“Do not be Lukewarm!”
Our lives are amid the trials of cold, hot or lukewarm. Saint John described these three circumstance as “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 vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16) Saint John send this warning about being hot, cold and lukewarm and of whom their description is for to the Laodicean’s Church; for us Christians under these trials as well.
The truth of being hot is to burn with faith. The life of Saint John the Baptist and Prophet Elijah is the resemblance of it. To be hot is not to abstain from sin out of fear of retribution but for the love of God as the righteous deed.
Being cold is resembled in the lives of Saint Matthew who was previously tax collector and Mary, the sinful, for they resented their sins. (Luke 18:13, 7:38) The cold ones leave their evil deed for the fear of God’s retribution not upfront as Saint John but as the Apostle Saint Paul, thru teaching pupil in wisdom and alteration.
Lukewarm is to be neither hot or cold; these do not abstain to sin either for the love of God or fear of retribution. They lack the work of righteousness but live considering themselves as the Pharisees seeming like praying much and be righteous. “He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men extortionist, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)
The Lukewarm are the examples of those who seek to be righteous but lack the belligerent and diligence. Lukewarm is somewhat not necessary for our being, is not suitable for our health, is cold and unsatisfactory and causes the feeling of nausea. Our Lord said through Saint John as “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 vomit you out of My mouth” because of this. (Revelation 3:15-16) He rebukes us saying we shall regret our sin and seizes to afflict our world. He also reminds us if we are to continue with our obscenity, we do not receive the mercy of God and our life that is illustrated by a tree is to be cut off.
Let us mention an example here: – “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.” (Luke 13:6:9) To be saved from these kinds of retributions, he advises us not to be lukewarm. Thus, we shall think of these words daily, be diligent in prayer, fasting, prostration, alms giving, reading scriptures and be hot but seize to be lukewarm.
Brethren, if you deprive to be Hot and oscillate between worldliness and spirituality in a misguided life, you shall be in coldness then to regret your sin but not lukewarm only seeming to be righteous.
Dear family of God! have we asked ourselves in which of the three we reside on? Cold, hot or lukewarm? The word of God warns us not to be hot with the hot ones, cold with the cold or live as lukewarm but repent and be Christian.
In the book of Sirach, it is stated, “Do not be so confident of forgiveness that you add sin to sin. Do not say, “His mercy is great, he will forgive the multitude of my sins,” for both mercy and wrath are with him, and his anger will rest on sinners. Do not delay to turn back to the Lord, and do not postpone it from day to day, for suddenly the wrath of the Lord will come forth, and at the time of punishment you will perish.” (Sirach 5:5-7) We must repent, pray daily, fast frequently, live in good endeavor and diligence.
May God’s benevolence be with us for us to live Christian life and inherit His kingdom, Amen!