Length: 7 minutes

Have you ever heard of a “lukewarm Christian“? It’s the term people use for Christians that lack commitment in living their life for Christ, but that was never God’s intention when using that word — not even close.

Most people take terms from the Bible and define them with little to no biblical evidence. It’s not as if the term “lukewarm“ is defined anywhere in the Bible as “lacking commitment” or “not living for Jesus.” But since teachers have told us that’s what it means, we have simply taken their word for it.

Revelation 3:15-18 (NKJV) “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

A lot of the foundation that would allow us to interpret this passage is included in our other teachings, but we’ll try to bring you through it briefly. There are a few things preachers left out when they told you that “lukewarm” refers to “a Christian not living for Jesus fully.”

The Works Are Beliefs

When Jesus says, “I know your works,“ He is speaking about their beliefs, not their life, because our new covenant work is to believe in Jesus (John 6:29, Colossians 1:21). You’ll have to listen to our “Obedience Of Faith” teaching because it is indispensable to understanding these passages. 

For those wanting to dive in, read Revelation 2. In Revelation 2:19-24, Jesus again says, “I know your works” but those works are, again, referring to their beliefs. That’s why, in Revelation 2:23, He says that He searches their hearts to give to them according to their works. Why would He look at their hearts to give them according to their works? Because the works He’s speaking about are being done in their heart (Romans 6:17). Then He finishes the thought up in Revelation 2:24, by referring to their deeds as “this doctrine” that they had. All in all, the works He’s referring to in Revelation, that these churches were not doing, is referring to their faith. This is not referring to how they were living, but again, you’ll have to listen to our “Obedience Of Faith” teaching for that. 

This Assembly Isn’t Saved

The people Jesus is speaking to in this church (or assembly) are not even saved. There’s no Christian that Jesus has ever called “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Furthermore, He counsels them to buy “white clothing” from Him. In other portions of the same book (Revelation), He defines this “white clothing” as righteousness (Revelation 7:14, 19:8KJV only) – not righteous acts, but righteousness through the blood of Jesus. If this lukewarm church does not have righteousness through the blood of Jesus, I tell you, they are certainly not saved (Romans 5:9). 

Believing, But Not Fully Assured

This is referring to a group of people that know the Lord but are not saved yet. If you didn’t know, it is possible to believe in Jesus but not be saved yet. It takes a full assurance of understanding to save a person. There is a growth period before salvation (Luke 8:15, Colossians 2:2, 6-7). You’ll need to listen to our teaching on “Continuance” for the proof on this, but that is where this church was (as with other churches Jesus speaks to in the book of Revelation). You can believe in Jesus with an immature faith and not be a Christian yet, still of your father the Devil (John 8:30-32, 44). 

This is likely why they’re called lukewarm, because they’re in the middle – not in utter unbelief, but not fully assured yet either (as with the people in John 8:30-32, 44).

Let me explain this a little further. If you didn’t know, the Parable of the Sower is a salvation parable. It describes the process someone undergoes to get saved (Luke 8:12). First the seed (the word) is sown in someone’s heart (which is belief) but that doesn’t mean they’re saved yet. Their belief in the word needs to grow, and when it has matured sufficiently to what the Bible calls “the full assurance” that is the point of fruit, which is descriptive of the point of salvation. Every single Christian went through this process. You were not saved just because you heard the gospel and believed it (like John 8:30-32, 44). You were saved when you came to a full assurance of that word. Many people get distracted along the way before they come to that full assurance (Luke 8:13-14), and Jesus is warning these churches against that.

To Him Who Overcomes

Sprinkled throughout the first few chapters of Revelation, there are further confirmations that many of these people are not saved yet. For instance, Jesus frequently tells them, “To him who overcomes.” This is essentially saying, “To him who is born again” because everyone that is born again has overcome, according to 1 John 5:4. So, Jesus was acknowledging that not everyone in these churches were born again. They needed to continue in what they had heard to get to that point. This is also why He says to the church in Sardis (Revelation 3:2) that there works (faith) were not perfect. There are hints all throughout these chapters that many of these people were not saved. They’ve heard the word of God, but they have not come to the full assurance.

Conclusion

If you were having a hard time following, I understand. It’s a lot of information, but here’s the point: This “lukewarm” church’s problem was that they were unbelievers, without righteousness. They needed to continue in their faith until the point they had “overcome.”

We are told that “lukewarm” is a term that is used for Christians. We’ve seen from the text that is not the case. We’ve also been told that it describes a Christian who is not living for Jesus fully. This is also not so. In the new covenant, Jesus does not ask you to live for Him (of yourself) at all — let alone fully. 

Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith…

You can’t get plainer than “it is no longer I who live.” In the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit serves through us as we believe (Romans 7:6). God gave the Old Testament law to prove that no person can live for God of themselves (Acts 7:53). And because no person could live for God by themselves, God gave us His Spirit to live through us instead. The Holy Spirit has replaced our living. Now, any living that is done is not of our own effort or grit, but the Holy Spirit doing it for us, as we merely renew our mind to Jesus. Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18 makes that very clear.

The term “lukewarm” is not referring to a Christians lack of commitment to live for God. It’s not referring to a Christian at all. With all the commitment in the world, no one can live for God. The law proved that. If we were in charge of the fruit in our lives, then why is it called the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22)? If God expected us to live life ourselves, and then call us lukewarm when we failed, why not call it “the fruit of Christians” instead?

The Lord has plenty of godliness to produce in your life, and He can’t produce it unless you believe Him, but “lukewarm” is not referring to a lack of passion or commitment. God’s only work for you is to believe in the One He sent (John 6:29).

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