What does this mean?

Susan

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Could this be flamebait? If it is, I'm taking it. I love the taste of good flamebait. *munchmunch*

I personally believe this verse to refer to Christians, yes, even some highly conservative ones, who have basically settled into a holding pattern. They want to help no one, they want to be a blessing to no one, they want to see no one else saved and think that only they are good enough to enter into the Kingdom. They want things their way, and if things are not their way, it's whining time.

Rather than being cold (living like "practical atheists" who rarely even mention Him) or being hot (really doing everything for Jesus or at the least trying their best to live in a way that shows people His grace), lukewarm people are, IMHO, people that set a list of things to do and how things should be, keep it to the letter, and do no more or no less, preferring to turn people away from faith before giving up anything on their list.

I see lukewarm people as "retired Christians." In other words, no active Christian life, but nevertheless always there telling everyone else how to maintain the status quo and sounding very highminded about it.
 
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nomad

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Today at 02:21 AM Gerry said this in Post #1

Revelation 3:16: "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."


I won't give meaning to it.  I will share how I have applied this to myself.

I came upon this verse along time ago.  My relationship with Jesus has always been a real one.  When I think of Him I really worship Him out of my heart and mind in a way I can't really describe.

There came a point in my walk with Him that I became unsure of who I was and how to use what He gave to me.  I didn't walk away from God, I walked away from christianity.  I was silent and cold because I wanted it to be and all or nothing deal.  I was confused and bewildered and I knew I might do more damage then good.  I went towards cold because I didn't want to dishonor the Lord with my actions.  It was my hope that He would draw me out of my cold state into where I wanted to be.  If I can't give out of my Heart a truthful fellowship and service to Him I would rather give nothing at all and just walk away.  I believe this verse says what I did.  The Lord means to much to me to give Him less then my best.  If I can't live it then I sure don't want to talk about it.
 
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waterwizard

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The next verse says "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..."

It applies no only to individuals, but to the churches, too.  A church that has convinced itself that they do not need to do any more than they are doing, nor learn any more than they already have learned, has become lukewarm.  Complacent.  Inactive.

One in which the message from week to week amounts to nothing more than a pat on the back, and a stroke of the ego.

We should strive, not only as individuals, but as the body of Christ, to become active in getting His Message out.
 
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ZiSunka

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Think about lukewarm food, neither hot nor cold. It spoils pretty fast. Put a big bowl of potato salad out on your table for a few hours and let it get lukewarm it'll make you sick because of all that bateria growing in it. Same with soup, meat, fish, or anything else. If by chance you tasted some of this spoiled food, you'd spit it out as fast as you could!

When Christians are lukewarm, we spoil pretty quickly, too. We become full of "spiritual bacteria," so to speak. We start doing things we know we shouldn't and stop doing things we know we should. If we are left lukewarm, we might let our spoiledness spread to other Christians. What choice does God have but to spit out spoiled, lukewarm Christians?

It's better to be cold than lukewarm! At least you're not ruining others around you if you are cold!
 
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girlscoutdropout

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I feel it means that you have to be "hot for God," and earnestly yearn for his company and delight in being of service to him. when i think of "lukewarm" i think of those who go to church, but that's it. they don't spend personal time with God and don't enjoy worshiping Him.. but that's just my interpretation :)
 
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OracleX

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Here is another way to look at it.

Matthew 12:30 "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."

Either one is for God or against God. There is no neutrality in the Bible. There is no luke warm in the Bible. Either you are hot or cold. You are one or the other. There are those who think they are hot but are cold. Those who think that they can be neutral are really cold.

You are either for God or against God.
 
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Gerry

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Today at 10:32 AM OracleX said this in Post #10

Here is another way to look at it.

Matthew 12:30 "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."

Either one is for God or against God. There is no neutrality in the Bible. There is no luke warm in the Bible. Either you are hot or cold. You are one or the other. There are those who think they are hot but are cold. Those who think that they can be neutral are really cold.

You are either for God or against God.

Excellent supporting Scripture! And you are right, there is no neutral ground with God, as Jesus, Himself pointed out. Trouble is too many who call themselves Christians modify what the Bible says, in the name of Spiritual Enlightenment.

JESUS says, "...No man cometh unto the Father BUT by ME". Yet some casually explain away His Words, saying that is not at all what He meant and, OF COURSE, there are OTHER ways to get to Heaven. They disregard, not only these Words of Jesus, but also His commandments for us to love one another and to pray for one another and to bear one anothers burdens. Rather they openly attack those who insist that Jesus said what He meant, and meant what He said. They call us literalists, ignorant, and uninformed and living in the dark ages.

In America, people call themselves Democrat or Republican, without even having a clue what either party stands for. They have never read the Party Platform, or attended even a precinct, or county convention. They are what they are because that is what thier Dad was and hid Dad before him, or that is what their husband/wife is. They register and vote mindlessly without any thought to what they are doing. Many women openly and proudly admitted they voted for Bill Clinton because he had "a cute butt".

But that thinking will not do when it comes to Jesus and eternal salvation. Those who will de followers or Disciples of Jesus will be required, not only to read His commandments but to believe them and do them. You cannot pick and choose the ones you like and disregard the others, or explain them away, nor can you follow after those who do. Col.2:8 is very clear on this.

Colossians 2:8: "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." KJV

"Be careful that nobody spoils your faith through intellectualism or high-sounding nonsense. Such stuff is at best founded on men's ideas of the nature of the world and disregards Christ!" JBP

If you are going to join the Christian party, and call yourself Christian, read the platform, and be sure you understand what it says. To be a Christian is to be a follower of Christ and an adherant to ALL of His commandments and teachings.
 
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GraftMeIn

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To be lukewarm would be to know about Jesus but to just sit idly by and not want to do much to grow closer to him, or get to know him. I would even go as far as to say that one who is luke warm might think It's ok if I sin because I know he'll forgive me, and use that to do what they know is wrong.

To be on fire for Jesus, or hot so to speak. Is to love him with all your heart and soul, to desire to grow closer to Him day by day, and be about doing His Will instead of our own.
 
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Gerry

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The Spuing out of His Mouth consitutes a loss of Blessings, Fellowship, and rewards, and could result in the death of a Christian. God gives ALL Christians a job to do and when we prove we will, not only, NOT do it, but we will also NOT stand aside, so another can, we place ourselves in jeapordy of being removed from the scene.

We need to quit playing with God and get serious about our calling!
 
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Gerry

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Today at 02:13 PM Richard1458 said this in Post #14

Thank you all for the convictions you've helped the Lord place on my heart. I am still sort of new to the faith, and to this forum. I now know exactly what He expects of me.

God Bless You All!

What an awesome and incredible blessing it is to be used of the Lord! My prayer is that God will Bless you and give you strength and wisdom in your service to Him!
 
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GraftMeIn

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Today at 11:58 AM Gerry said this in Post #13

The Spuing out of His Mouth consitutes a loss of Blessings, Fellowship, and rewards, and could result in the death of a Christian. God gives ALL Christians a job to do and when we prove we will, not only, NOT do it, but we will also NOT stand aside, so another can, we place ourselves in jeapordy of being removed from the scene.

We need to quit playing with God and get serious about our calling!


Amen to that! The scripture goes on to explain that the one who is luke warm thinks they have everything they need. We as Christians should always be striving for more, and to bring more to God. We should never stand in one anothers way, we should be helping each other strive for the same goal. Those who get to comfy thinking they can just sit and wait and not have to do anything, fool not only themselves but work to fool those around them as well.
 
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Gerry

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I would even go as far as to say that one who is luke warm might think It's ok if I sin because I know he'll forgive me, and use that to do what they know is wrong.

now THAT is one of the very scary misconceptions "babes" in Christ have. Yes it is true that Christ is always there and willing to forgive. But there must be a conviction of that sin and sincere sorrow for that offense. One cannot fool God.

One cannot carelessly sin, thinking they can repent later and get forgiveness. You can not plan repentence; this comes from the convicting of the Holy Spirit. You cannot dictate what the Holy Spirit will do and at any rate, forgiveness or not, there is a very definite consequence for sin.
 
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