Remember the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. One bowl was too hot. One was too cold. But the one bowl of porridge that was just right was eaten by Goldilocks.
Well, that’s okay for a kid’s story. But Jesus doesn’t want His church to be lukewarm. A lukewarm church makes Jesus sick. Hot or cold is better than lukewarm.
The church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) was a lukewarm church.
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. 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: 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. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:15-20)
Jesus may have been using the city water as an illustration of the church. The water either came from hot springs (near Hieropolis) and was cooled to lukewarm or came from the springs (Colossae) and warmed in an outdoor aqueduct on the way.
‘Lukewarm’ is used only here in the New Testament. Any church or church member can find itself in one of these three stages: cold, lukewarm, or hot. Cold signifies without spiritual life. Lukewarm means indifferent. Hot expresses passionate zeal.
There is nothing more disgusting than a half-heated, in-name-only Christian who is self-sufficient. Those who are cold (zealously oppose Christ) and those who are hot (zealously serve Him), have one thing in common: they both take Him seriously. The lukewarm, while affirming His existence, does not take Him seriously.
They were in a terrible state but did not know it. They felt they were rich and increased with riches. They had plenty and were becoming better. This church didn’t think they had a problem.
But God would discipline them unless they turned from indifference toward Him. He warns, “I will spue thee out of my mouth”. His determination to cast them away is a reminder that there was still room for repentance and revival. But the situation was grave. Whatever else was wrong at Laodicea, they were still a valid church and there was hope if they would repent.
Jesus told them four things were to be done. All were impossible except through the grace of God. All were part of what they thought they didn’t need.
- Buy gold tried in the fire – Salvation is purchased through Christ.
- Buy white raiment – righteousness God gives.
- Anoint eyes to see – man’s need of spiritual sight.
- Repent zealously.
We discover that Christ is an outsider at this church and knocks for admission. This verse, in context, is knocking at the church’s door (rather than a sinner’s heart). However, the invitation is a personal one, since salvation is individual. If one person, anyone, opened the door by repentance and faith, Christ would enter that church through that individual. This picture shows that in the Laodicean church there were few believers or no believers at all.
If you discover that Jesus is on the outside of your church, don’t blame anyone else. Open up your life to Him and watch Him change your church beginning with you.