase for money, success, and fame, or even love and friendship. Presume you had that kind of success; would it make you happy? Would it be enough? These possessions bring with them enough pressure to prevent you from even enjoying it. What dazzles your eye? Is it the shimmer of this world? Know this, success outside of godliness will never be gratifying but will make one wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Death is a slap to the face of the godless. Take God’s golden offer and you will find that even when you get to the end of this life, a Rod and a Staff is waiting to comfort you (Psalm 23:4).
