6 Major Signs You Might Be Lukewarm and Why It Can Be Dangerous.

The Meaning of Lukewarm in the Bible

The word “lukewarm” is only found in one passage in the Bible. And that one word comes with a heavy context. It can be seen as a warning and it’s a dangerous state to be in.

Oftentimes, it is coined as “lukewarm Christian.” Though the Bible doesn’t put these two words together. This can lead to the belief that to be lukewarm is to not be Christian.

The only place we find the word lukewarm is in the book of Revelation 3:16.

"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." -Revelation 3:16

Let’s break it down.

In Revelations 3 Jesus is talking to the church in Laodicea. He states His disapproval of lukewarm behavior.

“I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” To spit something out is a form of rejection. As when you taste something unpleasant or disgusting. Jesus rejects the lukewarm. I don't know about you, but this scares me! I don't ever want Christ to reject me. That alone is enough to make me want to step up my faith game.

Why Being in the Middle is Dangerous

Being lukewarm is the same as being in the middle. You are neither cold nor hot. This is one of the times where being in the middle is not a good thing. God prefers you be one or the other. As true followers of Christ we are to be hot and on fire for God.

Being in the middle means you may be prone to going back and forth- easily swayed. Pick a side and be consistent. Choose where to set your roots. I hope you choose God and go all in.

Lukewarm may present itself in various ways. It may appear as follows...

1. Only a Believer

The belief that God is real and Jesus died on the cross for our sins is there. But that is all. You don't act as you believe. Don’t you know that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26)? Not saying you are saved through works. You are saved because of Jesus. But you have to put in the work to be a true follower of Christ. This leads to the next point.

2. Not Putting in the Work

You simply have faith but don’t put it into action. You don't do the work. This is the way of a believer, not a Christian. There is a difference. Few people realize that. A believer only believes. But a true follower of Christ (aka Christian) will spend their time...

• Praying

• Reading Scripture

• Seeking God daily

• Going to Church

• Being selfless

• Honoring God

And the best one of all: loving their neighbor. This is one of the most important acts people tend to neglect. Yet it's so easy to do. Am I right?

3. You Showcase Yourself As A Chrisitan but Live in Sin

You make the appearance of a Christian yet continue to live in sin. You showcase yourself to be a believer by going to church or having a Bible verse in your bio. Most proclaim to be Christian. But continue to live in sin.

If you’re not living a godly life what good is giving yourself the appearance of a Christian. To some extent, it does lead to hypocrisy. Actions should reflect what you believe in.

"They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work." -Titus 1:16

4. Assumed Salvation

You “think” you’re saved. Do you know that question: “if you died today are you 100% sure you’d go to heaven?” If the answer is “yeah, I think so” that’s not reassuring. When asked why people usually don’t have an answer. Or they may say, “because I’m a good person.”

We can all agree being "good" does not get into Heaven. A Christian will feel absolutely confident in their answer. They will know that their "goodness" doesn't determine anything.

5. Not Cultivating Your Gifts

You are not using your gifts. All your talents, interests, and dreams make out to reveal your gifts. Your purpose. God has a plan for each one of us. If you don’t use those gifts for His glory and kingdom then it is a waste.

Use your gifts to glorify God. If you don’t know what gifts God gave you then you should get closer to Him to find out. You may not realize it at first but it will all start to make sense over time. You'll realize why particular subjects interest you. Or why you feel drawn to specific hobbies. In due time, God will reveal things to you. Lean into Him.

6. Weakened Spiritual Habits

You've noticed lately there has been a lack or decrease of...

• Prayer

• Reading Scripture

• Witnessing

• Talking to God

• Hearing from God

This last point is common amongst Christians. If you're not intentional in your walk of faith it can become monotonous. You stop making time for these things, which are crucial. And you let it continue to the point where it affects your faith flame. By that, I mean the fire in your soul. It can be either low or high. No middle option here.

Will the Lukewarm Go To Heaven?

Let’s refer to Revelations 3:16. “So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” This is a form of rejection. There is nothing said about salvation or heaven. But the fact alone of being in this state is rejection-worthy. The idea would be to not stay there but get out of it. ASAP.

Why You Should Get Out of the Dull, Lukewarm Life

If you can relate to at least three of the six it's time to get to the bottom as to why you may feel like this. Have you not noticed how dull the Christian life can be if you're not on fire for God?

We have a calling to imitate Christ. Jesus didn't live a simple life. He walked on this earth with a mission and God's kingdom in mind. And so should you.

People will recognize you by the fruit you bear (Matthew 7:20). That means your actions and the words you speak should parallel who you are. But I get it. It's not always like that. Being a Christian takes dedication and consistency.

It's all about what you're willing to do to get to a better place in your walk of faith. And, oh, how amazing it feels when you've gone out of being lukewarm.

The next step would be to take is to get out of it. With that said, click here for the follow-up post on how to get out of the lukewarm state.