Pastor Talk: What Does Lukewarm Mean?

What does it mean to be a lukewarm Christian? Am I one? How does one protect themselves spiritually from the sin of lukewarmness? And, why was this specific warning issued to the Laodicean church in the first place?

First let’s take a look at the verse:

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot." Rev 3:15 KJV

Verse 16 adds this bit about vomiting, with the word spew coming from the Greek word “emeow”. It correlates to the idea of vomiting from something disgusting.

"So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth."

Most people are familiar with this idea of being "hot" or "cold," with two main interpretations being used in churches. One is about being all or nothing for Jesus. The other is about being useful rather than useless.

Lukewarm as Complacent

In this first interpretation, to be "hot" is to be "on fire for Jesus," while being "cold" means wanting nothing to do with Him. This interpretation is the one I grew up with and I wouldn’t be surprised if most of you reading have heard this one too.

Basically it means that God would rather you be in the church or entirely out of it. He wants you either on fire for Him or have nothing to do with Him. More or less the claim asserts that God can work with someone that knows they’re lost, but he can hardly work with someone who thinks they’re saved but still lead a worldly life. They’re not hot, but they’re not entirely cold. They’re lukewarm.

God wants all or nothing.

I think there’s practical truth to the idea of living a fulfilling, all-consuming life for Christ. I just don’t think this passage is a good example of that. That’s not to say the Bible doesn’t teach this principle. Take for example James 1:8. Here the apostle explains how believers that try to live both in Christ and in the world will ultimately fail. Jesus says it just as explicitly in his teaching about serving two masters in Matthew 6:24.

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Matthew 6:24 ESV.

The only thing I can think of that is any more direct than that is this harsh statement in Luke:

“Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”” (Luke 9:62, ESV)

There’s also the parable of the pearl of great price but that’s both a story for another time, and I’m too disinterested to include it today.

Lukewarm as Useless

I hear this second interpretation much more now –especially online as a way to get clicks and views. (*shocked face thumbnail* “Lukewarm doesn’t mean what you think it means!”) It always boils down (no pun intended) to an interpretation that equates being lukewarm to being good for nothing.

You’ll always hear this interpretation couched in the urban history of the city of Laodicea. The story usually goes like this: back in the day, Laodicea lacked its own water source. They had to pipe water in from Hierapolis (to the north) and Colossae (to the east).

Hierapolis had hot springs; Colossae had cold, refreshing water. The theory is that these cities used aqueducts to send water to Laodicea. So then, by the time the hot water from Hierapolis or the cold water from Colossae traveled that distance, it arrived lukewarm. It was supposedly too warm to be healing and too cold to be refreshing. It was, therefore, "useless."

There is one little problem: No such aqueducts exist nor could have existed.

Pause real quick with me. When I was getting ready to record the video this blog is based on, I was team aqueduct/lukewarm=useless Christian. I was going to show some photos of the aqueducts and when I searched I did find photos and was ready to use them. But then the spirit whispered to me, “look at the map.” I looked at the map and noted huh, that’s odd. There’s a big river between the two cities. That’s odd. Usually a geographic formation like that of this area has the lake at the lowest point of the valley… and Laodicea and the other two cities are a ways from the river. How did they get the water in the aqueduct to flow upstream? So I closed my map of biblical-era Greece and Turkey and fired up a google map in landscape view. I zoomed in to the area of what used to be Asia minor. Sure enough. Hierapolis and Laodicea weren’t just on nearly the same elevation. Both were at a higher elevation than all of the area between them. And they’re over ten miles apart. And there’s a river running between them. And that doesn’t make sense.

To get water across that gap, the Romans would have had to build the tallest, most massive aqueduct in the ancient world. While the Romans were capable engineers, there is zero archaeological evidence of such a structure, and this region has been thoroughly researched.

Look, I’m not suggesting God doesn’t mind "useless” Christians. I whole-heartedly agree that believers shouldn't "outsource" their spiritual experiences. When we rely on the testimonies of other Christians and we subsist on the word being preached rather than the word being lived, we live a tepid and unfulfilling experience.  

There are Bible texts that already teach this truth so, again, it’s not like this interpretation is out of sync with the spiritual reality for many Christians today. 2 Timothy 3:5 describes how even some leaders can rely on the gospel as an idea but with no personal impact.

The idea that history supports this interpretation for Revelation 3:15 is compelling, but there’s just no historic basis for it. Worse, those who say and preach this reasoning are spreading misinformation. I don’t think it’s malicious. But I would like you to be aware of that.

Also, for fun: no one was trying to drink the waters at the hot springs in Hierapolis because the water was very much not potable. You would vomit if you did because of the mineral content. Also, the healing properties of the hot springs had more to do with that mineral content rather than the temperature. If they had been piping in hotsprings water to Laodicea the lukewarmness would matter very little.

Ancient Roman Hospitality

So, what do we actually know? We know there was an aqueduct, but it was connected to the mountains to the south, not Hierapolis or Colossae. Those stone pipes were often exposed to the sun or near the surface, meaning the water could indeed arrive warm.

However, the real explanation lies in ancient Roman custom. In Roman culture, hospitality was paramount. If you had guests, common courtesy dictated that you offer them either the coldest water available or a very warm drink.

This wasn't just a minor social preference; it was an expectation. If you come to my house today and I don't offer you a drink, it might be an oversight. In polite ancient Roman culture, it was expected. You offered something refreshingly cold or something intentionally hot. To offer a lukewarm drink was seen as socially odd, if not outright insulting. It suggested a lack of preparation and a lack of care for the guest.

This context is supported by the research of Cindy Parker in the Lexham Geographic Commentary. She details the socio-political context of Laodicea and this specific practice of providing warm or cold drinks for guests.

Jesus Knocks at Your Door

The Book of Revelation provides seven messages to seven churches. In each, Jesus provides a critique: what He likes, what He dislikes, and what needs to improve. Let’s look at the counsel given to Laodicea after the "spewing" comment:

"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire... and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed... and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see... Be zealous therefore, and repent." (Revelation 3:18-19)

Then comes the most critical part:

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)

Why is someone knocking at the door? Because they are a guest.

You do not offer a guest a lukewarm drink. You offer them something hot or something cold, but never something in the middle. The question Jesus is asking the Laodiceans—and us—is: Are we good hosts of the Spirit of Christ?

Am I a good host for Jesus in my life, or do I offer Him the worst of what I have? Do I give Him the leftovers of my time? Time and devotion to Jesus should be prepared rather than offered like an afterthought. It should take time as it takes time to be warmed over the fire or it should be guarded like a cold drink in a cellar. I didn’t include this in the video, but the ancient hearers did not have easy ways to chill drinks. To have a drink colder than room temperature would have required snow or ice (which was not easily kept unless you had an ice storeroom  which itself would indicate great wealth). I did see some suggest cold just meant room temperature but the Greek word for cold in Rev 3 is used in Matthew 10:42 means ice cold. It is a luxury and it’s not used anywhere else in scripture.

In the Bible, when people brought a sacrifice to the Lord, they didn't bring the broken, diseased, or smallest animals. They gave their best. Lukewarmness is what happens when we give God our leftovers instead of our best. It is a failure of hospitality toward the Divine. You get to decide how you treat the Spirit of Jesus as a guest in your home.

Conclusion: Giving Your Best Because He is Worth It

What can we learn from this? The Laodicean period of the church has much to learn from this message. The solution is to enrich ourselves on Jesus rather than on external things.

The question is less are you "on fire" or "hating God." The question is: What are you offering the guest at your door? Are you offering refreshing worship? Are you offering worship that is "warm" and committed? Whatever you do, it deserves no less than the attention you would give the most important guest in our home.

Remember, many interpretations exist and that’s ok, but there is a historical truth that provides the real benefit of what the Spirit wants of us. Don't offer tap-water worship if you have a vintage in the cellar. Don’t offer tap-water if you have Abuelita hot coco. Don't offer leftovers. Let’s give our best to God.