The Spiritual Danger of Being "Lukewarm"

Understanding Jesus' Fierce Warning

In the Book of Revelation, as the resurrected Christ addresses seven different churches, five receive a mix of praise and correction, and one receives only praise. But there is one church that receives only a searing rebuke: Laodicea.

Their crime was not apostasy or persecution, but something far more common in prosperous times: lukewarmness.

Jesus' words to them are arguably the most frightening warning in the New Testament:

“I know your deeds, that 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 am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15–16, ESV)

But what does it truly mean to be "lukewarm," and why would Jesus prefer someone to be "cold"? The answer lies in the city’s plumbing.

1. The Context: A Lesson in Ancient Plumbing

For the Laodiceans, the analogy of hot, cold, and lukewarm water was intensely personal. The three terms didn't represent three different levels of spiritual enthusiasm; they represented three different measures of usefulness.

• Hot Water (Healing): Located near Laodicea were the famous thermal springs of Hierapolis, known for their healing and medicinal qualities. Hot water was useful for purification and restoration.

• Cold Water (Refreshing): Just miles away was the city of Colossae, known for its clear, cold mountain springs, perfect for drinking and hydration. Cold water was useful for refreshment and life.

• Lukewarm Water (Useless): Laodicea had no natural water supply. Water was piped in for miles via aqueducts, and by the time it reached the city, it was tepid and often filled with mineral deposits. This water was disgusting and ineffective—it was too cool to heal and too warm to refresh. In fact, it was often used as an emetic, or something to induce vomiting.

Jesus was essentially telling the Laodicean believers: "You are spiritually useless. You neither heal the broken, nor refresh the weary. You merely sicken me."

2. The Core Sin: Spiritual Self-Sufficiency

The danger of lukewarmness is not laziness as much as it is deception. The Laodicean church thought they were fine because they were materially successful.

“For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,’ not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17, ESV)

They had confused their earthly wealth and comfort with divine blessing. The truly lukewarm person is the one who believes they have enough of everything—including spiritual goodness—and therefore have no desperate need for Jesus. They are:

• Blind: They cannot see their own spiritual poverty.

• Poor: Their religious acts and worldly riches are meaningless.

• Naked: They lack the true covering of Christ's righteousness.

Lukewarmness is the condition of an individual who has enough of God to be inoculated against true passion, but not enough to be transformed by it. They go through the motions without the burning love or radical dependence that characterizes genuine faith.

3. The Invitation: A Knock at the Door

The good news is that Jesus does not abandon the lukewarm. His scathing critique is followed by a compassionate and personal invitation:

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:19–20, ESV)

Jesus is standing outside the church, waiting to be invited back into the heart of the community and the individual. He doesn't command an impossible feat; He simply asks them to open the door and share a meal—a profound symbol of intimacy and communion.

4. How to Move from Lukewarm to Zealous

The call to the Laodiceans is a timeless message to examine our own hearts. If lukewarmness is spiritual uselessness rooted in self-sufficiency, the cure is zealous dependence and active love.

Here are three simple, action-oriented steps to check your "spiritual temperature":

Spiritual State	Lukewarm Faith (Self-Sufficient)	Hot/Cold Faith (Zealous/Dependent)
Prayer	Reserved for emergencies or is rote and brief.	Daily, intentional, and an expression of constant need.
Serving	Done when convenient or only in areas of personal interest.	Sacrificial, seeks out the broken and neglected, and requires effort.
Giving	Gives only "leftovers" after paying for all personal comforts.	Gives a planned first portion (tithe/offering) as an act of worship and dependence.

Jesus' final word to Laodicea is a plea: “Be zealous and repent.” Don't settle for the comfortable middle ground. Either be refreshingly cold or therapeutically hot—but above all, be useful in the hands of the One who calls you.