By Elsa A theory on why Christians can be lukewarm and how to surrender & live passionately for God
(this post is not meant to condemn, but to shed light ❤)
The lukewarm Christian
The term “lukewarm” Christian comes from Revelation chapter 3 in verses 15 & 16 where the Lord Jesus revealed to a particular body of Christians that He knew, by their deeds, that they were neither hot nor cold. He wished that they were either one instead of lukewarm, or indifferent.
Today, lukewarm Christians or ‘believers’ are usually described as those who profess Christianity but consistently live in a way contrary to their claimed belief.
It seems that lukewarm believers deliberately live in ‘sin’ e.g. fornication, drunkenness, envy1 and the like, despite going to church or attending bible studies.
Lukewarm believers can also be described as those who love the Lord and it shows, but have not yet fully surrendered their lives to Him.
Perhaps this second category of lukewarm believers does not delight in vulgar entertainment nor practice debauchery, but they haven’t given up certain patterns and ideas they have about life, in order to live in the (perfect) will of God.
Why do Christians tend to be lukewarm/indifferent?
I’m convinced that those of us who are lukewarm Christians do not truly believe that God’s way of life is the best way, because our minds have been conditioned to believe that it is not.
The world systems around us initiate us into building our lives independently from God. We hear it in the music, see it in the movies, in governments, and sometimes even in those closest to us as we grow up.
Therefore as Christians, the idea of surrendering and living fully for God may seem foreign and undesirable because we imagine that if we surrender, we will lose our way—which we believe is better than God’s.
We carry the misconception that fully living for God is like a downgrade from our lifestyles. And yet the Lord says, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future and a hope”.2
The deep-seated mindset of our way of life being better than God’s produces the phenomenon of those of us who call ourselves Christians and yet pleasure in our vanity and life outside the Word of God.
Surrendering to God
I would define surrender as giving up our human ideals and understanding of life and inviting the Lord to re-define life to us as he designed it—to redefine love, money, marriage, success, and the like.
If the reason we don’t surrender our lives to God is because of the mindset that our own lifestyle is better, then the way to surrender is to grow out of that mindset.
The way to surrender is to expose our minds to the evidence that God’s way is indeed better and possible and that Christ is worth pursuing, and all to pursue.
How to surrender to His design
Psalm 100:3 says, “Know that the Lord, He is God: It is He who has made us, and not ourselves: We are His people…”
Believing that God is Lord over everything, is the end of lukewarmness because it is the beginning of surrender.
When we truly believe that “Everything comes from Him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory”3, our minds are enlightened.
It changes the way we think about beauty, love, money, about food, about businesses. It gets us to shift our focus from ourselves to the Lord and his purposes.
Now, at the thought of surrender, there may still be a hesitation of fear or pride that intends to keep you in your way. To overcome that hesitation or resistance, your mind will need to be renewed.
The process of the mind’s renewal
Imagine that lukewarm believers started to listen to teachings about the gospel more often than not, to hang around & listen to fervent believers, and to spend time reading & studying the bible.
Then they would, stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around them, but would be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how they think. This would empower them to discern God’s will as they live beautiful lives, satisfying and perfect in his eyes (Romans 12:2 TPT, slightly adapted).
It is by continually re-wiring our minds away from the ‘fallen’ ideals of this world, that we can be empowered to know and delight in God’s will.
The way to surrender our lives—to freely and fully say Yes to Jesus, is by having a reformation of how we think through indulging in the gospel message.
Further evidence
Colossians 1:9-10 presents a similar idea, it is a prayer for believers “…asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom (with insight into His purposes), and in understanding (of spiritual things), so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (displaying admirable character, moral courage, and personal integrity)…” (AMP version).
So, knowing God’s will (purposes) through spiritual wisdom and understanding comes before displaying admirable character and moral courage. In other words, it is by first knowing God—cultivating a relationship with him, that you then develop the convictions and the behavior that pleases Him and satisfies you.
Another version of the same verse says that after receiving the knowledge of his will, spiritual wisdom and understanding, the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit (Col 1:9-10 NLT).
The beauty of surrender ✨
Wouldn’t it be great, to say the least, for lukewarm believers to fully surrender their lives to God?
Just imagine that we all start to live in our intended design—the glory of it! Talents, businesses, books, families etc. being birthed for the Lord’s glory. Humble hearts and sober4 minds. An elevation of life and (non-fleeting) joy, peace and fulfilment would be our experience.
Dear believer,
Ponder it. Consider that God created you and made a way for you to be reconciled to him despite your sin. This reconciliation to God must mean that there is a way he intends for you to live. Jesus tells you that he came to give you abundant life, and that knowing him is eternal life.
Ask him today, “Lord, thank you for your mercy. What is there for me to surrender by changing the way I think about it? Please renew my thinking to be like Yours. Amen”.
Sincerely,
Elsa