“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3: 15-16
The Lord launches right into His condemnation of the church at Laodicea. There is nothing to commend in their actions so He moves to the pressing need that must be addressed. So that they will understand clearly what the Lord is saying, He describes their sin in terms of the problem the city of Laodicea faces.
I know your works The Lord reminds the church that the One
who is absolute truth and who does not lie is about to give them the
absolute truth about their status as His representative on earth.
You are neither cold nor hot. The Greek word for cold is chilly.
The only other time it is used outside of Revelation 3 is in Matthew
10:42. “Whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” The Greek word for hot means boiling hot or fervent. It is only used here. When the Laodiceans heard these words they would immediately think of the water in their city should be.
Jesus used the image of water in John 7 “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the
Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” The Lord refers here to the message, the spiritual refreshment that the church should bring to the world. The water is the Lord Jesus Christ yet this water is flowing through an aqueduct that is contaminated with the impurity. The Lord says the water this church is bringing to the world is not hot (a fervent blistering message of holiness and justice) nor is it cold (a refreshing message of love, mercy and grace). The church “watered down” both of these messages to the world. Their message has become so polluted with worldly contamination that it is no longer palatable in heaven.
Would that you were either cold or hot! The Lord tells the church that He wishes that they were one or the other. The living water of Christ actually incorporates both but either one presented by itself is to be preferred over the polluted message of tolerance the church is preaching to the world around it. This is the what we read in Jude 22-23 ” And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh”. The messages of eternal judgment and eternal life can both bring a person to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. A tepid lukewarm message convicts no one.
What can we learn? This letter is directed first and foremost to a body of believers. The typical explanation of this passage is usually
focused on the individual believer. Normally the application is that the Lord would rather have an individual be fervent and on
fire for Him or be backslidden and living in sin like the prodigal son. The interpretation is that both of these states are more
likely to see their need for God and God’s power in their lives than one is living the lukewarm life. That is a possible explanation but the Lord’s primary purpose is to chastise a church for allowing the gospel message to become so polluted with the tolerance of the world that the Gospel has no power, no love, no meaning and no conviction.
Remember Paul’s words “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” This power was short circuited and the church was not being filled with true converts but with ”country clubbers”. Their message is not to repent and be saved but to join our club and have fun. Churches, even whole denominations fit this same definition today.