Well, the past couple of weeks I have been so sporadic in my posts. I apologize, I don't know what my deal is! I really wanted to talk about lukewarm Christians yesterday, when people were still at work, but I'm going to go ahead and talk about it today, and hopefully those off work who might not check their email at home will still get this next week. NOTE: I probably won't post tomorrow - fair warning! ha ha
Now, we are leaving 1 Corinthians for the day, because I wanted to talk about lukewarmness. If you have not read the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan I urge you to run out and buy it. Now. I'll wait. Oh wait a minute, it's Thanksgiving, and I doubt Wal Mart and Meijer carry it. So I won't wait, but tomorrow when you are out buying Christmas gifts, pick up this book for yourself.
Anyway, there is a point in this book that, when I read it, stopped me dead in my tracks and made me actually think. For days! He said, "there's no such thing as a lukewarm Christian." Huh? It's in the Bible! So I pulled out my handy dandy Word and found this in Revelation 3: "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. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." (verses 15-17) And I realized that being spit out of Christ's mouth is not exactly in line with the Christian walk.
Let's not fool ourselves - if you have become lukewarm, I am concerned that you are no longer going to heaven, and you are no longer a Christian. I'm not being judgmental or condemning, I'm just repeating what Christ says! Somewhere along the line we came up with the term "Lukewarm Christian" but it's certainly not scriptural. And we need to get this right, don't you think?
Before you think I am being condemning, let's read the rest of the passage, from verses 18 to 22: "I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Jesus, who is talking to the church of Laodicea, doesn't just tell the truth ("I will spit you out of my mouth"), He tells the whole truth! "I stand at the door and knock." In other words, He's not telling the church, you're worthless, get out of my sight. He's saying, you're not on the right path, but I can help you get there. The Message version writes verse 19 this way: "The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they'll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!" He tells us the truth because He loves us and wants us to live the best life, and spend eternity with Him. Should we do any less?
When we see Christians stumble, even fall, how often do we act like it's not happening? Do we turn our backs? Or do we come alongside, earnestly and lovingly saying, not that way, this way. Do we let our brothers and sisters stumble all the way to hell because we don't want to get involved? Are we afraid of being judgmental? Or are we just too self-centered and self-focused to get involved in someone else's life?
Let's not let anyone we love fall into the trap of "lukewarmness." It's exactly that, a trap, and we need to recognize it as that. By the way, I definitely know that there's a difference between lukewarmness and spiritual struggles, where we are honestly and earnestly searching for God and His will. I'll talk more about the difference on Monday.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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