Hot, Cold, and Lukewarm

[The Amazing Ryuu]

Revelation 3:15

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!"

I've posed this question a number of times to a number of people, and finally decided to bring it to the guild.

We all know those people in the world that make the rest of who share the same religion want to strangle said people. They sound hateful, spiteful, arrogant, and nothing at all like what the book they're shoving in people's faces says they're supposed to sound and act like. And we know they have their reasons. Or, at least, we guess they have their reasons. They don't like themselves. They have a pre-existing hatred, and use religion to justify it. They've taken the lessons about what NOT to do to heart, and forgotten about the things TO do. There are as many reasons for those types of actions as there are people that do them.

And yet... Are we judging them too harshly? According to the above verse, are they doing better than some of us, who are much more mellow about our faith? Are they the hot and we the lukewarm? Is having your heart in the right place enough to compensate for going about communicating your message in the wrong way?

Your thoughts. arrow  

[rmcdra]

I think lukewarm has to do with self-deceit more than anything especially when you examine the rest of the passages.

Revelations

16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

I see this as a condemnation of those who deceive themselves into thinking that they are doing the right things or that they are in God's favor or worse believe they don't need to help others because they are successful or popular. The person who's a d*ck and is honest about being a d*ck (the cold) is more worthy in God's eyes than the d*ck who's trying to put on a show and convince themselves and others that they aren't a d*ck. I'd say the individuals who are going about it the wrong way claiming that their hateful and a$$hole-ish acts are somehow loving are the one's being lukewarm.

(Edited by ryuu)  

[xxEverBluexx]

I've been locked inside that house, all the while You hold key
And I've been dying to get out, though that might be the death of me

To me, that verse has always meant pursuing God passionately (at least that's how my church uses it.) The people who call themselves Christian because they prayed some prayer when they were five and than never thought about it are lukewarm, and I guess so are the people who call themselves "good", but haven't really done anything. The cold would be the ones who know where they stand and passionately pursue a life away from God (like those passionately devoted to atheism or a non-Christian religion). I've also heard of the cold being the Christians who aren't witnesses, but who advise and are compassionate ~ they're "cool and refreshing". The hot would of course be the people who are on fire for God.

Both of your interpretations seem correct too though. XD I think it can mean more than one thing. It's metaphorical, so the meaning isn't set in stone.

And all I'm asking is for You to do what You can with me
But I can't ask You to give what You already gave

 

[Fushigi na Butterfly]

I don't know that I think hot or cold refers to any specific belief (the cold being non-Christians and the hot being Christians). I think the point is that you be extreme in whatever it is you believe. Go all the way; stop sitting on the fence; make a decision. Hot could be the "on fire for Christians" or those who'll "burn in Hell" and cold could be the "cool and refreshing Christians" or those so far from Jesus they don't feel the flame of His love. It doesn't really matter; if you're on the fence, you need to pick a direction. You're either for or against God.

As for judging people for being on the fence, I don't know that it's really our place to do so, unless they ask for the accountability. Otherwise, we're making assumptions about a person's faith when we may not have the whole story. Those who go around Bible thumping and spreading hate don't have their hearts in the right place, because they only interpret judgement and hatred into God's Word, rather than love.  

[Zolof Keeper Of Souls]

Seams to me that the lukewarm are those who believe that fake Christianity but in reality do not believe. It's saying that those who say they aren't Christians(the cold) are better than those who say they are but don't believe.  

[Fushigi na Butterfly]

zolof3344

Seams to me that the lukewarm are those who believe that fake Christianity but in reality do not believe. It's saying that those who say they aren't Christians(the cold) are better than those who say they are but don't believe.

Well, in a way I can see how the "cold" Christians are, not necessarily better, but at least more honest. They already know what they believe (or don't believe) and freely admit it. Those in the latter category are still deluding themselves and others that they're something they're not.

Personally, I don't think either side is necessarily "better" than the other. I hate using terms like that to describe people, because life is not a popularity contest, and when you get down to it, no one person is "better" than another person, what with grace being the determining factor of salvation.  

[Zolof Keeper Of Souls]

Fushigi na Butterfly

zolof3344

Seams to me that the lukewarm are those who believe that fake Christianity but in reality do not believe. It's saying that those who say they aren't Christians(the cold) are better than those who say they are but don't believe.

Well, in a way I can see how the "cold" Christians are, not necessarily better, but at least more honest. They already know what they believe (or don't believe) and freely admit it. Those in the latter category are still deluding themselves and others that they're something they're not.

Personally, I don't think either side is necessarily "better" than the other. I hate using terms like that to describe people, because life is not a popularity contest, and when you get down to it, no one person is "better" than another person, what with grace being the determining factor of salvation.

Well put my friend. I guess it comes in terms of who are we to judge other humans when God is the only who can judge them.  

[Fushigi na Butterfly]

Exactly. When it comes to things like this, all we can do is present the facts of our own observations, without making judgments on those observations. The person whose actions are in question may very well have a justifiable reason for the way he or she behaved. If not, only then can we step in to provide accountability and turn them towards truth. 3nodding  

[freelance lover]

I wonder if maybe it means a little of both. I like the point fushigi made, but I think it may also be more literal, as originally suggested. Don't preach one thing and act another. That's lame. If you're going to be Christian, be Christian and don't slack your way through it. Obviously that can be applied in smalled context to specific beliefs within your Christian (or otherwise) faith.