Revelation 3:15-16 - Explained

The lukewarm Christian or lukewarm church mentioned in Revelation chapter 3 is very commonly preached from in the Bible, but I believe it is usually preached out of the context in which it is actually written. Usually when you hear about the lukewarm Christian or lukewarm church, people look at hot as being good, cold as being bad, and lukewarm as being half in and half out — half good and half bad. In the actual example in Revelation chapter 3, though, hot and cold are both good and lukewarm is bad. Completely out.

Verse 15: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot." He is looking at their works and seeing that they are neither cold nor hot, and he wishes they were cold or hot. "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." When he says spue thee out of my mouth, he is referring to a beverage that you are drinking — that is the example he is giving. When it comes to drinking a beverage, generally people like either cold or hot. Most people prefer cold beverages or hot beverages. Look at coffee — people either want the iced or the hot. Nobody I know of likes lukewarm coffee. Generally with beverages, if it is lukewarm it is just disgusting. Whereas if it is cold or hot, it is actually a good thing.

Verse 17 proves this further: "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Blind means no sight — not partial sight. Naked means no clothes — not partial clothes. So in the example being given, a lukewarm person is someone who thinks they have it all together but they actually do not have it together at all. Cold and hot are good, and lukewarm is bad. It does not refer to someone who is half in and half out.

And when you think about this logically, it just makes sense. I would rather people go soul-winning sometimes than never. I would rather people read the Bible sometimes than never. I would rather people go to church sometimes than never. I understand the sentiment where when people are half in and half out you want them to just go all the way in. But the reality is that it is better for them to be partially in than completely out. Cold is actually looked at as a good thing in this passage — just as with a beverage, cold is generally my favourite. Ice cold beverages taste very good. Hot beverages can taste good. But the lukewarm one you want to spew out of your mouth.

The lukewarm person is blind and naked — no sight, no clothes. This is not someone who is half in and half out. It is actually someone who is all the way out.

Pastor Matthew Stucky