Lukewarmness

by R. Darke, Victoria, B.C | Category: Foes Of Our Faith | Sept 1970

Lukewarmness is repugnant to God. This is understandable on the basis of creation alone. If we put our hands into hot or cold water we react immediately; but if we test tepid or lukewarm water there is no reaction. This, then, is how the Lord viewed the Christians in the church at Laodicea (Revelation 3.14-22). He could get no reaction from them because of their lukewarmness, and sorrowfully cries, "... would thou wert cold or hot" (v.15). The word lukewarm occurs once only in the Scriptures, but there are many instances where the condition prevailed. We would like to consider some of these in this article.

In the Assembly

Christian history indicates that adversity and persecution encourage spiritual growth and progress while material prosperity can have a diversionary effect in changing vital, Christ-centred believers into self-satisfied, self-centred ones. This certainly seemed to be the case in Laodicea, and there appears to be a striking parallel between life today and circumstances in those days. Christians then, as now, lived in affluent society. They were well-dressed, well-fed, fully employed, and well-cared for medically. Some were counted among the rich. The city of Laodicea contributed to this prosperity because it was strategically located, from a commercial point of view, on the main road link with Ephesus to the west, Pergamum to the north, and Syria to the south. It was an important centre of banking and exchange, and became a natural attraction for traders and travellers. Those in the church at Laodicea undoubtedly benefited from this material prosperity, but it created a spirit of proud independency among the saints. "I am rich ... and have need of nothing" (Revelation 3.17), was their boast; but the One who looked upon them with eyes like a flame of fire, said, "... Thou art ... wretched... miserable ... poor ... blind ... naked" (v.17). What a commentary! They had become so accustomed to their prosperous way of life that their eyes were blind to Him, and their ears were deaf to His patient knocking at their door.

There is a striking lesson to be learned here for all who are in churches of God today. These Christians lived in a city of merchants but they had to be told by the Lord, "Buy of Me gold refined by fire" (v.18). They were well dressed like their city counterparts, but the Lord said, "Buy of Me ... white garments that thou mayest clothe thyself" (v.18). They were receiving the best medical attention, but the Lord said "Buy of Me ... eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see (v.18). No doubt their doors were readily open to friends and business acquaintances, but the Lord said, "Behold I stand at the door and knock" (v.20), and He was receiving no answer. These Christians were in a condition of material contentment. They had earthly security-"We have need of nothing"-and this tendency to be preoccupied with the benefits of this life was sufficient to change them from zealous warm-hearted Christians into "lukewarm" ones. Materialism had cooled their zeal for the Lord and so He was displeased. They had mixed the material and the spiritual in such a way that they had become lukewarm in their devotions and services. And they were now virtually useless to the Master. They had lost their sense of values, and He wanted to come back into their midst and restore the balance for them. He wanted them to "Seek... first His kingdom and His righteousness". for in so doing they would become overcomers, and would be honoured by sitting down with Him in His throne (v.21). The Lord Jesus longed for them to realise that they were accumulating and enjoying that which was temporal, things that must go up in smoke at His Judgement-seat. He wanted them to store up that which is eternal, that which belongs to the realm of the unseen, to the life of faith. Perhaps the time has come for each of us in the churches today to test ourselves by the divine

standard. Are we cold or hot or lukewarm? Are we setting our minds on things above or things on the earth? Are we content, secure, and smugly satisfied with all that this prosperous world is providing? How do we appear before our own eyes and the all-seeing eyes of Him who loved us and died for us? Is the Lord of the pierced hand standing at the door of our assembly knocking, knocking, knocking? Is my heart responding, longing to let Him in, or has preoccupation with this life drowned His voice, His knock? Searching questions are they not? Sad if the Lord says of us today, "I will spew thee out of My mouth"! (v.16).

In the Christian

There is a striking contrast between the book of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs. In the first we read about "things" and in the second we read about "Him". Wise man though Solomon was, he certainly failed when he sought satisfaction in things, and he had to confess "All things are full of weariness ... the eye is not satisfied ... nor the ear filled."(Ecclesiastes 1.8). He tried mirth, pleasure, wine, great works, building houses, planting vineyards and gardens (2.1-6), but they all proved empty. He obtained great possessions, silver, and gold and treasures peculiar to kings, and became great, but found that they were like broken cisterns wherein is no water. Surely as Christians we can find proof again in Solomon's experience that there is no lasting satisfaction in material things, but the longing soul can only be satisfied by a living relationship with Christ as Master and Friend. This is one of the precious truths revealed in the Song of Songs. The beloved and his companion rejoiced in each other's fellowship because they loved one another. But then we find an occasion when her affections became lukewarm toward Him. One night he stood at her door knocking and calling, desiring her companionship, but her response to him was tepid. "I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?" (Song of Songs 5.3). Patiently he waited, but she found it too much trouble to rise up and greet him. And then he was gone. "My beloved had withdrawn himself

I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him but he gave me no answer" (v. 6). Broken communion! What a warning to every Christian! If ever we needed the close companionship of the Lord Jesus, it is now. There is no better Friend, Councillor and Guide. But is it too much trouble for us to respond to His knockings, His entreaties as He desires to come in and share our lives? Has He withdrawn from us? Are we walking alone, downcast, dispirited, unhappy? It is so easy to let lethargy, sleep, interest in other things, rob us of His company. Are we happy without Him, or are we concerned about broken communion? She was, so should we be. She sought him, so should we. What inspired her search for him? It was a fresh vision of the one she loved. Read her description of him in Song of Songs 5.9-16. What think ye of Christ? Oh, beloved, how much we need a fresh vision of the Lord Jesus, that anointing with fresh oil (Psalm 92.10), which will give us a Spirit-filled view of Him that will cause us to say, "I will seek him whom my soul loveth; ... when I found him; I held him, and would not let him go" (3.2-4). We need Him and the warmth of His love. He is the answer to all our need. What is our choice to be - lukewarmness without Christ, or love, peace and joy with Christ? If we are keeping Him out of our lives, He stands today patiently knocking at our heart's door. Let Him in!

In the Holy Nation

It is in the last book of the New Testament that we read of lukewarmness in God's people of this dispensation; and it is in the last book of the Old Testament that we read of lukewarmness in God's people of the past dispensation. We have to read the whole of the book of Malachi to realise how cool Israel were to the Lord. They questioned His love (1.2); they argued with Him (v.7); they said His table was contemptible; they despised His name (1.6); they brought the worst of their flocks for sacrifices (v.8); they wearied of their service (v.13); they sighed and shed hypocritical tears (2.13). The Lord was so distressed with the condition of His people that He refused to accept anything from them (v.9), and in despair cried out, "Oh that there were one among you that would shut the doors...I have no pleasure in you ... neither will I accept an offering at your hand" (1.9,10). The Lord did not leave His people without a solution. He knew that they were enjoying the best of this life and giving Him the "left-overs". And so He appealed twice to them to "Lay it to heart" (2.2), or they must suffer the consequences; and again twice He appealed to them, "Take heed to your spirit" (2.15, 16). Let us not be like Israel and weary the Lord with our words (2. 17). Can this possibly happen today in our prayers and worship? Let us not weary Him with our service (1.13). Can it be too much trouble to attend the assembly gatherings, to be at the tract distribution, and the open-air meetings? Let us not bring Him the "tired hours and minutes" of our day, after we have spent the best of our time accumulating material benefits! Let us not bring a poor, feeble, appreciation of Christ in thanksgiving and worship, when there is so much of the best we can say about Him! If we have drifted away in spirit let us hear the Lord saying to all of us in His house, "Return unto Me, and I will return unto you ... Bring ye the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (3.7, 10). Is this not what we long for? It surely is! "And all nations shall call you happy" (3.12). Let us not walk mournfully, but rejoice (v.14, 15). Let us speak one with another as those that fear the LORD and think upon His Name (v.16). We belong to Him, the living God. We are His peculiar treasure! Let us then live as warm-hearted, loving, Christians who are of value to God, whose minds are set on things above and not upon the earth, and who are seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.

R. Darke, Victoria, B.C | Sept 1970
Foes Of Our Faith