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“Profile for the Lukewarm”
Right now, I am reading the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan…talk about an eye opener. The book is about radical Christianity and how we should strive to live a life completely and totally sold-out for God. Chapter 4 is about Christians who do just enough to get by…the lukewarm people. They aren’t on fire for God, but they aren’t non-christians either. He uses most of Chapter 4 to describe “Lukewarm” Christianity. It was pretty powerful, so I am including some of it on my blog…hopefully it will open someones eyes…or atleast make you want to read the book yourself.
Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe “Good Christians” do, so they go.
See Isaiah 29:13
Lukewarm people give money to charity and to te church…as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra and it’s easy and safe to give, they do. After all, God loves a cheerful giver, right?
See 1 Chronicles 21:24 & Luke 21:1-4
Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of the church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.
See Luke 6:26, Revelations 3:1 & Matthew 25:5-7
Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don’t genuinely hate sin and aren’t truly sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don’t really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than their sinful one.
See John 10:10 & Romans 6:1-2
Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for the “extreme” Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call “radical” what Jesus expected of all His followers.
See James 1:22, James 4:17 & Matthew 21:28-31
Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with others They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues ike religion.
See Matthew 10:32-33
Lukewarm people gauge their morality or “goodness by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren’t as hard-core for Jesus as some, they are nowhere near as horrible as others.
See Luke18:11-12
Lukewarm people say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed a part of their lives. But only a part. They give him a section of their time, their money, and their thoughts, but He isn’t allowed to control their lives.
See Luke 9:57-62
Lukewarm peope love God, but they do not love him with all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to assureyou that they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn’t really possible for the average person; it’s only for pastors and missionaries and radicals.
See Matthew 22:37-28
Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family, friends and other people they know and connect with. Their love is highly selective and generally comes with strings attached.
See Matthew 5:43-47 & Luke 14:12-14
Lukewarm people will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money and energy they are willing to give.
See Luke 18:21-25
Lukewarm people think about lfe on earth much more than they think about eternity. Daily life is mostly focused on today’s to-do list, this weeks schedule, and next months vacation. Rarely, if ever, do they intently consider the life to come.
See Philipians 3:18-20 & Colossians 3:2
Lukewarm people are thankful for their luxeries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor. They are quick to point that the bible said that only the love of money was the root of all evil.
See Matthew 25:34, 40 & Isaiah 58:6-7
Lukewarm peopl do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They want to do the bare minimum, to be “good enough” without it requiring too much of them.
They ask, “How far can I go before it is considered a sin?” instead of “How can I keep myself pure as the temple of the Holy Spirit?”
The ask, “How much do I have to give?” instead of “How much can I give?”
They ask, “How much time should I spend praying an reading my Bible?” instead of “I wish I didn’t have to go to work, so I could sit here and read longer.”
See 1 Chronicles 29:14 & Matthew 13:44-46
Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing is safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them fro sacrificing and risking for God.
See 1 Timothy 6:17-18 & Matthew 10:28
Lukewarm people feel secure because the attend church, made a profession of faith at age 12, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America. Just as the prophets of the Old Testament warned Israel thay they were not safe just because they lived in the land of Israel, so we are not safe just because we wear the Christian label or because some people persist on calling America a “Christian Nation.”
See Matthew 7:21 & Amos 6:1
Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don’t have to trust God if something unexpected happens-they have their savings account. They don’t need God to help them-they have their retirement plan in place. They don’t genuinely seek out what life God would have them live-they have life figured out and mapped out. The don’t depend on God on a daily basis-their refrigerators are full and for the most part, they are in good health. The truth is, their lives wouldn’t look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.
See Luke 12:16-21 Hebrews 11
Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren’t any different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn’t be more wrong.
See Matthew 23: 25-28
So, just thought I would throw that piece of the book out there for everyone to think about. I encourage you to read the book for yourself. It’s really inspirational and will truly open your eyes to the way the average person lives and how God says we should live.
“I know your deeds, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are Lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth…”
Revelations 3:15
Revelations 3:15
