No such thing as a lukewarm Christian
August 5, 2018
This is the final letter in our series, Jesus’ letter to the church in Laodicea. It is the strongest letter in terms of rebuke and alarmingly it is to a church that looks most similar to us in 21st century UK. The church is neither hot nor cold but is lukewarm and Jesus says if they remain this way he will have no choice but to spit them out of His mouth. The challenge to us in this passage is ‘am I lukewarm?’ The Laodiceans seemed to believe they no longer needed God. They were rich, they had prospered, they were doing OK… riches can blind us to the true state of our spiritual condition, providing a veneer of security that really isn’t there. It’s hard to be zealous when you don’t realise you’re needy. We pray Lord, ‘do whatever it takes to set me on fire for you’. If I have to give more, endure more, or lose it all; all I ask is that you give me true riches and come in to my house and eat!
Stephen Morrison
In this series:
Revelation 3:14–22 (Listen)
To the Church in Laodicea
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel 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 seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so 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 eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered 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.’”
(ESV)
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.
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