“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.
I could wish you were cold or hot.
So then, because you are lukewarm,
and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth”
(Revelation 3:15-16).
Jesus always spoke the truth in love, even though His words often angered His listeners. Of course, He knew before He said them what His listeners’ reactions would be, but He didn’t concern Himself with rephrasing things so He wouldn’t offend anyone. He loved them too much for that.
Jesus hasn’t changed. He still loves us enough today to speak the truth to us—not to hurt or maim us or to justify Himself, but to help us turn to the only Truth that can set us free from ourselves.
I remember the day Jesus set me free with His Truth. It was Friday, July 5, 1974, and I knew at that moment that I would never be the same. Real Truth—Jesus and all He has done for and requires of us—changes those who receive it. The before and after of our lives should never look the same. When we are born again, we have the very Spirit of God living within us, and that, my friends, is a radical change!
I wonder sometimes, if we lose sight of just how radical it is to be a Christian. My earthly father, who was not a believer until the very last days of his life, was famous for telling us to “do all things in moderation.” When it comes to eating chocolate or collecting butterflies, I suppose that’s good advice. When it comes to following Jesus, it doesn’t apply at all.
Jesus was radical, and if we claim to follow Him, then we must be radical too. There is no room in God’s Kingdom for lukewarm believers. In fact, Jesus Himself said that if we are lukewarm in our relationship with Him, He will “spew” (spit/vomit) us out of His mouth. Wow. Not a very “nice” thing to say, is it? In fact, when I was little, if I had said something like that to one of my brothers, my mom would have come after me with a bar of Ivory soap, ready to teach me some manners.
The words of Jesus are different. They are not about living a moderate or politically correct life or preaching a socially acceptable gospel. They are about leaving it all behind—everything that has to do with the all-about-me life that is so natural to us when we don’t truly know Jesus—and following hard after the One who set the bar for a you-first lifestyle in this me-first world. I know we can never achieve the level of perfection that Jesus modeled, but that’s no excuse for accepting or modeling a lukewarm faith. We are called to be radically different from those who have not yet been set free by the One who is “the way, the truth, and the life.” We are supposed to be swimming upstream, against the current—and that’s no easy task. But oh, the rewards at the end of the journey are worth it all! And the blessed company of Jesus and other believers along the way makes the pilgrimage especially sweet.
Do something radical today, fellow travelers! Refuse to be lukewarm, and then watch in awe as God works wonders in your life.
Jesus always spoke the truth in love, even though His words often angered His listeners. Of course, He knew before He said them what His listeners’ reactions would be, but He didn’t concern Himself with rephrasing things so He wouldn’t offend anyone. He loved them too much for that.
Jesus hasn’t changed. He still loves us enough today to speak the truth to us—not to hurt or maim us or to justify Himself, but to help us turn to the only Truth that can set us free from ourselves.
I remember the day Jesus set me free with His Truth. It was Friday, July 5, 1974, and I knew at that moment that I would never be the same. Real Truth—Jesus and all He has done for and requires of us—changes those who receive it. The before and after of our lives should never look the same. When we are born again, we have the very Spirit of God living within us, and that, my friends, is a radical change!
I wonder sometimes, if we lose sight of just how radical it is to be a Christian. My earthly father, who was not a believer until the very last days of his life, was famous for telling us to “do all things in moderation.” When it comes to eating chocolate or collecting butterflies, I suppose that’s good advice. When it comes to following Jesus, it doesn’t apply at all.
Jesus was radical, and if we claim to follow Him, then we must be radical too. There is no room in God’s Kingdom for lukewarm believers. In fact, Jesus Himself said that if we are lukewarm in our relationship with Him, He will “spew” (spit/vomit) us out of His mouth. Wow. Not a very “nice” thing to say, is it? In fact, when I was little, if I had said something like that to one of my brothers, my mom would have come after me with a bar of Ivory soap, ready to teach me some manners.
The words of Jesus are different. They are not about living a moderate or politically correct life or preaching a socially acceptable gospel. They are about leaving it all behind—everything that has to do with the all-about-me life that is so natural to us when we don’t truly know Jesus—and following hard after the One who set the bar for a you-first lifestyle in this me-first world. I know we can never achieve the level of perfection that Jesus modeled, but that’s no excuse for accepting or modeling a lukewarm faith. We are called to be radically different from those who have not yet been set free by the One who is “the way, the truth, and the life.” We are supposed to be swimming upstream, against the current—and that’s no easy task. But oh, the rewards at the end of the journey are worth it all! And the blessed company of Jesus and other believers along the way makes the pilgrimage especially sweet.
Do something radical today, fellow travelers! Refuse to be lukewarm, and then watch in awe as God works wonders in your life.
Kathi, Thanks so much for bringing this reminder. Sometimes we forget that the Lord doesn't want us doing things for HIM in moderation! Let's get radical for Jesus!
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