the seventh-day adventist church is laodicea

Many of us who believe in the Seventh-day Adventist truth today have questions
regarding just what/who is meant by the term "Laodicea". We are all familiar with
the term, as it appears in Revelation 3:14, and are even agreed on the basic
meaning of what the True Witness wants the Laodiceans to do. But does "Laodicea"
refer to an organized group of people, or just individuals in that condition?
Does it refer primarily to a church/condition in the past, or a church/condition
now?

The first place in the Spirit of Prophecy that i've been able to find a reference
to Laodicea is in RH2, in 1852. This is 11 years before the Seventh-day Adventist
church officially incorporated. In talking about those who have become "cold", it
says: "The words addressed to the Laodicean Church, describe their present
condition perfectly." "Their" is obviously referring to just those people in that
condition, not to the entire group trying to following God. I believe it is
important to reiterate, that the SDA church was NOT an organized body at this
time.

The church was organized in 1863, and in 1873 there is this reference to Laodicea,
found in Testimony for the Church, Number 23: "The message to the church of the
Laodiceans is a startling denunciation, and is applicable to the people of God at
the present time." This quote shows that Laodicea is applicable to the people of
God, most likely meaning in a corporate sense, not just individuals.

Did Ellen White ever identify herself as being with the Laodiceans? Yes, in a
sermon she said: "Now, there has been coming in among us a self-sufficiency, and
the
message to the Laodicean church is applicable to us." While not claiming to be in
the Laodicean state herself, she identifies - "us" - as being a member of the
Laodicean group of people.

Ellen White was shown in vision that The Shaking: "would be caused by the straight
testimony called forth by the counsel of the true Witness to the Laodiceans." Is
this counsel going to the churches which rejected Jesus in 1844, and so became
Babylon? Is it going to the Roman Catholics or Jews or Muslims or Hindus or
Buddhists? Not possible. God's message to those in Babylon is "Come out!" He
does not recognize them as his church, even tho they proclaim to be his followers.
The Shaking does not happen in other churches or religions. It happens only among
Seventh-day Adventists. Some will "exalt the standard and pour forth the straight
truth." Some "will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God's
people." That this "God's people" is referring to SDAs is clear when reading the
rest of the chapter where this is taken from. After going thru The Shaking, God's
people (not individuals, but "the company") give The Loud Cry, which is, of
course, telling people to come out of Babylon.

A true knowledge of what constitutes "Laodicea" may help in guarding against some
errors of Satan. Some people understand rightly that there will only be 2 classes
of people when Jesus comes back, those on his left, and those on his right. So
they think that it must be so now also. However, in reading inspired writings, we
can determine that there are at least 5 groups today:
1. Those baptized into Jesus' body (SDA), and truly following Jesus
2. Those baptized into Jesus' body (SDA), but in a Laodicean condition
3. Those in Babylon who profess belief in Jesus, and live up to all the light they
have
4. Those in Babylon who profess belief in Jesus, but do not live up to the light
5. The world
Groups 1 & 2 will go thru The Shaking, and those heeding the counsel of the true
Witness to the Laodiceans will be empowered to give the Loud Cry to those in
groups 3 & 4, and thus all the world will be gathered into just 2 groups when
Christ comes - those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus,
and those who don't.

May we, with all our heart, soul, and might, turn to God, and love him more than
any earthly treasure.

Below are some quotes from the Spirit of Prophecy regarding "Laodicea".

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Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald
06-10-1852
To the Brethren and Sisters
pr: 2
------------------------
Many who profess to be looking for the speedy coming of Christ,
are becoming conformed to this world, and seek more earnestly the
applause of those around them, than the approbation of God. They are
cold and formal, like the nominal church, that they but a short time
since separated from. The words addressed to the Laodicean Church,
describe their present condition perfectly. See Rev. iii, 14-20. They
are "neither cold nor hot," but "lukewarm." And unless they heed the
counsel of the "faithful and True Witness," and zealously repent, and
obtain "gold tried in the fire," "white raiment," and "eyesalve," he
will spue them out of his mouth.

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Other Manuscripts Volume One
God's Rebuke to Laodicea
pr: 2 pg: 355
------------------------
I tell you, my brethren, the Lord has an organized body through
whom He will work. There may be more than a score of Judases among
them; there may be a rash Peter who will under circumstances of trial
deny his Lord; there may be persons represented by John who Jesus
loved, but he may have a zeal that would destroy men's lives by calling
down fire from heaven upon them to revenge an insult to Christ and to
the truth. But the great Teacher seeks to give lessons of instruction
to correct these existing evils. He is doing the same today with His
church. He is pointing out their dangers. He is presenting before them
the Laodicean message.

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Other Manuscripts Volume One
God's Rebuke to Laodicea
pr: 2 pg: 356
-------------------------
The Lord has had a church from that day, through all the changing
scenes of time to the present period, 1893. The Bible sets before us a
model church. They are to be in unity with each other, and with God.
When believers are united to Christ the living vine, the result is that
they are one with Christ, full of sympathy and tenderness and love.
When anyone is drawing apart from the organized body of God's
commandment-keeping people, when he begins to weigh the church in his
human scales, and begins to pronounce judgment against them, then you
may know that God is not leading him. He is on the wrong track.
*********************************************************************
Other Manuscripts Volume One
God's Rebuke to Laodicea
pr: 3 pg: 361
--------------------------
The Message to the Laodiceans.-- God is leading out a people. He
has a chosen people, a church on the earth, whom He has made the
depositaries of His law. He has committed to them sacred trust and
eternal truth to be given to the world. He would reprove and correct
them. The message to the Laodiceans is applicable to Seventh-day
Adventists who have had great light and have not walked in the light.
It is those who have made great profession, but have not kept in step
with their Leader, that will be spewed out of His mouth unless they
repent. The message to pronounce the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Babylon, and call the people of God out of her, does not come from any
heavenly messenger, or any human agent inspired by the Spirit of God.

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Other Manuscripts Volume Eighteen
The Need of Earnest Effort; Work the Cities; Heed the Message
to Laodicea
pr: 2 pg: 193
--------------------------
My brethren, seek the Lord; humble your hearts before Him. I have
an intense desire to see you walking in the light, as Christ is in the
light. I pray most earnestly for you. But I cannot fail to see that the
light God has given me is not favorable to our ministers or our
churches. You have left your first love. Self-righteousness is not the
wedding garment. A failure to follow the clear light of truth is our
fearful danger. The message to the Laodicean church reveals our
condition as a people.

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Testimony for the Church, Number 23
pr: 3 pg: 3 (1873)
--------------------------
The message to the church of the Laodiceans is a startling
denunciation, and is applicable to the people of God at the present
time.

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The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials
Sermon
pr: 1 pg: 346
--------------------------
Now, there has been coming in among us a self-sufficiency, and the
message to the Laodicean church is applicable to us. I will read it:
[Rev. 3:14-16 quoted.]

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The Great Controversy Between Christ and His Angels, and Satan and His Angels
(1858)
ch.32 The Shaking
--------------------------
I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen. I was shown that it would be
caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the true Witness
to the Laodiceans. It will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver of the
testimony, and it will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight
truth. This straight testimony some will not bear. They will rise up against it,
and this will cause a shaking among God's people.

I saw that the testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn
testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs, has been lightly esteemed,
if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance, and all
that truly receive it, will obey it, and be purified.