What is a lukewarm believer? How can we distinguish between genuine, saving faith, and heartless day-to-day practicum of religious tradition or cultural conditioning?

It is the normative experience for most Christians in the US to know a great many nominal believers; that is, people who call themselves Christians but do not follow Christ. Their lives are marked by sin, and yet they claim to believe that Jesus Christ bled and died for them as a propitiatory sacrifice. We notice them by their actions and words as oftentimes, though they claim Christ, they do not display the fruits of the Spirit of God. For many centuries, a problem that has plagued the church of Christ has been that of what Scripture calls “lukewarm” Christians:

“Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea:

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne. Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.” – Revelation 3:14-22 (HCSB)

Now, there is a lot that could be said of this rich and symbolic passage, however here are some key things to note with regard to lukewarm believers:

1. They are “neither cold nor hot”
2. They are going to be vomited out of the mouth of the Lord
3. Those who are lukewarm claim that they are “rich” and “need nothing”
4. Yet in the sight of the Lord they are “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked”

It is no accident that the Spirit of God led John to address the Church of Laodicea in this way. Insofar as the city is concerned, Laodicea was located in close proximity to two relatively well-known cities: Hierapolis and Colossae. The city of Hierapolis was known for its medicinal hot springs, and many would seek out the springs to find healing for various bodily ailments. Conversely, Colossae was located at the base of a mountain, and its primary water source was drawn from the fresh mountain streams that flowed from the snow that melted and ran down towards the city. Laodicea itself, however, was not founded on a particularly large water source, and so water had to be piped in from nearby areas to the city in order to meet the needs of the people. Unfortunately, these archaic water systems did not provide fluoride and the various chemical compounds we put in our water systems today to protect against bacterial growth and stagnancy in our tap water. Instead, the water was funneled through likely aboveground pipes (which made the water warm) and held in these pipes until it was used by the patrons in the city. The resulting water was stagnant, lukewarm, and likely infested with all manner of parasites, bacteria, and any sediment or impurities that it picked up along the way. This made Laodicea’s water very different from the medicinal hot waters of Hierapolis and the cool, refreshing water of Colossae. In fact, the water would have been so disgusting in some instances, that if you were to drink it you would throw it right back up!

It could be fairly reasoned, therefore, that the water in Laodicea was mostly useless, and such is the lukewarm believer in Christ; useless in the Kingdom of God. Our passage from Rev. 3 expounds on the nature of these believers. Lukewarm believers see themselves as rich indeed, however their spiritual poverty is extreme.

What is being said here is not a matter of “oh, well I just need to do better in my walk with Jesus!” No, this passage says that “because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.” This is a matter of salvation.

Jesus is recorded as speaking of fake believers on multiple accounts:

“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’ – Matthew 7:15-23

Again, in James, we see this theme reiterated as James emphasized the importance of the evidence of faith in the life of the true believer:

 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith save him?

If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.” – James 2:14-18

So, then what are we to do in light of this instruction? What can we learn from this as Christians? I would submit to you that, according to the Word of God, being lukewarm is an extremely dangerous place to be, and I fear for anyone who calls themselves a follower of the Lord Jesus and yet whose heart is unmoved by the things of God and has a flippant attitude towards sin. Unless you are willing to leave behind your mother and your father, abandon the traditions of men, and take up the suffering of the cross of Christ, then you will not be saved. (Matt. 16:24-26, 10:35-37, 8:21-22)

Therefore, brothers and sisters, steal away to be alone with God. Cry out to Him. Search your own heart and honestly ask yourself:

• Do I desire to be holy as the Lord is holy?
• Am I seeking to serve and love the lost?
• Is godliness a priority for me? Am I willing to sacrifice to achieve it?
• Am I concerned with the way I use my words? Am I vain and profane in my language?
• Do I dress modestly and seek to build a frame for my face instead of my body?
• Is money an idol for me? Am I willing to lose it for the benefit of others, even if it makes me uncomfortable?
• Am I serving the local church? Do I even care about the local church and her members? Would I rather spend time with non-believers than the called of God?
• Do I sacrifice my sexual purity on the altar of my own pleasure? Does it matter at all to me that God hates sin?
• Am I living in a way that matches up with what I believe? Do I blaspheme God with my words or thoughts?

God is graceful to grant to His children repentance and a contrite heart. Pray for this.

Grace and peace to you, as your heart is anchored on the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” – Psalm 32:2