Revelations 3-Cold or Hot or Lukewarm?

General Christian Theology
haithabu
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Re: Revelations 3-Cold or Hot or Lukewarm?

Post by haithabu »

I've always taken hot or cold to refer to an attitude toward God just as in human relationships.

When Jesus says "I would rather you were hot or cold", I don't take it that he wants people to be cold toward him or God but that someone who is in conscious rebellion against God and knows that they are (ie, cold) is easier to convict and therefore closer to repentance then a lukewarm person who deceives himself that he is in good standing but is not.
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lesterb
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Re: Revelations 3-Cold or Hot or Lukewarm?

Post by lesterb »

I suppose the cold/hot illustration can be taken various ways. I like hot coffee or tea, and I like a cold coke or even cold water. But lukewarm coffee, or a lukewarm coke, or even lukewarm water isn't refreshing. Some people's Christianity warms you. Other's refreshes you.
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cmbl
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Re: Revelations 3-Cold or Hot or Lukewarm?

Post by cmbl »

I agree with buckeyematt's view, which I consider a simple reading of the text.
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"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous."
Valerie
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Re: Revelations 3-Cold or Hot or Lukewarm?

Post by Valerie »

Thank you all for what you shared here, it seemed like a mini home Bible study to me sharing our understandings and thoughts on this passage- I am making application to it in a way I hadn't before-
love you folks :hug:
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haithabu
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Re: Revelations 3-Cold or Hot or Lukewarm?

Post by haithabu »

To extend on this discussion a little bit, the scary part of this passage for any Christian who has had to struggle with personal lukewarmness is the part where Jesus says "...I will spew you out of My mouth." It raises the specter of a loss of salvation through insufficient zeal. But here is how I take it:

Water that is held in the mouth too long becomes lukewarm (ie, it reaches body temperature). If it is spit out onto the ground, it returns to the ambient temperature which is cooler if not actually cold. I think sometimes God allows people who profess to be believers but do not have a personal faith to fall away from the Body through sin or unbelief or false teaching (I John 2:19) because that it is the only way to bring them truly into the Kingdom.

Just as the Prodigal Son had to leave home in order to come home. He had already left home in his heart before he ever asked for his share of the inheritance, but he had to physically leave and experience the bitter consequences before he could return and really be at home with his father. In the end the Prodigal was far better off than his brother who was equally alienated but never left.

So I believe that the "spewing out" that Jesus refers to includes a possibility of salvation by way of conviction and repentance. Of course, it is far better for a nominal or lukewarm believer to open the door to Jesus and let Him in for a real and personal relationship.
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