Spued

I wanted to take a closer look at the 'three conditions' mentioned yesterday. Let's review it quickly.

Excerpt taken from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith-

Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

"I Would Thou Wert Cold or Hot."--

Three spiritual conditions are brought to view in this message--

the cold, the lukewarm, and the hot.

It is important to determine what condition they each denote, in order to guard against wrong conclusions.

Three spiritual conditions which pertain to the church, not to the world, are to be considered.

What the term "hot" means it is not difficult to conceive. The mind at once calls up a state of intense zeal, when all the affections, raised to the highest pitch, are drawn out for God and His cause, and manifest themselves in corresponding works.

To be lukewarm is to lack this zeal, to be in a state in which heart and earnestness are wanting, in which there is no self-denial that costs anything, no cross-bearing that is felt, no determined witnessing for Christ, and no valiant aggression that keeps the armor bright.

But to be cold--what is that? Does it denote a state of corruption, wickedness, and sin, such as characterizes the world of unbelievers? We cannot so regard it, for several reasons:

It would seem harsh and repulsive to represent Christ as wishing under any circumstances that persons should be in such a condition, but He says, "I would thou wert cold or hot."

No state can be more offensive to Christ than that of the sinner in open rebellion, with a heart filled with every evil. It would therefore be incorrect to represent Christ as preferring that state to any position which His people can occupy while they are still retained as His.

The threat of rejection in verse 16 is because they are neither cold nor hot, they would NOT be rejected. But if by cold is meant a state of open worldly wickedness, they would be rejected very speedily. Hence such cannot be its meaning.

We are brought to the conclusion that by this language our Lord has no reference whatever to those outside of His church, but that He refers to three degrees of spiritual affections, two of which are more acceptable to Him than the third.  Heat

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and cold are preferable to lukewarmness. But what kind of spiritual state is denoted by the term "cold"?

We may remark first that it is a state of feeling.

In this respect it is superior to lukewarmness, which is a state of comparative insensibility, indifference, and supreme self-satisfaction.

To be hot is also to be in a state of feeling. As "hot" denotes joyous fervor, and a lively exercise of all the affections, with a heart buoyant with the sensible presence and love of God, so "cold" would seem to denote a spiritual condition characterized by a destitution of these traits, yet one in which the individual feels such destitution.

This state is well expressed by the language of Job, "Oh that I knew where I might find Him!" Job 23: 3.

In this state there is not indifference, nor is there content; but there is a sense of coldness, unfitness, and discomfort, and a groping and seeking after something better. There is hope for a person in this condition. What a man feels that he lacks and wants, he will earnestly strive to obtain.

The most discouraging feature of the lukewarm is that they are conscious of no lack, and feel that they have need of nothing.

Hence it is easy to see why our Lord should prefer to behold His church in a state of comfortless coldness rather than in a state of comfortable, easy, indifferent lukewarmness. A person will not long remain cold. His efforts will soon lead him to the fervid state. But if lukewarm, there is danger of his remaining till the faithful and true Witness is obliged to reject him as a nauseous and loathsome thing.

"I Will Spue Thee Out of My Mouth."--

Here the figure is still further carried out, and the rejection of the lukewarm expressed by the nauseating effects of tepid water. This denotes a final rejection, an utter separation from His church.

"Rich and Increased With Good."--

Such the Laodiceans think is their condition. They are not hypocrites, because they know not that they are poor, miserable, blind, and naked.

Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

*******

Truly the three conditions-

Hot

Cold

Lukewarm

-are defined exceptionally well in the above excerpt.

Our Savior would rather see us HOT or COLD - two conditions that have potential for a closeness with Christ.  The LUKEWARM condition is the worst of them all because it is the MOST deceptive.

When you need to be active and NOT complacent, you cannot be lukewarm.  Everyone knows the half-hearted attempt is despised. When zeal is missing a vital aspect is gone. To accept the half-hearted attitude is a very deceptive trap Satan has laid for the Christ followers of the last years and days before Christ's return.  How many people are SATISFIED with their relationship with Christ?  How many people are pleased with their believing without having any real zeal?  Way too many people are caught up in being Christ followers in name only, and they've convinced themselves that it is enough, their walk with Christ is enough and nothing more is needed. They are settled into a bath of lukewarm water and they do NOT want to leave that bath for anything.

Such a dangerous condition and it is this condition that will have Christ saying to many-  'I never knew you.'

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

He will NOT know them and why not if they are doing all these great things? They BELIEVE they are Christ's! They are doing things, many seemingly wonderful Christian things, and yet Christ will NOT know them, why?

They are LUKEWARM in their endeavors!  They are DECEIVED in their works. The fire, the zeal, the heat that they have is all FALSE!  What they think is fire is in fact lukewarm. 

Have you EVER in your life said something was hot only to be told by another that is wasn't hot to them, just warm?

People can deceive themselves, we do it all the time! Those who are LUKEWARM are deceived. They don't know they have a need of anything at all… they do not know they are SPIRITUALLY POOR, SPIRITUALLY BLIND, and SPIRITUALLY NAKED!

They WILL be SPUED out of Christ's mouth as something vile and loathsome. We've all spued something out of our mouths before, something that tasted so vile we couldn't, just couldn't keep it inside our mouths a second longer!  Our Savior will spue all who are lukewarm Christ followers out of His mouth. Our Savior will tell A LOT of people who believe they are His that He never knew them! We CANNOT ignore all this! We CANNOT pretend everything is fine and dandy! We NEED to spiritually search ourselves, we need look at our spiritual walk with  Christ and we need to comprehend where we are! Are we Cold or Hot, or are we LUKEWARM?!

God forbid we are lukewarm! God forbid we get spued out of His mouth! God forbid we believe we know our Savior when we don't know the first thing about Him and He does NOT know us!

By the grace and mercy of our LORD and SAVIOR, Jesus Christ, may we be SAVED! May we be HOT! May we KNOW and be KNOWN by our SAVIOR!

PLEASE! All through the HOLY SPIRIT!

All through Christ Jesus our LORD!

Amen.