OCTOBER 24, 2024
“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)
Revelation contains seven letters to various Asian churches, but this one is the most convicting. Christ uses the analogy of lukewarm water to display what He thinks about the Laodicean church. The region was famous for having ten thermal springs at the bathhouses and spas beloved by all. It’s essential to understand the historical context because the letter abounds in metaphors taken from the contextual setting of the time. The ranges of temperatures mirror the people’s hearts toward God. Hot water represents a fervent zeal and devotion to the Lord, cold water symbolizes an attitude of utter indifference to Christ, and lukewarm water represents those who have a profession of faith and some outward signs of life but inwardly have either never gained a burning interest in Christ or have fallen back into the conformity of the world. To be lukewarm means to remain half-hearted in our Christianity, which is how Christ diagnosed the Laodicean church. They weren’t fully committed nor completely unconcerned in their faith.
How does it get to be like this? Are we relaxing on our past devotion and spirituality or seeking the Lord with all our strength? There are two directions to this unacceptable lukewarmness: First, cold water can become lukewarm by adding heat. Many have enjoyed the outward blessings of Christianity but have never experienced its actual reality from their souls. Second, hot water can cool off by the removal of heat. All that must happen to grow lukewarm is slowly forsake the spiritual practices you once held to. There is only one trustworthy source of heat, energy, and light in this world: Jesus Christ, and without abiding close to Christ, we will soon lose our zeal for the Lord.
Lukewarmness is a state that must be identified and corrected for several reasons. First and foremost, it is unacceptable. The phrase used in Vs 16 implies rejection. The danger lies in being rejected by God due to lukewarmness. Second, it is a deceptive state. Those who are lukewarm often fail to recognize their own spiritual poverty.
So, how do we go about correcting it? We must run back to Christ, realizing that we are poor, naked, and blind to our condition and can only find spiritual wealth, health, and sight in Christ. Thankfully, God didn’t immediately judge us but gave us time to repent. We’re in immense trouble if we continue to sin and suffer no rebuke. As we read in Proverbs, “For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” (Prov. 3:12). Though lukewarm people are in danger of being rejected by God, He still allows us to get right with Him. Christ stands ready to forgive, and the Lord is far more able to help us than we are to help ourselves.
The counsel that Christ gives Laodicea is simple yet profound. It is the common remedy for all sinful states: We are to repent. Repentance, the sum total of all Godly sorrow, regret, and conviction is the key to overcoming lukewarmness. Our incredible loss and deterioration can be immediately forgiven and put away upon confessing our sins and turning from them. We should not underestimate the power and present efficiency of a complete atonement.
The easiest way to remedy lukewarmness is to return to our old ways, the ways we held to when hot. We must recapture our fervency. If we’re no longer hot, we should ask ourselves if there is something we’re neglecting regarding our faith that needs to be brought back. Whether it be reading, praying, or meditating on the Word, whatever it is, we need to return to our zealous ways.
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