1888 and the Message to Laodicea

That Other Angel

November 1 – 7, 2026

Key Text

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.” Revelation 3:15

Study Help: Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, 252–260; Ibid., Vol. 5, 98–105

Introduction

“A profession of faith and the possession of truth in the soul are two different things. The mere knowledge of truth is not enough.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 97

Sunday

1 A LIFE-OR-DEATH ISSUE

1.a. What condition did Jones and Waggoner point out in their 1888 message to those living in the Laodicean period? Revelation 3:14, 15

Note: “The message of the True Witness reveals the fact that a terrible deception is upon our people, which makes it necessary to come to them with warnings, to break their spiritual slumber, and arouse them to decided action.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, 254

“The message given us by A. T. Jones, and E. J. Waggoner is the message of God to the Laodicean church, and woe be unto anyone who professes to believe the truth and yet does not reflect to others the God-given rays.” The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 1052

“Take this message in all its phases and sound it forth to the people wherever Providence opens the way. Justification by faith and the righteousness of Christ are the themes to be presented to a perishing world.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 964

1.b. Define one of the main problems which those in the Laodicean period have had to face, in spite of the promised help that came through the message of 1888. James 4:4

Note: “The message to the church of the Laodiceans applies especially to the people of God today [1903]. It is a message to professing Christians who have become so much like the world that no difference can be seen.” The Review and Herald, August 20, 1903

Monday

2 WHAT IS “HOT”/WHAT IS “COLD”?

2.a. How does Paul describe a congregation full of zeal? 2 Corinthians 7:11; 9:2. What is the great need of lukewarm believers?

Note: “The fervor of the love of God is wanting in their hearts, but it is this very fervor of love that makes God’s people the light of the world.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 961

“Brethren and sisters, I entreat you to ‘examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.’ To maintain the warmth and purity of Christian love requires a constant supply of the grace of Christ. Have you employed every means that your ‘love may abound yet more and more,’ ‘that ye may approve things that are excellent,’ and be filled with the fruits of righteousness ‘which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God’?” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 103, 104

2.b. How may the most common form of “coldness” creep into the church? 1 Timothy 5:12

Note: “The atmosphere of the church is so frigid, its spirit is of such an order, that men and women cannot sustain or endure the example of primitive and heaven-born piety. The warmth of their first love is frozen up, and unless they are watered over by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, their candlestick will be removed out of its place, except they repent and do their first works. The first works of the church were seen when the believers sought out friends, relatives, and acquaintances, and with hearts overflowing with love told the story of what Jesus was to them and what they were to Jesus. Oh, that the Lord would awaken those who are in responsible positions, lest they undertake to do work, relying upon their own smartness. The work that comes forth from their hands will lack the mold and superscription of Christ.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 167, 168

Tuesday

3 A LUKEWARM MAJORITY

3.a. Why is there more hope for those who are “cold” than for those who are “lukewarm”? Give an example. Luke 18:10–14

Note: “To those who do not practice it, the word of God is a dead letter. Christ says of such, ‘I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.’ He cannot present their case to the Father. If they realized that they were sinners, He could plead in their behalf, and the Lord would arouse them by His Holy Spirit. But they are worse than dead in trespasses and sins. They hear the Word, but make no application of it to themselves; instead, they apply the Word spoken to their neighbors.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 963

3.b. Why is it even more dangerous to be “lukewarm” than to be “cold”? Matthew 13:13–15; Romans 2:24

Note: “It would be more pleasing to the Lord if lukewarm professors of religion had never named His name. They are a continual weight to those who would be faithful followers of Jesus. They are a stumbling block to unbelievers, and evil angels exult over them, and taunt the angels of God with their crooked course. Such are a curse to the cause at home or abroad. They draw nigh to God with their lips, while their heart is far from Him.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, 188

“Halfhearted Christians are worse than infidels; for their deceptive words and noncommittal position lead many astray. The infidel shows his colors. The lukewarm Christian deceives both parties. He is neither a good worldling nor a good Christian. Satan uses him to do a work that no one else can do.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 963

“What greater delusion can deceive the human mind than that in which individuals flatter themselves that they have the truth, that they are on the only sure foundation, and that God accepts their works because they are actively engaged in some work in the cause of God, when they are sinning against Him by walking contrary to the expressed will of God?” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 451

Wednesday

4 SELF-DECEPTION POINTED OUT

4.a. What do the deceived, professed believers in Laodicea say through their actions? Revelation 3:17, first part

Note: “The people to whom God has entrusted the sacred, solemn, testing truths for this time are sleeping at their post. They say by their actions: We have the truth; we are ‘rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;’ while the True Witness declares: Thou ‘knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.’

“With what fidelity do these words portray the present condition of the church: ‘Knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.’ ” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 101 (1882)

4.b. How may the attitude of believers in the Laodicean period parallel the position of the Jews in Christ’s day? Matthew 11:20–24; 13:15; Revelation 3:17, last part

Note: “Of those who boast of their light, and yet fail to walk in it, Christ says, ‘But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum [Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light], which art exalted unto heaven [in point of privilege], shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.’ ” The Review and Herald, August 1, 1893 [E. G. White’s bracketed comments].

“It will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for those who have been privileged with the clear light, and have had a vast amount of labor, but have not profited by it. They have neglected the great salvation which God in mercy was willing to bestow. They were so blinded by the devil that they verily thought themselves rich and in the favor of God, when the True Witness declares them to be wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, 488, 489

Thursday

5 TWO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS

5.a. What was the condition of the church militant even in her best days? Revelation 2:1–4

Note: “The church was defective and in need of stern reproof and chastisement, and John was inspired to record messages of warning and reproof.” The Acts of the Apostles, 587

“There have ever been two classes among those who profess to be followers of Christ. While one class study the Saviour’s life and earnestly seek to correct their defects and conform to the Pattern, the other class shun the plain, practical truths which expose their errors. Even in her best estate the church was not composed wholly of the true, pure, and sincere.” The Great Controversy, 43

“The church of Christ on earth will be imperfect, but God does not destroy His church because of its imperfection.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 46

5.b. How does the Spirit of Prophecy teach that a lukewarm state is different from a state of imperfection? What must happen if we, as Seventh-day Adventists, remain in the Laodicean condition? Revelation 3:16

Note: “The church is composed of imperfect, erring men and women, who call for the continual exercise of charity and forbearance. But there has been a long period of general lukewarmness; a worldly spirit coming into the church has been followed by alienation, faultfinding, malice, strife, and iniquity.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, 104

“ ‘Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth.’ Revelation 3:16. The figure of spewing out of His mouth means that He cannot offer up your prayers or your expressions of love to God. He cannot endorse your teaching of His word or your spiritual work in anywise. He cannot present your religious exercises with the request that grace be given you.” Ibid., Vol. 6, 408

“We are coworkers with Christ, or coworkers with the enemy. We either gather with Christ or scatter abroad. We are decided, wholehearted Christians, or none at all. ‘Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth.’ ” Ibid., Vol. 1, 126

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How is the message of 1888 applicable to us in 1999?

2 What is indicated by the spiritual “temperature check” that we should perform individually on ourselves, and why must we do this?

3 Name some ways in which lukewarmness manifests itself.

4 What was the Jewish attitude in Christ’s day that we must carefully avoid?

5 Why does Christ “spew out” the majority, and what does this mean?