“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 3:15 – 16

I’ve always found it interesting that God would rather we be cold than lukewarm.  Obviously, He would prefer we were hot, on fire in our faith, following Him with a burning passion, than to be putting on a lukewarm façade of faith.  But do we really grasp that He also would prefer we were cold, stone cold, dead in our sinful deeds, than to be lukewarm?  This seems so counterintuitive, but it’s right there in black and white.

What does this mean in practical terms?  It means, if our kids go to youth retreats, but their motivation is simply to get away from their parents, God would rather they sneaked off for the weekend with their friends.  Maybe their parents would prefer they are safe and lukewarm on retreat, but God prefers even ice coldness to lukewarmness.

It means, if we flock to our ‘Christian concerts’ in order to be entertained by religious celebrities, God would prefer we were ice cold, and perhaps attending the latest concert by Lady GaGa.  It means, if we support political candidates for our own comfort and prosperity, rather than the ones who support biblical values of justice, truth and integrity, God would prefer we don’t vote at all. 

Actually, I think I may be understating it when I say ‘God would prefer…’  God says it in a much stronger way: “I am about to spew you out of my mouth.”  When we are lukewarm in our walk of faith, which is often typified by doing ‘Christian’ things with selfish or worldly motivation, it makes God puke.  Middle of the road faith makes God sick.  At least someone who is cold toward God isn’t fooling anyone.  Lukewarm faith can fool church members, clergy, family, and, usually even the person whose heart is lukewarm himself.  But it never fools God.  “I know your deeds, that you are neither hot nor cold…”