Lukewarm According to Webster

Pronunciation:
\ˈlük-ˈwȯrm\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle English, from luke lukewarm + warm; probably akin to Old High German lāo lukewarm
Date:
14th century
1 : moderately warm : tepid 2 : lacking conviction : halfhearted
— luke·warm·ly adverb
— luke·warm·ness noun

We are continuing to go through the book "Crazy Love" in our Sunday morning Bible study class. We have just discussed chapters 4 and 5 that deals with the concept of "lukewarm". If you don't won't the Holy Spirit to convict your heart then don't even read these chapters. The author said that these were the hardest chapters for him to write. Hence, they have been the hardest for me to digest.

All of my life I have heard the term 'lukewarm' quoted over and over as it is referred to in Revelation 3:15-16. Just in case 1 of my 2 readers is not familiar with this scripture, here it is in some different versions.

"I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit." The Message

"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." ESV

"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." NIV

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." KJV

The Greek rendering of the word 'spit' connotes gagging, hurling or retching. Is this the type of verbiage that Jesus would use in speaking to His followers? He even goes on in the next couple of verses recommending to those individuals that they "buy white clothes to wear" to cover their "shameful nakedness".

As you saw at the top of the post, according to Webster, 'lukewarm' means moderately warm, lacking conviction or halfhearted. Ouch...I can already see where this is going. Chan gives a profile of the lukewarm in chapter 4 of "Crazy Love". But one of the most prolific statements in that chapter is when he asks the reader just how differently would your life look if you suddenly stopped believing in God? Think about it...just how differently would you live? What would honestly look different about your life?

Reading this has truly made me begin to examine myself. Do I go to church because that's what "good Christians" do...Do I give as long as it doesn't impinge on my standard of living...Am I moved by stories about people who do "radical" things for Christ and think that's just for the "extreme Christians"...Do I tend to focus only on loving others who can love me in return...Do I just do enough for Christ to keep from feeling guilty...Do I wonder just how far I can go before it is considered sin...Am I a slave to the god of control by focusing on safe living...Am I willing to risk it all for the cause of Christ...Do I live by faith or is my life so structured with savings accounts, insurance, full refrigerators, jobs, etc...that I don't have to live by faith...Do I equate my partially sanitized life of drinking less or swearing less than a typical unbeliever, with holiness...Do I think about life on earth much more often that eternity in heaven... ?????

These are all questions that Chan throws out there in his profile of the lukewarm, those half-heartedly serving Christ. I can tell you that many of these hit me square between the eyes...

So if I don't see my life being very different if I did not believe on Christ as my Saviour, and if I am honest with myself and you, and admit that I fall into a lot of the characteristics on one serving half-heartedly...what does that make me? I would love to get some feedback on this concept. I am still trying to get my mind wrapped around it. Chan suggests going back and reading the gospels as if you were reading them for the first time. He says it will be very obvious to us that Jesus' call to commitment is very clearly stated: He wants all or nothing. He compares a person calling himself a 'Christian' without being a devoted follower, to a Marine thinking that the rules will be changed for him and he won't have to run if he joins, because he doesn't like to run. Can a Christian be lukewarm? Or is a "lukewarm Christian" an oxymoron? I am still reading and studying but would love to hear your thoughts. Would a devoted follower of Christ do it half-heartedly and with no conviction? Is that a devoted follower? Am I giving my ALL? Am I a devoted follower?

For those 2 of you who have followed my blog, you know that I am in no way a supporter of the theory that salvation is Jesus plus anything else...the gospel is Jesus and only Jesus (just read Galations if you don't want to take my word for it). Christianity is a process, a journey that we are on with the ultimate destination of heaven. We are human and obviously messed up in a lot of ways. But Chan states, "there is a difference between a life that is characterized by these sorts of mentalities and habits and a life that is in the process of being radically transformed." I love this scripture:

"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free." Psalm 119:32

True Christianity, salvation, the gospel, whatever title you wish to put on it is summed up right here. When we allow Jesus to come into our hearts, allow Him to set us free from the sins of this world, and believe that we are accepted, then we will WANT TO RUN toward His commands. We will WANT to have a life that is constantly transforming to be more like Him. We will run to obey Him because we are accepted...We won't obey Him in order to gain our acceptance. I don't think that if Jesus has truly set us free, that we will serve Him half-heartedly or without conviction. If we allow Him to take control of every aspect of our lives, transforming, changing us daily, we won't get tepid or lukewarm.

Just a thought, but, could it be that there are areas in my life that I have not relinquished control over to Him? Is it those areas that rear their heads and cause me to seem rather 'lukewarm' in some ways?

Please excuse my ramblings...I have really been using this blog post for sorting ideas and thoughts in my head. I have always learned by writing. So excuse me if some of this doesn't make sense. I'm just processing...

Peace...

Oh God, what a challenge you have placed before me...help me to examine my life and allow YOU to control every facet...Help me to not become complacent and do just enough to get by...But that I would live life on the edge...be devoted and give my all...knowing that everyday will be served up with just the right amount of grace and mercy that I need for each hour of each day...