Revelation 3:15-22
15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot.
16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.
17 Because you say, 'I'm rich; I have become wealthy, and need nothing,' and you don't know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,
18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, and white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent.
20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me.
21 The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."
Another mini sharing topic that has been weighing in my heart for quite a while. These verses are spoken by God/Jesus/His spirit especially to His churches, which obviously include its members. Are you neither cold nor hot? God said clearly that he rather you be either cold or hot, not lukewarm, nonchalant or sitting on the fence in layman terms (or the "heck-care" and "bo-chap" attitude in local context.)
Many "Christians" profess that they are Christians, yet their lives reflect otherwise. We know what accreditation professional bodies mean, don't we? If you're a qualified doctor in Singapore, you must belong to Singapore Medical Council. If you're a qualified nurse, you most probably have to register with Singapore Nurses Association. If you're a psychologist, it's Singapore Psychological Society. What does being a member of these associations means? It basically means that we carry the qualifications and professional ethics of being their members, serving our rightful and professional duties to the society. What does it mean then, to be part of the body of Christ, to belong to a church, to be called His children?
If you're lukewarm in any profession, then you might as well not belong to any association. You're not serving the society according to the terms laid down by the bodies. You could probably just get by with whatever credentials you already have, but please don't bother to join any association. There are many accountants and psychologists who are not registered with their respective boards, and therefore they don't have to account to these boards. Rightfully and technically, they can't go around and tell people that they're a registered nurse, accountant, or psychologist. Yet how many Christians go around professing to their colleagues that they're Christians, and belonging to so and so church, yet spew vulgarities, smoke, lose temper easily, gossip and harbour hatred.
It's one thing to think wrongful thoughts, to lose our temper or to swear or to indulge in gossips among our colleagues occasionally (and to realise our wrong and repent), but it's another thing to make it our lifestyles and without any guilt or repentance.
As Christians, we're not called to judge our fellow brothers (we leave it to God to do the judgement). But that doesn't mean we can condone their actions and not rebuke them when possible. And I don't think God condones such acts or thoughts. Which is why He said that he rather you be hot or cold, not in between.
What is to be in between? If you're in a debate team, you either belong to the pros or cons team. There's no in between, no impartiality, no buts or maybes. If you see a pregnant lady in a train, you either give up your seat, or don't give up. Waiting for others to give up, or assuming the pregnant lady is ok to stand is to be "in-between" (to bo-chap). You're not taking any actions! You're not doing anything to qualify yourself as a civilised and cultured citizen. The same applies to being a Christian. Oh, so Christians ultimately have only 2 stands to take, hot or cold? To be for God or against Him? Hmm, but it's tough to be a "true" Christian, I heard you muttering. Nobody says its easy. It's not easy to become an accountant or a doctor, or any profession for that matter! You don't call yourself a qualified doctor if you're only half-baked. I would be ashame to call myself a Counsellor if I'm half-baked. I will be doing injustice to my clients! Yet how many half-baked Christians are there out there? No, I'm not saying you can't be half-baked, or that I'm fully-baked. What I'm stressing is the fact that you need to start to choose to get serious with God!
Decide today. Do you really want to be His light and ambassador and shine forth brightly to the world? Luke 11:33 teaches, "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light." By being lukewarm, you are hiding your light under a bowl! You do not serve any purpose. If you're dim and covered up under a bowl, then you might as well not light up at all! Your dim light will most probably die off in no time due to lack of oxygen! What good can that be?
Decide today. Do you want to truly be called His beloved and precious and to consciously pursue all matters relating to righteousness, or do you want to belong to the world and indulge in its pleasures and sins? It's a choice - your choice. Life is all about choices, isn't it? The right one, or the wrong. You choose.
Oh, perhaps to aid in your decision, I shall add in this harsh truth, that God will spew you out of His mouth if you're lukewarm. The end times are really near. A new generation of hot Christians must be bred!
By His "hot" servant,
Stephen
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