Chapter Thirteen/Buy Gold Refined by Fire

Applying Spiritual Eye Salve

Jesus also sternly admonishes those Laodiceans:  "Buy . . . white outer garments that you may become dressed and that the shame of your nakedness  may not become manifested, and eye salve to rub in your eyes that you may see." (Revelation 3:18b)  They should seek a cure for their spiritual blindness by purchasing  curative eye salve, not that of the local healers, but of the kind that only Jesus can provide.  This would help them to get spiritual discernment, helping them to walk  in "the path of the righteous ones" with their beaming eyes focused on doing God's will.  (Proverbs 4:18, 25-27)  Thus, they may put on, not the costly garments  of black wool made locally in Laodicea, but fine "white outer garments" that proclaim their privileged identity as followers of Jesus Christ. -Compare 1 Timothy 2:9, 10; 1 Peter 3:3-5. 

Is spiritual eye salve available in  modern times?  Assuredly it is!  in 1879  Pastor Russell, as he was affectionately called, began to publish in defense of truth the magazine that is known worldwide today as The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom.   In its second issue, he declared:  "[This magazine] has, we believe, Jehovah for its backer, and while this is the case it will never beg nor petition men for support.  When he who says 'All the gold and silver of this mountain are mine,' fails to provide necessary funds, we will understand it to be time to suspend publication."    Some 20th century television evangelist  have amassed vast fortunes and lived in shameless  (and sometimes immoral) luxury.  (Compare Revelation 18:3)  In contrast,  the Bible Students, known today as Jehovah's Witnesses, have used all the unsolicited contributions received to organize and advance the worldwide preaching of Jehovah's incoming Kingdom.  The John class to this day directs the publishing of The Watchtower and Awake! which magazines had a combined circulation in 1988 of more than 20 million.  The Watchtower is available  in more than a hundred languages. It is the official journal of a congregation of more than three million Christians who have used such spiritual eye salve in getting their eyes opened to false religion and to the urgency of preaching the good news/true knowledge in all the nations. -Mark 13:13.

Note: In my opinion, it should be called True Knowledge or Bible Truth, and once people learn it and accept it as truth, then it is for sure, good news.   This is so far, after years of going to different churches -hearing sermons from those churches, I always came away feeling something was missing there.  After many years, I finally found the truth and this truth, if I had actually read the Bible, which by the way, was The King James Bible,  word for word,  I would have seen that the Witnesses preach what is actually Jehovah God's Words in the Bible.  They back up their preaching with the books, chapters and verses in the Bible.   None of the other churches, be it Catholic, Baptist, Pentecost or any other church does that. They teach tradition, which includes untruth and celebrating holidays.   That is not approved by Jehovah God.  

Next time:Chapter Thirteen/Buy Gold Refined by Fire - Benefiting From Reproof and Discipline 

From the book of Revelation