HOT, COLD,OR LUKE WARM?
Rev. 3:14-19 14* ¶ And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These
things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of
God;
15* I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16* So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of
my mouth.
17* Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of
nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked:
18* I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not
appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19* As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Let's look at verse 16 here. Re 3:16* So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Look at the word lukewarm.
5513 cliarov chliaros khlee-ar-os'
from cliw chlio (to warm); TDNT - 2:876,296; adj
KJV - lukewarm 1; 1
1) tepid, lukewarm
2) metaph. of the condition of the soul wretchedly fluctuating
between a torpor and a fervour of love
The word torpor;
torpor
noun
the feeling of torpor lingered for weeks lethargy, sluggishness,
inertia, inactivity, lifelessness, listlessness, languor, lassitude, laziness,
idleness, indolence, sloth, acedia, passivity, somnolence, weariness,
sleepiness.
fervor
noun
even the smallest of tasks he tackled with fervor passion, ardor,
intensity, zeal, vehemence, emotion, warmth, earnestness, avidity,
eagerness, keenness, enthusiasm, excitement, animation, vigor, energy,
fire, spirit, zest, fervency. antonym apathy.
Being lukewarm is a life that is not constant in our love for God. On
again, off again Christianity.
The word cold here is the Greek word ; 5593
qucrov psuchros
psoo-chros'
from 5592; TDNT - 2:876,296; adj
KJV - cold 4; 4
1) cold, cool
1a) of cool water
2) metaph.
2a) cold i.e. sluggish, inert
2b) in mind: of one destitute of warm Christian faith and the
desire for holiness
The word hot is the Greek word; 2200 zestov zestos dzes-tos'
from 2204; TDNT - 2:876,296; adj
KJV - hot 3; 3
1) boiling hot, hot
2) metaph. of fervour of mind an zeal
So here we see what Jesus describes as being cold, or hot, or lukewarm.
We certainly want to guard against being luke warm because of the
consequence. Look at the Greek word for spue;
1692 emew emeo em-eh'-o
of uncertain affinity;; v
KJV - spue 1; 1
1) to vomit, vomit forth, throw up
We are all confronted with the temptation to compromise with the
corruption that is in this life. Look at the word corruption;
5356 fyora phthora fthor-ah'
from 5351; TDNT - 9:93,1259; n f
KJV - corruption 7, to perish + 1519 1, destroy 1; 9
1) corruption, destruction, perishing
1a) that which is subject to corruption, what is perishable
1b) in the Christian sense, eternal misery in hell
2) in the NT, in an ethical sense, corruption i.e. moral decay
Peace at all cost with the world is not acceptable to our Father God.
Look at Matt 10:34* Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to
send peace, but a sword.
35* For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter
against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36* And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
37* He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that
loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38* And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39* He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find
it.
There is a distinct difference between being a Christian that is in the world but not of this
world. Jesus ministered to all manner of sinners but he did not compromise his holiness
to win a sinner.
We are commanded; 1 John 2: 15* Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16* For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17* And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever.
When we spend the majority of our lives doing worldly things and hanging with worldly
folks, it will take a great toll on our spiritual lives. Look at this; 1Co 15:33* Be not
deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
The word communications here means;
3657 omilia homilia hom-il-ee'-ah
from 3658;; n f
KJV - communication 1; 1
1) companionship, intercourse, communion
The word corrupt here is; 5351 fyeirw phtheiro fthi'-ro
probably strengthened from fyiw phthio (to pine or waste); TDNT 9:93,1259; v
KJV - corrupt 4, corrupt (one's) self 1, be corrupt 1, defile 1,
destroy 1; 8
1) to corrupt, to destroy
1a) in the opinion of the Jews, the temple was corrupted or
"destroyed" when anyone defiled or in the slightest degree damaged
anything in it, or if its guardians neglected their duties
1b) to lead away a Christian church from that state of knowledge
and holiness in which it ought to abide
1c) to be destroyed, to perish
1d) in an ethical sense, to corrupt, deprave
The word manners here is; 2239 hyov ethos ay'-thos
a strengthened form of 1485;; n n
KJV - manners 1; 1
1) a customary abode, dwelling place, haunt, customary state
2) custom, usage, morals, character
So we are to beware of these kinds of influences. Look at this in
2Corinthians. 6: 14* Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light
with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with
an infidel?
16* And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of
the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their
God, and they shall be my people.
17* Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and
touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18* And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the
Lord Almighty.
The words holiness and sanctification have basically the same meaning in the Greek.
Moral purity, consecration, set apart for God alone.
God is calling his bride to a separated life free from the pollution of the world.
The following scriptures spell out what changes should show forth in a born again
Christian's life. Holiness is not what religion has portrayed it to be. Dress codes and
strict laws do not make one holy. Holiness is being on fire for the things of God
especially his word. When his word is first place in our lives then morality and
godliness will rule our lives. Holiness is not what you do it is what you are.
Lu 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
Ac 3:12* And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why
marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or
holiness we had made this man to walk?
Ro 1:4* And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Ro 6:19* I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as
ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity;
even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Ro 6:22* But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your
fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
2Co 7:1* Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Eph 4:24* And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness
and true holiness.
1Th 3:13* To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God,
even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
1Th 4:7* For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1Ti 2:15* Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith
and charity and holiness with sobriety.
Tit 2:3* The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not
false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Heb 12:10* For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he
for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:14* Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the
Lord:
1Co 1:30* But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Th 4:3* For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from
fornication:
1Th 4:4* That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification
and honour;
2Th 2:13* But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of
the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
1Pe 1:2* Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification
of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you,
and peace, be multiplied.
Both of these words imply the same thing. We are not intended to get born again and
remain the same as we were. It is said that God loves us just the way we are. Not so,
God loves us in spite of the way we are. He has provided all the help we need to
change.