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What does it mean to be lukewarm?
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “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 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— 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. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also 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.”’”
Does it mean to be:
Matthew 23:27
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.
OR
Romans 7:18
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
I'm not sure but I think Romans 7:18 implies having an addiction? If not, does lukewarm mean having some sort of an addiction that you carry out but cannot stop? If so, then would it be bad to pray right after committing this sin of addiction that you want to stop (because God says He prefers that we be either one or the other)?
Note how it says to 'overcome'. . . .
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “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 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— 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. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also 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.”’”
Does it mean to be:
Matthew 23:27
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.
OR
Romans 7:18
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
I'm not sure but I think Romans 7:18 implies having an addiction? If not, does lukewarm mean having some sort of an addiction that you carry out but cannot stop? If so, then would it be bad to pray right after committing this sin of addiction that you want to stop (because God says He prefers that we be either one or the other)?
Note how it says to 'overcome'. . . .
Comments
We are instructed to be zealous if we wish to cease being lukewarm.
It is possible to be a Christian in name only, to perform certain actions and appear Christian enough, but if there is no zeal, if there is no desire for God above all things, then we have gone off the boil and we are lukewarm.
It is possible to be zealous and to be struggling with sin. Of course sin is an issue, but better to be struggling than to believe that we have somehow reached a level where we no longer need to make any effort.
If we struggle and repent of our sins, if we turn to God after having sinned and ask for his strength not to sin again, then we are no lukewarm, though we may have other problems such as addiction. The lukewarm Christian doesn't even think about his sins anymore. He can't be bothered. He makes enough effort going to Church and doesn't think God can ask more of him. While we struggle we still have hope of escaping lukewarmness.
God bless you
Father Peter