Why Not Lukewarm?

Have you ever wonder why God severely criticize the church of Laodicean in Revelation 3:14-22 for being lukewarm? The Lord says, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm -- neither hot nor cold -- I am about to spit you out of my mouth." (Rev.3:15-16, NIV)

I wondered why God loathes His people for being lukewarm. Why didn't He say anything about being cold or being hot? 

Apparently, being hot means that one is on fire - one is passionate for Him -, while being cold is the opposite state. But, again, why being lukewarm is worse than being cold? Isn't that lukewarm suppose to be better than cold, at least judging with our human logic? Well, not for God, though!

When one is cold, one realizes immediately that one doesn't have that fire burning in one's heart. When we are cold, we somehow feel and acknowledge that we miss that burning fire. So, we will then seek His face and ask Him to fill that empty space in our heart and warm it with His love. 

But, what about being lukewarm? What makes it worse than being cold? Well, when we are lukewarm, we are basically on the neutral state. We don't feel either hot nor cold. We feel satisfy with our current condition and we don't see anything that we could possible improve or repent. We feel that we are good enough that there's no need to repent. But, guess what, when we start to think that we are already good and we let no one to correct us when we does something against the Lord, we committed sin! We let our pride overrun our conviction that we choose to believe in the devil's lie on how good christian we are. 

In following God, there's no such thing as a neutral state or a neutral zone. We are either hot or cold (Rev.3:15). We are either His friend or His enemy (James 4:4), because no one can serve two masters. (Mat.6:24)  We cannot please God, while at the same time pleasing the world. One way or other way, we will have to compromise. When we compromise, then there we are! A lukewarm christian! The world can't recognize us a follower of Christ because we are too similar with it that it can't see what makes us different from it, though at the same time we confess that we are the follower of Christ. As the follower of Christ, our words, our thoughts and our deeds should reflect the holiness of God. -- and that's the thing what makes us different from the children of the world. We no longer hold the values what the world holds. We no longer appreciate the things/quality the world appreciates. We no longer let our pride overrun the Lord's truth. We are no longer the master of ourselves since we have surrendered our lives for Christ and let Him reign in our life. Obviously, we should have a teachable spirit and a servant's heart. I reckon a teachable spirit walks hand in hand with a servant's heart since they don't contradict each other. 

So, what does the Bible say about a teachable spirit? 

1 Peter 5:5 (ESV) -- Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

1 Corinthians 2:13-14 (ESV) -- And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

And what does the Bible say about a servant's heart?

Philippians 2:3-5 (ESV) -- Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humilitycount others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 6:7 (NIV) -- Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,

Ha! No wonder that those two (a teachable spirit and a servant's heart) are supporting each other because both requires humility! It requires humility to acknowledge that we are weak and we make mistakes and we need God's grace to bring us back to Him. In my case, the Lord often rebukes me through His Word as well as putting someone (a sister or a brother in Christ) to tell me that I have sinned. The first one is somehow "easier" to accept since no one knows and no one sees, but God. No need to loose face, huh? :P But, what about the last one? I admit that sometimes, if not often, it is hard to accept when a brother or a sister comes or speaks to me and rebuke me when I sin. I feel ashamed and loose face! But again, I try  (obviously with the help of God!) not to let my pride overcomes me, then be angry and be resistant, though I have the right to do so. Instead started to examine my heart by the help of the Holy Spirit. No, I'm not perfect and no one is! The thing is how we strive to follow Christ. 

Are we now hot, or cold, or maybe lukewarm? Are we now the friend of God or His enemy? Are we serving only Yeshua the Messiah or are we also serving something/someone else other than Him?

2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV) -- If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

1 John 1:9 (ESV) -- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 28:13 (ESV) -- Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.