That is not really the case. Verse 17 definitely does not describe the children of God: ...and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
1. God's children cannot be wretched since they have God as their Father.
2. God's children cannot be miserable since they have the Holy Spirit as their Comforter.
3. God's children cannot be poor since they possess all of Christ's riches.
4. God's children cannot be blind, since they have the unction of the Holy Spirit.
5. God's children cannot be naked, since they have the robe of the righteousness of Christ as a robe of fine linen, clean and white.
Brother, I mean not to offend. However, what you are saying here is the very attitude Laodecia was corrected for. Is it not saying:
"Not us, Lord. We are your children. There is no way we could be seen in such a light! Yes, we are still found willfully sinning. Yes, we lack evidence of your dwelling in our hearts. Yes, the world looks upon us as hypocrites. Yes, we are unburdened for souls to come to know you. Yes, we do not love you with all of our hearts, and do not love others as we love ourselves. But Lord, we said the sinner's prayer. We go to church. We know your Word. We are your children. Our flaws are covered by your grace. Surely these hard words cannot apply to us!"
The main point of this OP was to point out our need to find the reason why all these characteristics of ours still exist in our midst, so that we can be set free indeed from US. But how many there are who cannot even admit that these things are talking about us. And the irony is, simply put, our response is the classic answer that the Laodecians offered.
Why was the early church on fire for God, filled with love and self sacrifice and we are a religious, divided, bickering and confusing mess? If we possess the same spirit as they, why do we languish in religious debate and meaningless excuses for our lack, when they brought forth shouts from unbelievers of "Behold how they love one another!" What is the reason for the disconnect?
It is simply because we have not understood that even though we possess new natures,
they must be put on by faith. And in order to do that, we must first come to hate our failings, our willful sin, our cold prayer lives, our lack of love, our very SELF that will never leave willingly.
Guys, we ARE new! Our great need now is to break before the Lord and cry out for the faith to believe that the old carnal self-driven US actually died when Christ died. Only then, when we hate who we have become, can we reach out in desperation and touch the hem of His garment and be given the faith to believe that we are new creatures. Only then can we stand against the accusations and temptations of the enemy and resist him steadfast in the faith, and joyfully watch him flee from us.
We are a stubborn people. But God knows this and will use the coming shakings to uproot us from our denial and complacency to bring us to where we need to be, broken, contrite and humble. He loves us far too much to let us proceed into the ever-increasing darkness without our spiritual armor on. And I pray we see, our new nature IS our spiritual armor! It is there we find rest. It is there we find safety. It is there we find victory. It is there we can abide in the vine and discover to our amazement and joy that we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
The counsel given to the Laodecian church is the counsel to us. The gold tried in the fire we are urged to buy is a call to the faith that believes that the old US is truly dead. Not needing to die. DEAD. The white raiment we are urged to put on is our new nature, for only then will the shame of our nakedness not appear.
Repentance is called for, brokenness for our contentedness without fruit, without godly character. And it is this brokenness, this acknowledgement that we ARE Laodecia, that is the eye salve that will allow us to finally see the full depth of the grace of God, that not only grants us forgiveness, but also causes us to be changed into overcomers, fearing nothing, no matter how dark the coming days are to become.
blessings to all,
Gideon