3 Things the Bible Says to the Lukewarm Christian

A lukewarm Christian means that you are neither hot nor cold. It’s someone who hasn’t fully denied Jesus but through actions and lifestyle could show otherwise. Lukewarm Christianity is all about fleshly comfort over truth and a sense of “fake it until you make it”.

Having one foot in the world and the other in the Bible won’t get you into Heaven. When you are a lukewarm Christian you are not showing interest, enthusiasm, or fear of the Lord. The Bible says Christians are to love God wholeheartedly, not only love Him when they feel like it, or when it’s convenient for them.

What Does “Lukewarm Christian” Mean?

Lukewarm Christians have faith and they believe in the name of Jesus, but not in action. It’s the kind of faith that doesn’t affect the way they live or show through their life. It’s when someone allows their love for God to fade and is ashamed to share anything about God with others.

This causes a slide down the slippery slope of becoming a lukewarm Christian. God wants us to be on fire for Him, to yearn for Him, to share the Gospel, and share His love with others. Being lukewarm is having the title without any fruit to show for it. It’s claiming to be a follower of Christ but living like the world instead of proclaiming the name of Jesus and living for God.

This can happen to anyone when they find sufficiency in themselves and in things of this world instead of God and the books of the Bible. It’s not being content with God’s plan and not applying what is learned to their life while going to church or studying the Bible.

Lukewarm Christianity is dangerous and it is what disconnects you from having a personal relationship with Jesus, it dismisses the need for God. Choosing not to surrender to God and taking control of your own life leads to death.

God created us to have a personal relationship with Him. He has given us the ability for the need to rely on Him and His strength. As children of God, we have been called to be set apart and we shouldn’t look like the world. There is a huge difference between having the label of being a Christian and having a true heart that is on fire to know the Lord and to serve Him every day.

We must not be confident in ourselves because we can’t overcome this world on our own. Being lukewarm is remaining neutral and it’s a very dangerous place to be. It teaches us that compromising our faith is acceptable and the Bible makes it clear that it is not.

True Christians, need to be active in their faith and surrender to God’s will.

Where in the Bible Does it Talk About “Lukewarm Christians”?

The Bible talks directly about being a lukewarm Christian in Revelation 3:16:

“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

This specifically says that God will vomit you out of His mouth if you are lukewarm. If you are spiritually “hot” that means you are actively engaged in your faith and being the light to the world.

Being lukewarm is far more dangerous and worse than being entirely cold. It’s knowing just enough that they don’t resist God but they act heartless and cold-hearted to God’s voice and God’s Word. You’re more likely to hear and notice the voice of God while being cold than being lukewarm.

Revelation 3:14-22 talks about the lukewarm church at Laodicea that was also self-satisfied. Jesus wanted and urged them to turn to Him but their condition spiritually was wretched and poor. Lukewarm Christianity can be quite boastful when it comes to wealth, being in need of nothing, and being self-sustainable.

Today, it seems to be much more than that such as wanting to find worldly success than heavenly success.

1 John 2:15-16 says:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

Christians are called to be set apart and should look different from the world. We need to strive to let God’s love shine through us and the actions of our everyday lives.

Matthew 5:13 says:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

We are called to be the salt and the light on the earth. If we aren’t even proclaiming the name of Jesus through verbalization through our actions or through how we love, we simply can’t be both salt and the light.

By knowing our identity in Christ through studying the Bible we can see the consequences of becoming a lukewarm Christian and even being disobedient to the Lord within the scriptures. Being lukewarm is the very characteristic that Jesus detests and hates.

Take a few moments to read through the Lukewarm Bible Verses below.

Lukewarm Bible Verses

Isaiah 29:13 – The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.

Matthew 7:16-17 – You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

Matthew 7:21 – Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Matthew 10:32-33 – Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 23:28 – Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Titus 1:16 – They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good.

James 3:10 – Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

James 4:17 – Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

1 John 2:15-16 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

Revelation 3:16 – So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

How Does the Bible Define a Lukewarm Christian?

The lukewarm Christian Bible verse, Revelation 3:16 really sets it in stone for us and every one of us should allow the Holy Spirit to fully interpret it for us. Memorizing scripture and studying the Bible will help us know just how much God doesn’t tolerate.

God wants us to be for Him, to surrender to Him, and to receive salvation rather than to be against Him. This Bible verse shows us that He is zealous for us. If there is a lack of zeal, a lack of passion, the church needed to repent, as they were warned there would be discipline.

What the Bible Says to the Lukewarm Christian

1. You Can’t Be Self-Sufficient and Please God

Jesus wants us to be fully devoted and not wander away from God. God didn’t create us to be self-sufficient. The Bible tells us that our flesh will fail us if we try to rely on ourselves alone. Our God is sufficient for us and can help us with everything.

Hebrews 11:6 says:

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

God is waiting for hearts to turn to Him. We should never abandon our mission, by becoming ineffective, or useless to the kingdom of God. This isn’t part of God’s purpose for our lives.

We are offered the beautiful gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ but if we don’t have a heart for Christ and want to serve Him, we are allowing ourselves to be useless.

2. You are Either for God or Against God

When we become all about ourselves, we become lifeless, and stagnant, and hold ourselves back from seeing the true blessings of the Lord. The Lukewarm Christian Bible verses are a way for God to show us that we need Him.

Matthew 12:30 says:

“He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”

This Bible verse makes it clear that you can’t be in between. You are either for Him or against Him. He is giving us a warning that there is danger in being a lukewarm Christian when we really just need to be completely for Him. We can truly become comforted with peace and joy when we are walking with the Lord.

We need to stop pointing people to ourselves for selfish gain and start pointing people to the true source of life.

3. You Can’t Overcome the World Without Faith in Jesus Christ

The world is full of lies of self-sufficiency just like lukewarm Christianity. It craves independence and self-reliance. Christians need to grow spiritually and be fully vibrant as we help shine the light of the Lord over the darkness of this world.

1 John 5:4 says:

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith”

This Bible verse says we can overcome the world if we are born again. We need to honor the Lord with our lips and draw near to God as stated in Isaiah 29:13. If you look into further into James 3:10-12 it talks about being one or the other. We can’t be both sweet and bitter at the same time.

Saltwater cannot produce fresh water. The words that come out of our mouths, our actions, and our lifestyles can say a lot about who we are. We need to seek Christ above ourselves for His glory, and we will overcome this world.

Prayer for the Lukewarm Christian

Dear Lord, please forgive me for my lack of faith and for not fully relying on you. You deserve my obedience and faith. Fuel my heart with a passion for you, and help me seek your mission and the purpose you have for my life. I repent of all my sins and ask for redemption. Please help me find my way back to you. I don’t want to be ashamed of sharing and proclaiming your name with the world. Direct me and my life so it can be a true testimony of your grace. Show me the ways that I can fully surrender to you and for my heart to be on fire for you. Thank you for creating me, may I glorify you in finding true satisfaction in you alone. Humble me father, I want to seek your name above all other names. I want to see what is real, trust in your name with all of my heart, and forsake what is not of you Lord. Set my heart on fire for you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, I surrender my control and give you permission to have your way in my life. To God be the glory forever and ever, amen.