I absentmindedly grabbed my coffee cup for that one last sip before I finished loading the dishwasher. Yuck! That was sip wasn't hot. It wasn't cold. It was lukewarm.
It was yet another reminder from the Lord of what I have been studying.
" 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." Revelation 3:15-16
I have been stuck on this verse for about two weeks now. As I started reading and studying this I ran across Francis Chan's description of a lukewarm Christian. Have you ever read it? After you read this you will know why I have been stuck on this concept and challenge for the past two weeks.
ARE YOU A LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN?by Francis Chan
1. Lukewarm
people attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them,
what they believe “good Christians” do, so they go. Isaiah 29:13
2.
Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church as long as it
doesn’t impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra
and it is easy and safe to give, they do so, After all, God loves a
cheerful giver, right? 1 Chronicles 21:24, Luke 21:1-4
3.
Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when
they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside
of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like
church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and
lives. Luke 6:26, Revelation 3:1, Matthew 23:5-7 4.
4: Lukewarm
people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to
be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don’t genuinely hate sin
and aren’t truly sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going
to punish them. Lukewarm people don’t really believe that this new life
Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one. John 10:10, Romans
6:1-2.
5. Lukewarm people are moved by stories of people who do
radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action
is for “extreme” Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call
“radical” what Jesus expected of all His followers. James 1:22, James
4:17, Matthew 21:28-31
6. Lukewarm people rarely share their
faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to
be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking
about private issues like religion. Matthew 10:32-33
7. Lukewarm
people gauge their morality or “goodness” by comparing themselves to the
secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren’t as hard-core
for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere as horrible as the guy down the
street. Luke 18:11-12
8. Lukewarm people say they love Jesus,
and He is, indeed, a part of their lives, their money, and their
thoughts, but he isn’t allowed to control their lives. Luke 9:57-62
9.
Lukewarm people love God, but they do not love Him all their heart,
soul, and strength. They would be quick to assure you they try to love
God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn’t really possible for
the average person; its only for pastors and missionaries and radicals.
Matthew 22:37-38
10. Lukewarm people love others but do not seek
to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love for others
is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family,
friends, and other people they know and connect with. There is a little
love left over for those who cannot love them back, much less for those
who intentionally slight them, who kids are better athletes than theirs,
or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is
highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings
attached. Matthew 5:43-47, Luke 14:12-14
11. Lukewarm people will
serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or
how much time, money, and energy they are willing to give. Luke 18:21-25
12.
Lukewarm people think about life on earth much more often than eternity
in heaven. Daily life is mostly focused on today’s to-do list, this
week’s schedule, and next month’s vacation. Rarely, if ever do they
intently consider the life to come. Philippians 3:18-20
13.
Lukewarm people are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely
consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor. Matthew 25:34,
40, Isaiah 58:6-7
14. Lukewarm people do whatever is necessary
to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They want to do the bare
minimum, to be “good enough” without requiring too much of them. 1
Chronicles 29:14, Matthew 13:44-46
15. Lukewarm people are
continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god
of control. This focus on safe living keeps them sacrificing and risking
for God. Matthew 10:28
16. Lukewarm people feel secure because
they attend church, made a profession of faith at age twelve, were
baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in
America.
17. Luke warm people do not live by faith; their lives
are structured so they never have to. They don’t have to trust God if
something unexpected happens-they have their savings account. They don’t
need God to help them—they have their retirement plan in place. They
don’t genuinely seek out what life God would have them live—they have
life figured and mapped out. They don’t depend on God on a daily
basis-their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in
good health. The truth is, their lives wouldn’t look much different if
they suddenly stopped believing in God. Luke 12:16-21
18.
Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average, but besides
that, they really aren’t very different from your typical unbeliever.
They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they
couldn’t be more wrong. Matthew 23:25-28, Luke 14:34-35
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