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Author Topic: Heat up your lukewarm faith
Talmid
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The city of Laodicea lies in the Lycus river valley in southwestern Asia Minor.

Across the valley and to the north are the White Cliffs...and just above these cliffs sits the city of Hieropolis. Hieropolis was indeed known for, among other things, its natural HOT springs. These springs brought cleansing to the unclean and comfort to the tired and weary and they were thought to be a source of healing for many afflictions.

To the east, we see the city of Colossae, backdropped by beautiful mountains that were almost always snow-capped. All around the city, all through these mountains, were hundreds of tiny streams that were constantly fed from the melting snow of these nearby mountains. The water was COLD and fresh and clean. It was refreshing…thirst-quenching…invigorating…uplifting. People talked about "the COLD wonderful water of Colossae" and travelers would replenish their water supplies with the water from these streams that surrounded the city.

Interesting enough, Laodicea didn’t have a good water supply of its own. The water that fed the city was the convergence of the HOT and COLD springs and streams, it was harsh and tepid and full of minerals, as evidenced by the thick calcification on the water pipes that remain there today. Drinking it would often make the people sick and nauseous. The water was basically …useless.

The city itself was better known for its unusually soft black wool and the eye salve they sold worldwide at the time. Laodicea was also a major trade and banking center and the city was filled with great wealth. A great ancient writer tells of the time the city was destroyed by an earthquake. When the Emperor offered to rebuild the city, the people basically said, "Thank you very much Mr Emperor, we’ve acquired great wealth, we’re rich…we don’t need your money, we’ll do it ourselves."

Much like the Emperor, Jesus has offered to rebuild our lives, yet how often do people say, whether by thought, word or deed, “Thank you very much, Jesus, but we are ALREADY rich! Look! We’ve acquired many material things, we don’t need your help in our lives. We can do it ourselves!”

Brothers and Sisters, I don’t think Jesus meant to imply that by being COLD you were to have no passion for Him. Why would He desire that? Remember Jesus’ use of parables and his use of object lessons that were relevant to the people of His day? Indeed, I think, in this letter to the Church of Laodicea, HOT and COLD are both good ways to be. HOT brings restoration, healing, comfort to ache and pain and disease. COLD is wonderful, refreshing, uplifting. It brings a new burst of energy and enthusiasm. But the lukewarm water here is worthless, it only makes you sick.

Jesus’ battle plan is so very simple. Go out to a hurting world ...with passion…with conviction…with enthusiasm… and be as the HOT water of Hieropolis or the COLD water of Colossae. Be a healer, a restorer, be a comforter. Or an uplifter…or someone who brings new life and invigorates…someone who encourages…someone who helps quench the thirst for knowledge…because people need a touch of Jesus…through you…but if you don’t do anyone any good…if you remain lukewarm like the water of Laodicea…He *will* spit you out.

When did you last bring the comfort of the love of Jesus to a lost, hurting person? Perhaps someone in your very own neighborhood? Or take time from your day to go to someone who was hungry…or alone…or broken…or depressed and rejected? Or when did you last go forth with enthusiasm to someone who was discouraged…bringing them that taste of new life that is Jesus? It isn’t big money and large corporations…or fancy ad campaigns that make a difference…it’s love of one to another…the love of Jesus.

Go…with Passion! And be HOT…or be COLD…never EVER be lukewarm.

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"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."

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WildB
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quote:
Originally posted by oneinchrist:
Hi Dave,
According to the Vines Concise Dictionary Of The Bible the word lukewarm is used metaphorically in Rev. 3:16, of the state of the Laodicean church, which afforded no refreshment to the Lord.

Revelation 3:17 gives us a clue as to why the Laodiceans afforded no refreshment to the Lord........"I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.

It seems to me that it can be safely concluded from the above definition and Revelation vs. 17 that Jesus called them "lukewarm" because they were living in luxury and therefore did not seek out Jesus for anything more.

With love in Jesus,
Daniel

Sorry Daniel more opinion and not Biblical.

Was it not a rich man that gave his burial place for Christ?

In America we are living in luxury even in prison compared to 3rd world countries.
[cool_shades]

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That is all.....

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oneinchrist
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Hi Dave,
According to the Vines Concise Dictionary Of The Bible the word lukewarm is used metaphorically in Rev. 3:16, of the state of the Laodicean church, which afforded no refreshment to the Lord.

Revelation 3:17 gives us a clue as to why the Laodiceans afforded no refreshment to the Lord........"I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.

It seems to me that it can be safely concluded from the above definition and Revelation vs. 17 that Jesus called them "lukewarm" because they were living in luxury and therefore did not seek out Jesus for anything more.

With love in Jesus,
Daniel

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KnowHim
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WOW this was so good I had to post it again!!!!
Thank you Carol!!!
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“Lukewarm” means “self-righteous.”

A “lukewarm Christian” is not somebody who claims to follow Jesus but also does worldly things. It’s somebody who says “I don’t do worldly things, so I’m living in God’s will.”

A “lukewarm Christian” is not somebody who claims to follow Jesus but only shows up on Sundays. It’s somebody who says, “God must be pleased with my devoted church attendance.”

A “lukewarm Christian” is not somebody who doesn’t have a quiver full of children. It’s somebody who says, “I have biblical family values, so I’m more sold out to the Lord than those feminists are.”

Lukewarm Christians are satisfied in themselves. Lukewarm Christians are proud of their spiritual commitment and pleased with all that they do for the Lord. Lukewarm Christians believe that they are living the right way, with all the right values, and all the right methods, and all the right works.

Except they aren’t. The fact that lukewarmness—self-righteousness—nauseates the Lord matches what He said (terrifyingly) about people who won’t make it into heaven:

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” (Matthew 7:22–23)

These people did great works for the Lord—even miracles—and thought well of themselves, but they missed their need for the Lord Himself. Jesus said, “Only one thing is needful,” and it isn’t to do great works for Him. Jesus wants us to trust Him, rest in Him, believe in Him, see our need for Him, get to know Him, let Him get to know us. That’s all one thing: it’s called Faith.

That may explain why Jesus says “I wish you were cold or hot.” If you’re “hot,” then of course you’re exactly where the Lord wants you to be—surrendering to the All-Consuming Fire. You’re seeing your need of Him and depending on Him to burn away your impurities and kindle your love.

If you’re “cold,” you’re apart from Him—and you feel it. Sometimes we have to hit the bottom before we learn to look up. As Martin Luther said, if you’re going to sin, you may as well sin boldly. None of this socially respectable stuff. Try it all, if that’s what it will take for you to see it doesn’t satisfy. When the Prodigal wound up in a pigsty, he realized how good his father really was. The sooner you get to the end of your rope, the sooner you’ll see your need to be rescued.

Being “cold” is just as good as being “hot,” from a salvific standpoint, because in both cases you’re seeing your need, insufficiency, and helplessness, and coming to depend on Jesus for His grace, forgiveness, and righteousness. The one fatal condition is to be needy while depending on your own righteousness. That’s disgusting. That will get you spit out of Jesus’ mouth. That’s lukewarm.

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Carol Swenson
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Now how are we to interpret these three categories? What does cold mean? Well that's not too tough. Cold means spiritually cold, open outright rejection of Jesus Christ, repudiating the gospel. He says you're not cold, I mean, you're just not openly, outright, rebellious, rejecting Christ and repudiating Christianity.

But on the other hand, what does hot mean? Zealous, spiritually alive and awake and eager and fired up, as it were, for the Lord. He says you're not that either. You're not boiling for...with spiritual zeal for the Lord, nor are you openly outright cold.

There are many in the world who are completely cold to the things of Christ. The gospel leaves them absolutely unmoved. It arouses no spiritual response. They have no interest in Christianity, no interest in the church. They make no pretense. They certainly aren't hypocrites. They don't even go near things that have to do with Christ. They are lost and they could care less. They don't want to hear the Word of God at all.

On the other hand, believers are marked by a response to spiritual truth and they're zealous and they're fervent. And He's saying metaphorically, I can take it if you were like Hierapolis because then you'd be real. I could even take it if you were like the cold water of Colossae. That's better than being the foul water of Laodicea, lukewarm. Who are they? Professing Christians...go to church, claim to know the Lord, but aren't saved. They're content with self-righteous religion. They're hypocrites playing games. They're the kind of people described in Matthew 7 where Jesus says, "Many will say unto Me in that day, `Lord, Lord,' and I will say unto them, `Depart from Me, I never knew you. You may have done many works in My name and prophesied and cast out demons, but I don't know you.'"

They're like those in 2 Timothy 3:5 who have a form of godliness but without power. They're like the Jews in Romans 10 who have a zeal for God but not according to a true knowledge. They're just hypocrites touched someway by Christianity but not belonging to Christ. And there is something obnoxious about them. They nauseate Christ. They make Him sick.

There's much more hope, frankly, for one who has been untouched by the gospel. There's much more hope for one who has made no pretense of knowing Christ. Do you understand that? Than there is for the one who makes the pretense but his life illustrates that he's not really honored Christ at all. In fact, I would say there's no one farther from the truth in Christ than the one who makes an idle profession without real faith. He is really in Satan's hands. They had bought a satanic lie about Christ. They were in religion up to their neck. They called it Christianity. They said they were a church. Satan was in control.

...Here we see it clearly. The lukewarm condition is lostness. It is the sickening condition of thinking you are spiritually rich when you're bankrupt, of thinking you are beautiful when you are wretched, of imagining you are to be envied when you are to be pitied, of believing you see clearly everything when you see nothing. You are stone blind...a feeling you are clothed in spiritual finery and you are stark naked. That's what He's saying. You've got it exactly opposite.

...Salvation is the gold that makes people spiritually rich in faith. Salvation is the white robe that covers our sinful nakedness. Salvation is the eye salve that gives us the knowledge of God and of His truth. What's He offering? An abiding faith, an abiding righteousness, an abiding understanding. You are poor, you are blind, you are naked. Let Me fix that.

John MacArthur

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Carol Swenson
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There’s this sermon I’ve heard a few dozen times. You’ve probably heard it too. It goes like this. Some Christians are really passionate and sold out for the Lord. They do great things. They live ri­ghteously. They don’t do anything that could be considered worldly. They only listen to Christian music. They have biblical family values. They’re on fire.

And others? Well, they’re “lukewarm Christians.” Sure, they say they believe, but they’re not that committed. They show up in church to warm the pews, but they still do worldly things. You should see the way they dress and those movies and music they listen to! If only they knew all the right things to do so they could be on fire like us. Jesus says, “So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth” (Rev. 3:16). That, strong children, is why you have to be on fire for the Lord. Let us pray.

Obviously, I can’t object to an exhortation to be more committed to the Lord, and I dislike “easy-believe-ism” as much as the next disillusioned evangelical does. But if you know about Spiritual Abuse, you recognize a few other all-too-familiar themes lurking in the subtext.

There’s a strong temptation to elitism there—you want to be better than all those “lukewarm” folks, don’t you? Legalism’s waiting to pounce, too; it blends in perfectly as long as you define “On fire” as “Doing our things” and “Worldly” as “Not.” All that’s left is for us to spin “I will spit you out of my mouth” as “You might be eternally lost if you don’t do our thing” and we’re practically in cult territory.

But it’s biblical, right? It even has a Bible verse in it, and you can find dozens of people interpreting that verse in exactly that way, pretty much that same sermon, even. Tweak the applications a bit and it’s good for weeks.

Well, there’s one tiny problem: That’s not what that Bible verse means. Actually, it means pretty much the opposite.

Yes, Jesus says He doesn’t like it if you’re “lukewarm.” Yes, Jesus says “I will spit you out of my mouth,” and yes, it’s true (as you’ve probably heard) that that refers to puking. But what makes Jesus want to vomit? Is it really people who claim to follow Him and still (horrors!) watch PG-13 movies with wizards in them? Is it people who claim to follow Him but are just pew-warmers?

Or is it something different? Not just a different token “worldly” action, but a completely different way of thinking about your relationship to the Lord?

The answer, like the answers to most things, is found in context. The context here is the opening chapters of the book of Revelation, that is, the part that you don’t need an advanced degree in theology or screenwriting to interpret. John records letters from Jesus to seven churches in Asia Minor, at once pointing out their sins and shortcomings and encouraging them to stand firm in what faith they have. It’s dynamite stuff; I wish I had time to expound all of it.

The letter with the “lukewarm” verse is the seventh and last, addressed to the church in Laodicea. It begins like this:

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.

Already this is a bit confusing, given the standard interpretation. If the “hot” people are those who are “on fire” for the Lord, then the “cold” people must be… atheists? Flagrant sinners? Crooked politicians? Richard Dawkins and his merry band of infidels? Could be, but then why does Jesus say “I wish you were cold or hot” like they’re both equally good? Surely He doesn’t consider it the same to be on fire for Him and stone-cold against Him?

16 ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

That bit we know. Jesus doesn’t like lukewarm beverages. He spits them out. Insipidity, something that’s the same temperature as the room, doesn’t do it for Him.

That’s obviously a metaphor for something (unless you’re a hyper-literalist and think that Jesus drinks people). Yet there’s no mention of the behaviors we’re often told are “worldly.” Is Jesus speaking in riddles, or will He explain what He means? What’s the difference between “hot” and “cold”? What makes a person “lukewarm”?

The next verse tells us. Specifically. It even starts with “Because” so we won’t miss that it’s connected. Here’s why Jesus gets nauseated by “lukewarm” believers:

17 ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked…

Oh.

Well, that’s not what they told us it meant.

The “lukewarm” people Jesus is criticizing think they have it all together, but they don’t. They think they are rich when they are actually poor; they think they can see when they are really blind; they think they need nothing when they are living on the streets. They have the worst of both worlds—all the smugness of wealth and all the neediness of poverty. They need help, but they think they’re well off.

This makes the rest of Jesus’ metaphor perfectly clear. “Lukewarm,” obviously, means a mixture of hot and cold, producing something bland and tepid. The Laodicean church combined feelings of passion for the Lord (hot) with the condition of being apart from the Lord (cold). The result is horrible: people in spiritual need who can’t recognize it because they think they’re doing great.

“Lukewarm” means “self-righteous.”

A “lukewarm Christian” is not somebody who claims to follow Jesus but also does worldly things. It’s somebody who says “I don’t do worldly things, so I’m living in God’s will.”

A “lukewarm Christian” is not somebody who claims to follow Jesus but only shows up on Sundays. It’s somebody who says, “God must be pleased with my devoted church attendance.”

A “lukewarm Christian” is not somebody who doesn’t have a quiver full of children. It’s somebody who says, “I have biblical family values, so I’m more sold out to the Lord than those feminists are.”

Lukewarm Christians are satisfied in themselves. Lukewarm Christians are proud of their spiritual commitment and pleased with all that they do for the Lord. Lukewarm Christians believe that they are living the right way, with all the right values, and all the right methods, and all the right works.

Except they aren’t. The fact that lukewarmness—self-righteousness—nauseates the Lord matches what He said (terrifyingly) about people who won’t make it into heaven:

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” (Matthew 7:22–23)

These people did great works for the Lord—even miracles—and thought well of themselves, but they missed their need for the Lord Himself. Jesus said, “Only one thing is needful,” and it isn’t to do great works for Him. Jesus wants us to trust Him, rest in Him, believe in Him, see our need for Him, get to know Him, let Him get to know us. That’s all one thing: it’s called Faith.

That may explain why Jesus says “I wish you were cold or hot.” If you’re “hot,” then of course you’re exactly where the Lord wants you to be—surrendering to the All-Consuming Fire. You’re seeing your need of Him and depending on Him to burn away your impurities and kindle your love.

If you’re “cold,” you’re apart from Him—and you feel it. Sometimes we have to hit the bottom before we learn to look up. As Martin Luther said, if you’re going to sin, you may as well sin boldly. None of this socially respectable stuff. Try it all, if that’s what it will take for you to see it doesn’t satisfy. When the Prodigal wound up in a pigsty, he realized how good his father really was. The sooner you get to the end of your rope, the sooner you’ll see your need to be rescued.

Being “cold” is just as good as being “hot,” from a salvific standpoint, because in both cases you’re seeing your need, insufficiency, and helplessness, and coming to depend on Jesus for His grace, forgiveness, and righteousness. The one fatal condition is to be needy while depending on your own righteousness. That’s disgusting. That will get you spit out of Jesus’ mouth. That’s lukewarm.

The point is not that we should be lazy, worldly, or half-hearted in our commitment to Jesus. The point is that there are much worse sins than laziness or worldliness. As C. S. Lewis said, “A cold, self-righteous prig who goes regularly to church may be far nearer to hell than a prostitute. But, of course, it is better to be neither.”

What’s the cure for lukewarmness? Jesus (again) tells us exactly in context. Here’s the rest of His letter:

18 ‘I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

The answer is to look to Jesus. It’s to see your need and see that only Jesus can fill it. It’s to ask Him to give you whatever it takes to fill it, and to give up anything it takes to get it. It’s to let Jesus enrich you, cover you, heal you.

There’s hope. Jesus counts even the “lukewarm” people among “those whom I love”; otherwise He wouldn’t take the trouble to correct them. It’s never too late to repent and open the door to friendship with Christ. If you let Jesus sit down with you at your table, He’ll let you sit down with Him on His throne.

If you simply do that—if you open the door to Jesus, trust in Him, get to know Him, and let Him help you overcome your self-righteousness—then you’re not lukewarm anymore. You’re one who overcomes. You’re on fire.

Don’t let any of the lukewarm Christians tell you otherwise.

The Myth Of The Lukewarm Christian

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becauseHElives
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“Lukewarm”…a person who will say and/or do anything to be accepted by everyone. A person who is “lukewarm” wants to be accepted by the world and the Church. Billy Graham is a good example of one who is “lukewarm”. Friend to the world and accepted by most of the Church.

But most people miss a very important truth conveyed by Jesus in this passage of Scripture.

Most people focus on being "lukewarm" part ...
when they should be focusing on what happens to that "lukewarm" individual...

Jesus says He will spew (vomit) them out of His mouth...

Jesus is clearly only speaking to Christians, people who have accepted Him as Savior and Lord...

to be vomited out of the body....

think about that... nothing can be expelled from the body unless it has first been received into the body...

the "lukewarm" will be spewed out, expelled from the body, vomited out ...

God help people of faith to understand...faith without works, (action) is dead!

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Strive to enter in at the strait gate:for many, I say unto you will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. ( Luke 13:24 )

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KnowHim
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What do you think a “lukewarm” Christian is? I heard part of a sermon about this the other day on our local Christian radio station, and I think I must be one...

Click Here to read this article.
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Glad this was posted in a newspaper as I really needed to see it. This is sure not a good time to be lukewarm. Well actually no time is a good time to be lukewarm.

David

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