neither hot nor cold

"I know your works: 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 will spit you out of my mouth." [1]

So begins Jesus' words to the famously lukewarm church of Laodicia. But Don Carson points out that these verses are terribly misapplied [2]. No first-century Laodician would interpret it as simply an objection to the temperature of water. The real problem was that Laodicia had no fresh water. Neighboring valleys had clear hot springs for bathing and cold springs of good water for drinking. But Laodicia had no clean, usable water.

We're not reading about indifference, but impurity.

"For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see."

Jesus saw them as wretched, blind, naked, covered in shame. They didn't realize there was a problem. We don't realize there's a problem.

"Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent."

We heard on Sunday that God speaks to us through our pastors. Let us take the reproof they offer and repent with great zeal. The imPURE seminar is on Saturday, April 24 from 9-3. This is too important to skip.

[1] Rev. 3:15-19
[2] Don Carson, "Revelation part 5"