Lukewarmness
Our reading begins in Revelation 3:14-22. The church at Laodicea had a major problem in that they said they were followers of Christ; however, they enjoyed their possessions and Earthly lives instead of a life and relationship with Christ. Jesus warns them that they are to repent of their selfish ways and focus on Him instead.
Are you within a theological realm of influence where your pastor or teacher sounds nice and warm in everything he says? Is it relaxing to “go to church”? Is it relaxing to live a lie?
Who is teaching? Most places that are teaching the Bible are lukewarm. Jesus wants no part with them. You need to be hot (zealous) about the Gospel and the Bible… You are encouraged in zeal to preach and teach. 2 Timothy 4:3 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” Also, read in 1 Corinthians 4:6, “And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.”
If you depend on someone to teach you the Bible, then their teaching should be practical, challenging, and truthful! 1 Corinthians 3:19, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.”
Don’t give in to the façade of “love” if it means the preacher hides the truth. Don’t forsake the truth for love… You will regret it. John 15:2, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” Mark 4:20, “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.” Matthew 7:16-17, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”
Most preachers do not know how to teach the Bible, why to teach it, and how to understand it for how to help others understand it. See Colossians 2:18, “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,”
Follow the command then in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
It is of no surprise this has occurred, for we read the warning in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
What about your life? You may claim to be Christian, but your life says differently if you are not bearing fruit by life and mind transformation, and departing from sin. Isaiah 29:13, “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” Titus 1:16, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
You cannot live both lives, just as you cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). You must either live completely for Christ, or live completely for the world. You can stop trying to both, because God knows… Therefore, be attentive to how you live your life. Nothing legalistic, but do not serve the worldly lusts if you claim to be of God.
What happens to those who depart from the truth? Matthew 7:20-25 says, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”
This means that if you serve Christ and abide by His Teachings, you will have truly had the Gift of Salvation. Departing from sin, bearing fruit of Salvation, and serving God and others are all evidences of true Salvation. One God, One Faith, One Baptism. Hallelujah!
Practicing sin instead of departing from it We read warnings of those who practice sin instead of departing from sin. We are supposed to be departing away from sin, for this is the evidence of true Salvation. Those who fail to depart from sin should question if they are truly saved, and attempt to repent and stay away from sin. Let us read…
“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother” (1 John 3:8-10).
Hebrews 10:26, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”
Do not show off your righteousness if you have it Matthew 6:1 states, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”
Do not love the world nor the things in it “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. 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. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15-17).
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).
Beware of these lukewarmness examples 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat” (1 Corinthians 5:11).
OPEN YOUR EYES! Acts 26:18: “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
