NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Like the lukewarm church at Laodicea that Jesus said in the Book of Revelation He was about to spew out of His mouth, The Barna Group in a recent study assessed American Christianity asneither hot nor cold.
What is a lukewarm Christian?
Generally speaking, lukewarm Christians have one foot in the world and the other in church. True Christians, mature Christians, follow the Lord and seek his will. They try to avoid sin, and they grow in their relationship with Jesus.
What are the dangers of being a lukewarm Christian?
Indifference To God. One of the greatest dangers of lukewarm Christianity and lukewarm faith is that you will slowly become indifferent to God and things concerning Him. Things of the Lord at this stage in your Christian life will no longer be interesting to you.
What does the Bible say about lukewarmness?
If you have become a lukewarm believer, you need to repent of your lukewarmness or lukewarm condition before the Lord spews you out of His mouth (Revelations 3:15,16). Must Read: 7 Major Causes Of Lukewarmness In Believers [+Sermon]
Are the believers in Laodicea “lukewarm”?
And Jesus says the believers in Laodicea are like their water. In the formulation many of us hear, “lukewarm” represents Christians halfway between full-on unbelief and a kind of sold-out, devout Christianity. But that doesn’t match what we read in Revelation.
What Does Revelation 3:15-16 Mean?
This passage is an attempt by Jesus to get the attention of the Laodicean church’s congregation. And He made several points about having a lukewarm faith:
What Else Is Happening in This Verse?
In Chapter 1, after John falls into a trance-like state, he first sees Jesus:
What Should We Do When We, or Others, Start to Become Lukewarm?
When our faith walk feels dull, becoming more aware can help us back to a more passionate place. By taking some time to do a kind of “spiritual inventory,” we can gain clarity about any ways our faith has cooled down.
What does it mean to be a real Christian?
Being a real Christian means that we take the things of God seriously and we seek to follow Christ and his teachings. Jesus wants us to deny ourselves and follow him. This is the true sign of a Christian. But, it does take time for some Christians to progress in their sanctification. Some people who are newly saved, find it very easy to give up the old ways, where others do not. Some new Christians have no problem in repenting and leaving certain sins behind, where others struggle.
How to tell if someone is lukewarm?
Signs of being lukewarm 1 They live a different life on Sunday than they do the rest of the week 2 Their friends don’t know they are Christian 3 They would rather be accepted socially than reveal their Christian faith 4 They don’t read the Bible very much 5 They don’t pray very much or only pray to God during difficult times. 6 They don’t share your faith very often, if at all 7 They only go to church for social reasons, if at all.
What does Jesus want us to do?
Jesus wants us to deny ourselves and follow him. This is the true sign of a Christian. But, it does take time for some Christians to progress in their sanctification. Some people who are newly saved, find it very easy to give up the old ways, where others do not.
What are true Christians?
True Christians, mature Christians, follow the Lord and seek his will. They try to avoid sin, and they grow in their relationship with Jesus. In the above scripture, we see the words of Christ written to the Laodiceans. It was a church full of false converts, and the Lord was calling them to repentance.
Why is it costly to follow Jesus?
Following him can be costly because it means to be a disciple of Christ, not of the world. Matthew 10:38, “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”. Matthew 16:24, Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”.
Do new Christians have problems repenting?
Some new Christians have no problem in repenting and leaving certain sins behind, where others struggle. We must recognize that different people have different levels of sanctification before the Lord and just because someone fails, does not mean he’s not a Christian.
What is a Lukewarm Christian?
Lukewarm is a term that describes a temperature that is neither hot nor cold. It comes directly from Revelation 3:15-17, where the Spirit is speaking through John the Beloved to the church of Laodicea. This chapter points out the charge God put against the believers of Laodicea and how their faith has not produced any good works. It’s essential to note how this warning addresses Christians rather than unbelievers.
Is a Lukewarm Christian Saved?
Jesus talks about lukewarm Christians in Matthew 25. Lukewarm Christians can’t lose their salvation because they never received it in the first place. “ The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus our Lord. ” ( Romans 6:23)
What does Lukewarm believe?
Lukewarm Christians think doing the bare minimum secures them their salvation. They think following Jesus is merely attending church services regularly and being a good person. But, it’s more than that.
Why is lukewarm Christianity dangerous?
Lukewarm Christianity assists the enemy’s plan. It rejects the Lord’s guidance when He reaches out to convict and correct. A lukewarm church feels that they are self-sufficient. That’s why lukewarm Christianity is tremendously dangerous.
What city had a hot spring?
Hierapolis, a nearby city, featured a hot spring renowned for its medical properties. It had lost much of its heat and medicinal effect by the time it reached Laodicea via aqueducts. It was lukewarm at best.
What does Jesus want us to do?
Jesus wants us to take up our cross daily and follow Him. It requires a lot of sacrifice and effort. He challenges believers to be daring and do the impossible. He wants us to follow His example, win souls, evangelize, train leaders, do miracles in His name, and do many great things.
What was the great commission left by Jesus in Matthew 28:16-20?
The great commission left by Jesus in Matthew 28:16-20 was to go and make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey everything Jesus taught. It wasn’t a suggestion but a command.
What Is A Lukewarm Christian?
The simple definition of a Luke warm Christian is simply a person who has become neither hot nor cold for Christ Jesus and you can’t tell whether if that person is living for Christ or not.
13 Major Signs Of Lukewarm Christians
Below are the 13 signs of lukewarm Christians that will help you know if you have become a lukewarm Christian needing revival in your life or if you are dealing with lukewarm believers.
Conclusion
I hope the above 13 signs of a lukewarm Christian will help you reexamine your Christian life so that you can return to the Lord if you discover you have been a lukewarm believer all this time.
What is a lukewarm Christian?
The lukewarm Christian is the guy who leads in both settings, and his own activity convinces him he’s a Christian. But Jesus comes and says this guy is deceiving himself and He is about to spit him out. How ‘Lukewarm’ Matters for Us. We don’t know a lot about the Laodicean Christians.
What was the problem with Laodicean water?
Laodicean water was lukewarm, and this presented a problem: Their water was useless.
What does Jesus say to the church in Laodicea?
Here’s what Jesus says to the church in the city of Laodicea ( Revelation 3:14-22 ): To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
What does Jesus use the term "lukewarm" for?
The critical question, then, is: Would Jesus use “lukewarm” to describe our churches —or us? Aaron Cline Hanbury. Aaron Cline Hanbury is a contributing editor for RELEVANT.
Where did the Romans get their water?
Historians tell us that the city of Laodicea, near what’s now the Turkish city of Denizli, received hot water from about five miles away. The water came through pipes, using a system pioneered by the Romans. But unlike our water-heating systems, the heat wasn’t localized—it started hot, but after five miles in a wooden pipe, very little heat remained. Still, their water wasn’t cold or fresh.
Does the supply chain affect Christmas?
The Supply Chain Might Impact Your Shopping. It Doesn’t Have to Impact Your Christmas.
Who is Aaron Cline?
Aaron Cline Hanbury is a contributing editor for RELEVANT. You can follow him on Twitter at @achanbury
1. Backsliding
One of the greatest dangers of lukewarm Christianity as to why being a lukewarm Christian is never a good thing is the danger of backsliding.
2. Makes You Unfruitful
When you become a lukewarm believer, you become unfruitful in the kingdom of God because you are neither hot nor cold for Christ Jesus.
3. Indifference To God
One of the greatest dangers of lukewarm Christianity and lukewarm faith is that you will slowly become indifferent to God and things concerning Him.
4. Loss Of Salvation
One of the dangers of being lukewarm is that you will be in danger of losing your salvation and the eternal life that comes with it as you won’t take your salvation seriously at this point in your Christian life.
6. Makes You Have A Form Of Godliness
When you become a lukewarm believer who practices lukewarm Christianity full of empty religion but without the life of Christ, you will only have superficial godliness which can’t make you enter heaven.
7. Danger Of Eternal Hellfire
Of all the dangers of lukewarm Christianity we have discussed so far, this is by far the worst danger as to why you must not be a lukewarm Christian.
Vessels
These people were merely vessels for delivering a message. They were not meant to meet our approval. They served a simple purpose, and that was to do God’s will. That never made them God or Godlike. You got so wrapped up in Trump’s behavior, policies and tweets that you once again rejected what he was actually meant to pour out—God’s provision.
Where Are You
You cowered when government suggested locking the doors to the buildings you call church. You’re still lounging in the shade while proclaiming to fight for the kingdom and those lost souls from whom you profit.
The Future
I believe God will now remove His hand from the United States of America. You feigned outrage when a former administration said America was no longer a Christian nation. You distanced yourself when Trump’s administration restated that America was a Christian nation.
Hope
There is still hope, but your time is running out. Return to what truly drew you Christ in the first place. Rekindle the love that called you to love others. Gird up your loin cloth because the Christian church in American is going to come under a crushing weight of demonic persecution like it’s never known.
Praying For You
There is freedom waiting for you on the other side of tough times. I’m praying that you begin to identify the blessings in your life and focus on them until you breakthrough into a new, anointed light. PLEASE do not hesitate to reach out to me if you need someone to walk through the process with you.