What
churches (Christians as well) would claim,
"I
am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing..." Rev 3:17
Likely,
the Reformed ones! Why so?
1.
The Reformed churches glory in the immense riches of the reformation heritage,
as though the 16th-century Reformation is the inauguration of Christianity.
2.
The Reformed churches boast in the superabundance of reformed theologians; they
love parroting their revered theologians as the source and authority of the
things they believe.
3.
The Reformed churches have absolute confidence in their reformed faith, and
have need of nothing; they see themselves as having arrived at the final truth;
"we have the truth."
But
what did Christ - the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the
creation of God - say to the church that glories in her wealthy heritage,
boasts in her multitudes of theologians, and pride in her self-sufficiency and
Independence?
Christ
- the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God
- diagnosed the church as "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked." What a stark contrast
from what she thinks of herself.
The
Lord Christ Jesus gives this prescription for their deplorable condition,
"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." Rev 3:18
Consider
the three items they are to buy from Christ:
-
"gold tried in the fire": this will make them rich indeed;
-
"white raiment": this will clothe them and cover their shame;
-
"eyesalve": that they may see the truth.
