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. [Revelation 3:15-16]


Something serious baffles me in these two angry verses. First of all, it is clear that Jesus Christ is the One pouring these heart probing allegations out of His disappointed heart. Also, the people unto whom these rebukes are directed are actually people who belong to Him, I don't think these people are outcasts or half-hearted people, who have never met Him. The question is that did these people commit some terrible sins?, I checked closely but found that there is nowhere around these verses (from verse 14-22) that suggests that these offenders were outright sinners. They were not idolaters, fornicators, blasphemers or murderers, even Jesus confessed that He will spue them OUT OF HIS MOUTH. This reveals clearly that they belonged to Christ because no one could spit anything out of the mouth if the object was not initially present in the mouth. For Christ to warn them of spitting them out suggests that they were STILL present in His mouth, their taste was once sweet in His mouth, but something unpalatable had suddenly happened, they became sour and Christ couldn’t tolerate their unsavoury nature any further.

Is the fact that I am born again into Christ's kingdom not enough?, that I try my best to keep myself from all manner of sin, isn't this enough for me to remain sweet and juicy in the mouth of the Lord?, Won't all my denials that 'I don't do this, I don't do that... buy me a warm place in Christ's heart? Well, Christ says He is not cajoled by all my don'ts, those don'ts are actually the prerequisites to coming to Him, they are not what will keep me IN Him, therefore, He rather says there are some dos he expects me to engage in, I MUST BE HOT.

"... So then because thou art lukewarm..."

Lukewarmness is a state of deception, it tries to appeal to, and be in consonance with either opposition parties at the same time. It seeks to associate with two (2) conflicting issues (kingdoms) at the same time, without appearing to contradict any, but supporting both opposites, he is a neighbour to both the cold and the hot, wherever he finds himself, whether with the cold or the hot, he fits in perfectly, he is neither here nor there, he is neither in nor out, he is at the junction without a clear direction, he is at the door, neither going in, nor coming out, he is a hypocrite, in short, heaven sees him as confused.

"... I would thou wert cold..."

In heaven's scale of preference, the lukewarm Christian has not a place. Christ prefers the cold, godless satanist to the believer who is undecided. Christ prefers that man who has said, "I am not interested, I am totally out" than the one who appears to be inside, but his mind is not made up. In God's ranking for tolerance, He wants either a 100% or a 0%. The lukewarm man wants to be at the middle, he says, "well, 50% is also a pass mark", but as far as Christ is concerned, even a 0% is more credible and preferable than the one who is double minded, and wants to claim a 50. Jesus Christ is saying, "If you want to come in, then come in FULLY, if you want to be here, you must be hot, if you are not ready to be on fire, then there is no point coming at all, because you will end up worse - spewed out, and no more to be desired by even the world.

Are you a man who is not ready to be all and all and out and out for God, then heaven is not interested in you if you are coming, then come fully, if you are not ready to come FULLY, then GET OUT, you are a misfit as far as heaven is concerned, unless you are all and all for Jesus and Jesus alone.

If I am in, then, God wants me to be in - spirit, soul and body. If by an act of my choice, I have decided to be a Christian, then Christ wants me to be totally for Him, If I am not ready to explore God to the fullest and be drowned in His glory, If I am not ready to throw all my eggs into this singular basket, and shut my eyes from every other alternatives, If I am not willing to be HOT and boiling, then, there is no NEED to come at all, I am not welcomed into Christ's glorious kingdom, it were better for me to gyrate in the world a little before I join the demons in hell, because the eventual end of my coming will be that Christ will spue me out, and it would have been better if I never came, but enjoyed the world a little, than to deny myself of the world, only to be spewed out - Imagine spit that was actually spewed out, it becomes something not desired and an object of disdain by even the world.

"... that thou art neither cold nor hot:..."

The lukewarm Christian is the Christian at the door. While standing at the door of "should I go in or get out", nothing serious can ever begin with such a life. Twenty years at the door are wasted years that don't amount to anything. A man is at no advantage to the kingdom of God or to himself as long as he tarries at the door.

Christian stagnancy is opposed by the Lord. Religious satisfaction without a heart aflame is abominable unto Him, tearless Christianity full of the 'form' and rituals of godliness, while denying the power thereof, is a substitute that reduces the potency of the Cross. Jesus never saves a man just for the purpose of it, He expects growth. He who perpetually remains at the entrance door to abundant life is a misfit, because he will discourage others from pressing on and going in.

The entrance door has got nothing to show, it has no treasure, nobody keeps treasures at the door, the treasure is inside. The one who perpetually remains at the entrance is soon pushed out the door, because the entrance is also the exit. Only the unpersuaded remain close to the door, only the weary are seeking for alternatives outside.

The attractions and the glories of the kingdom are NEVER available at the entrance, in fact, the attractions are not even close to the entrance, you can only find side-attractions and mixed multitudes at the entrance, therefore, are you seeking for incorruptible treasures and glories that never fade away, then, go deeper, go inside, go higher, for within lies the sweet aroma of righteousness. The entrance is mixed up with much foul smell and choking stench coming from outside. The one at the entrance is double-minded, he has an eye inside, and the other eye outside. The door-Christian is looking for what will pay him better, he's looking for 'free lunch', wherever it may first come from - inside or outside, he's waiting to grab, he has an eye on the worldly goods, even though he likes to associate with God. The door-Christian is the fleeing Lot's wife, whose legs appear to be fearfully on the move, but the heart is tied down to the riches of Sodom. The door-Christian is the bread-and-butter type, the arrow of the enemy, shot at Christianity, cannot hit the one who has gone deeper inside, only those lingering at the periphery, the entrance door, are in danger of being wounded easily.