Lukewarm Christianity: 5 Danger Zones
Lukewarm Christianity shouldn’t define Christians. The world revels at looking hot, but Christians should look hotter. If they don’t, God has a quick fix.
Revelation 3:15–17
“This message is from the one who stands firm, the faithful and true Witness of all that is or was or evermore shall be,* the primeval source of God’s creation: “I know you well—you are neither hot nor cold; I wish you were one or the other!
But since you are merely lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth!“You say, ‘I am rich, with everything I want; I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that spiritually you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked (TLB).
Here are our choices: Cold-Lukewarm-Hot. If our spirits aren’t boiling hot, God spits lukewarm Christians out of His mouth.
Why?
Lukewarm Christianity: God Needs You to Win Souls
John 3:16
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
Since we all have a date with death, every person’s days are numbered and there are only two eternal choices: heaven and hell. Before God intervenes for the last time, He allows rampant sin to give people more time to choose Jesus Christ as their Savior. He’s the only One who can save and preserve our lives for eternity.
And it’s a Christian’s job to deliver the Gospel message whether you write books and blogs, or answer questions on Quora and other platforms. You can share the Good News with friends, family, and co-workers, or find other ways to deliver God’s message of salvation.
So ask yourself if you have grown lukewarm. See if you have entered any of these danger zones because there are consequences of being lukewarm.
Profile of Lukewarm Christianity
- Self-satisfaction: A lukewarm Christian doesn’t see their spiritual condition. As Revelation 3:15-17 indicates, they think everything’s okay with them. But God says they are poor, blind, and pitiful.
- Mediocrity: A true Christian is on fire for God. They aren’t indifferent to what goes on around them and in the world. Their hearts are attuned to the Holy Spirit and what He wants them to do, no matter how small or seemingly large. Doing the religious thing to get by is not on a true Christian’s radar.
- Spiritual laziness: Do you know anyone who eats garbage and drinks sewer water? A lukewarm Christian does that when they feed and drink from muddy waters and broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:13) in the form of inappropriate TV programs, music, and other media that fails to feed the spirit and forsakes the fountain of living water, God Himself. They have no desire to feed on God’s abiding Word.
- Complacency: Lukewarm Christians are content to be goats rather than sheep. They could fellowship with the Good Shepherd and stay under His watchful care but they’d rather remain apathetic and sinful creatures ensnared by their desires.
- Unfaithfulness: Compromise happens in a Christian’s life when they make choices apart from God. Little compromises grow into huge blunders.
Good News for Lukewarm Christians
God came for the sick in spirit. He extends His compassion and grace to anyone thirsty for Him and looking for the satisfaction only Jesus provides as Lord and Savior. The food He has is rich, sustaining, and eternal. He offers an everlasting covenant to those who will repent, believe, and live.
In your private moments, look deep inside to see what’s there. If you need absolutely nothing, then where is God? Did you stuff Him into an unused corner of your mind because you’re totally self-reliant?
How earnestly do you seek God? Do you need Him as you do food, air, and sleep? Do you crave the Lord’s sweetness because life seems harsh? Does your compassion for lost souls overwhelm your senses and spirit? Are you on fire for Jesus or is your spirit tepid?
These are all questions you can ask yourself to determine whether lukewarm Christianity is your norm. If you come up short, there are . . . .
Ways to Combat Lukewarm Christianity
Revelation 3:18 more than hints at solutions for a lukewarm heart and spirit. I’ve paraphrased that verse below.
Reach for Him (gold) to keep your spirit and soul pure.
To make that happen, consider becoming a hot Christian with these attitudes.
- Conviction: People who have strong convictions know what they believe. For example, you couldn’t beat out of a true Christian the truth about Jesus. There are no gray areas in their faith. Does that describe you? Or is your faith on the back seat so to speak along with your gym shoes and a first-aid kit?
- Uncompromising Attitude: Lukewarm Christians have no trouble blending in with worldly values. In fact, their lifestyles are indistinguishable from unbelievers. Hot Christians exemplify faithfulness by what they say and do and repent when they don’t.
- Conquering Spirit: To remain spiritually hot, you must fight to keep your position in Christ. It’s not easy to live a Christian life because your senses are assailed at every turn. Allow the Holy Spirit to keep you focused and centered on who God is to receive strength. Keep overcoming the temptation to put your faith on hold because it’s inconvenient or something other people see as irrelevant.
Overcoming Spiritual Lukewarmness
Every Christian lives in the Valley of Dry Bones maybe more than once where they lose their way. Lukewarm Christianity isn’t the same thing. When you’re lukewarm, you make less than half-hearted attempts to live a Christian life.
Specifically, you allow your slothful spirit to take regular breaks away from God. So, be honest with yourself about your spiritual condition. Then, do something about it! Return to spiritual disciplines like journaling, attending a Bible study, or taking communion at home.
Pray and draw close to God by reading the Bible to regain fellowship with Him. Pay attention to prods from the Holy Spirit. Slowly but surely, together with God, your faith will grow hot.