Heating up the Lukewarm

Rev 3: 16 "So because you are lukewarm - neither hot or cold - I'm about to spit you out of my mouth

Tim 3: 6b-7 "…loaded down with sin and swayed by all kinds of evil desires - always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of truth"

Rev 3:19 "I correct and discipline everyone I love, so be diligent and turn from your indifference"

Revelations contains seven individualized letters to the early church. They were physically written down by the disciple John who transcribed it from Jesus, Himself. The last letter is written for the church of Laodicea. The city was prosperous and known for it's multiple industries. They were in fact the richest of the 7 churches that John writes to. But they had a problem. The water that ran into the city was tepid and undrinkable. Jesus uses that as a metaphor as a warning to the church.

Revelations 3:16 is easy enough to understand. There was no fire or passion in this church's pursuit of Christ. They were easily persuaded by their human desires and wealth that surrounded them. This is reminiscent of another verse from Timothy. He writes of a certain woman in the church who was always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of truth. She was also swayed by various impulses and lust.

These examples of lukewarm Christians was not solely a problem which was present in the early church. In fact we struggle with it even now. The members of this early church were swayed by acquired wealth and self-sufficiency. The woman in the Timothy chapter was also led away by her various impulses. No amount of the knowledge of Christ was able to overcome those desires because they were not committed to be submissive before Christ. That kind of devotion and submission does not come from just attending church or simply doing bible study. No this kind of submission comes from consistent prayer time at HIS feet. Prioritizing that above everything else and allowing for all other aspects of your life to fall in after that.

In Revelations we are also told of what comes of this time spent before GOD. HE promises that as we draw closer to HIM, HE will correct and discipline us. This is not always easy. As we spend more time in HIM we come to discover more and more parts of us that need to be mended. In those moments it will feel easy to turn away and continue to live in a life that's pleasing to us. But Jesus asks us to be diligent and turn away from our indifference - in other words to be zealous and to repent. Persist and draw closer to HIM. HIS truth and grace is greater than any earthly object we desire. That communion and closeness with Jesus beats anything else in this created world. Use his eye salve to remove the blindness from your eyes and see HIM for who HE truly is.