“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.
So then because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16)
Warning!
Observe that there are three categories listed. Cold, Hot and Lukewarm. Also observe what Jesus is saying…”I know your works…”
Folks, this is serious business here. To be cold is to be completely indifferent to the things of God (lost, unsaved). Lukewarm is even worse…because a lukewarm person knows just enough scripture and churchianity to be completely deceived…and many remain in that state. They know or understand things about God, but are still indifferent to the things of God. That is…they live for themselves. They are lovers of self rather than lovers of God, and this fruit will manifest itself in the life of these “believers”.
The final category is HOT. This is where we should all be, if we name the name of Christ as our Lord and Savior. We should be consumed with HIM. He should be in our thoughts, in our speech and in our actions. A HOT Saint will live a vibrant and productive life for the Kingdom of God and they will spend themselves to advance His kingdom on this earth. They will burn brightly, proclaiming the TRUTH and the world will hate them…because the world hated HIM first. If we are indeed His children…we will do as He did…and we will suffer the same rejections, indignation, insults, suffering and persecution that He suffered.
So…here is the question: examine your Christianity. What category do you fit in? If you are having a hard time discerning…then it’s probably NOT good. Here is Jesus’ words to you:
“I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” (Revelation 3:18-19)
– via Valiant Christianity
Not Alone 
June 7th, 2012 at 4:22 am
That is an excellent exhortation! I LOVE it! 🙂
June 7th, 2012 at 7:26 am
Be careful in your theology and explanation of Scripture here. “Cold” does not necessarily mean “indifferent.” Why would God want someone to be indifferent or even unsaved as opposed to lukewarm? Hot and cold water are both useful, whereas lukewarn water is good for nothing. That is more what John was talking about. Read some more about Laodicea and its water system…
June 13th, 2012 at 10:49 pm
Sean, you asked, “Why would God want someone to be indifferent or even unsaved as opposed to lukewarm?” The answer to this is found in the scriptures. Consider this admonition found in 2 Peter:
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. (2 Peter 2:21-22)
This is why it is better for them to be “cold” (to have never known the way of righteousness) then to be lukewarm…
“Lukewarmness”, among other things, represents mixture. For example, lukewarm water is actually a blend of both hot and cold water, i.e. “and neither cold nor hot”. Hence, “lukewarmness” has a dead-religious quality. To be lukewarm is to, as it were, play the hypocrite to some degree, to participate in spiritual games.
Though John is credited with writing the book of Revelation, it is the very words of JESUS that we are looking at. Jesus is NOT speaking about water in this passage. He is speaking about relationships. In addition to this, He is giving them a rebuke for the condition of the relationship and urging them to repent. (see: Rev. 3:19)
In relationships, being “cold” is no good and certainly would indicate no feeling or emotion at all for the other party. In a word: indifferent. Nevertheless, at least those that are of the “cold” disposition, are decidedly so.
In contrast, the “lukewarm” are hypocritical, such as this scripture reveals:
Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15:7-9)
To sum up: it’s better to be “unsaved” than to be a “saved, deceived, hypocrite”. And it goes without saying that the BEST category to be in is HOT.
God Bless!
June 7th, 2012 at 7:44 pm
Hi! I used to think the same thing–hot was good, cold was bad, lukewarm was the worst! But I think the Lord showed me something a few years ago. The in speaking to the church at Laodicea, Lord said “I wish that you were hot OR cold.” That implies that cold isn’t necessarily bad.
If a stranger wandered out of the desert, would it be better to offer him a cold drink of water or a hot one? Cold, in it’s proper place, is refreshing.
Also, if you take three cups of water: one hot, one cold, and one lukewarm– and then place yeast in them– the hot water will kill the yeast, the lukewarm will help the yeast to thrive, but the cold (while not killing the yeast) will impede the growth of the yeast.
I believe that what you are saying is that our love for the Lord shouldn’t “grow cold” and with that I do agree. 🙂
June 13th, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Terry, I do understand the reasoning you are using here, but it does not fit the application that Jesus is speaking of. Jesus is not speaking about WATER. Jesus is speaking about relationships. In relationships the Hot, Cold and Lukewarm take on a whole new
meaning.
“While “cold” is not good, indeed still damned, but better than the self-deceived lukewarmer. A simple illustration to illuminate the truth of this absolute would be: none of us would want our spouse to commit adultery, but if they did, at least, we would want them to be honest about it. We want nothing to do with someone who would be unfaithful behind our back, but look us directly in the eyes and lie to us about how much they love us, right? So, likewise, adulterers are not good, in fact, evil in the extreme, but they are better than lying adulterers, if you know what I mean .” (B.W.)
Not only shouldn’t our love for the Lord grow cold…but look at what Jesus is saying here in verse 15, he is saying …”I know thy works…” Jesus is looking at your (and mine) ACTIONS. Notice He did not say…”I know thy LOVE…” He said works.
Jesus is watching and measuring all we do to advance His kingdom on this earth. We are admonished to be HOT in these things. Hot in our relationship with Him and Hot in our zeal to advance His cause in the earth.
God Bless!