Revelation 3:18 18I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
Although outwardly, the Laodicean believers looked rich and satisfied, their inner spiritual lives were lacking. They were materialistic and caught up in the pleasures of this world. They felt that they were healthy and happy. Their wealth was only a façade, a whitewash. They had been blinded by the false promises of this world. Jesus advised or counseled them to look for their purpose and meaning not in the things of the world but in what he can provide. He urges them to have three symbolic attributes.
First, gold refined by fire answers the wealth they desired. The meaning of this gold symbol is unclear. It is a different type of gold than the literal treasures Laodicea was known for. Gold has been sought after for thousands of years. Its yellowish color fascinates humanity. The gold Jesus offers satisfies not the eyes but the heart. Refining by fire is the process of purification. Fire could represent the difficult choice one must make to forsake worldly things, or the greatest challenges of persecution. The result of the refining process is something of great value, much better and lasting than anything the world can offer (1 Peter 1:7). The gold Jesus offers has to go through the fire and be tested, but the results will be worth it.
Second, Jesus offers white garments to cover the shame that comes with sin. In Revelation, white represents holiness and purity. Those who are faithful to the Lamb will receive white robes, meaning that they will be spiritually clothed in such a way that enables them to be in God’s kingdom. The image in this verse focuses particularly on how the shame of the faithful believers will be covered. Shame results when sin is exposed. Jesus saw through their façade of outward adornment and into the condition of their heart.
The third gift Jesus had planned for the Laodiceans was a special salve for their eyes. This special ointment would cure their blindness identified in verse 17. Laodicea was famous for its eye salve. Something had deceived these Christians, taking their focus away from the truth found in Jesus. Materialism, in any of its forms, can distract us from more crucial spiritual matters. The solution Jesus offered was a change of heart. They would see—meaning understand and apply—the gospel more clearly.