Cold and Hot
6 min read
17 “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.”
Revelation 3:17-19
It doesn’t take a prophet or a Bible scholar to see that the spiritual problem in Laodicea is the spiritual problem that faces most church in the developed world. It is the main problem that faces our own GCC Canvas family. It is the problem that has turned most of Europe into post-Christian societies, meaning that Christ and His church is not thought to be relevant for the vast majority of the population.
And that spiritual problem is somewhat ironic considering that at least one study has argued convincingly that Christianity has been a major factor contributing to the modernization and prosperity of many nations, including South Korea and Zambia.
But a funny thing happens as people start to get wealthier. They start to think that it is completely by their own power and skills and knowhow that they have acquired their prosperity. But God is the One who provides opportunities for building prosperity. If a people selfishly abuse those opportunities, societies become poor and corrupt. If a people use those opportunities for the welfare of all, the society and its people as a whole will thrive. That is God’s economy. God’s world; God’s rules.
Christians in wealthy societies also tend to make the mistake of thinking that it is because of their personal “holiness” that God has made them personally prosperous. God does want His people to prosper, but if we think that God’s ultimate purpose is our personal prosperity, then we are not understanding a key part of the gospel message (Ephesians 2:10).
A “lukewarm” faith is a religion that has no real purpose. Cold water is beneficial in many ways. Hot water is beneficial in many ways. Lukewarm water is symbolic of people who add religion to their routines for the ultimate goal of personal comfort.
Lukewarm Christians never last in a gospel-centered, biblically discipled community. Figuratively speaking, they get “spit out.” But really, they leave because they are deathly allergic to suffering for Christ and His church. And that allergy causes them to never grow in maturity.
When we consider the basic things about the lives of people, we see that pretty much everyone will make sacrifices for whatever it is they want. To make sacrifices for things that they do not want is considered “suffering.” But the word “suffer” comes from the same idea as “passion.” We suffer for whatever it is we are passionate about. So basically, the things that we suffer for reveal the the things that we really want in our lives.
And so, if we do not suffer for Christ and His church, it is ultimately because we do not really want Him in our lives—probably because we do not think that we really need Him in our lives.
Maybe that statement seems just too black-and-white for some people. Yes, our lives are filled with grey areas. That is why we need to be able to discern the black from the white.
Gracious Father, thank You for loving us. May we not mistake Your love in our lives. Open our hearts to receive Your love, especially when it comes from Your rebuke and disciple, so that we may repent and have passion for You and You only. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
