The Danger of Lukewarmness in Religion

'Next Part The Danger of Lukewarmness in Religion 2

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold—I am going to vomit you out of My mouth!" Revelation 3:15-16

The soul of man is endowed with such active powers that it cannot be idle; and, if we look round the world, we see it all alive and busy in some pursuit or other. What vigorous action, what labour and toil, what hurry, noise, and commotion about the necessities of life, about riches and honours! All men are in earnest about worldly concerns. They sincerely desire and eagerly strive for thesetransient delights, or vain embellishments of a mortal life.

And may we infer farther, that creatures, thus formed for action, and thus laborious and unwearied in these inferior pursuits, are proportion ably vigorous and in earnest in matters of infinitely greater importance? May we conclude that they proportion their labour and activity to the nature of things, and that they are most in earnest—where they are most concerned? A stranger to our world, who could conclude nothing concerning the conduct of mankind but from the generous presumptions of his own charitable heart, might persuade himself that this is the case. But one that has been but a little while conversant with them, and taken the least notice of their temper and practice with regard to that most important thing, true Religion, must know it is quite otherwise.

For look round you—and what do you see? Here and there indeed you may see a few unfashionable creatures, who act as if they looked upon religion to be their most important concern; and who seem determined, let others do as they will—to make sure of salvation, whatever becomes of them in other respects. But as to the generality of men—they are very indifferent about it. They will not indeed renounce all religion entirely; they will make some little profession of the religion that happens to be most stylish and reputable in their country, and they will conform to some of its institutions; but it is a matter of indifference with them, and they are but little concerned about it; or in the language of my text, they are "lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot."

The lukewarm Laodicean church was loathsome to Christ, and he characterizes her as "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." What condition can be more deplorable and dangerous?

This threatening, "I will vomit you out of my mouth!" has been long ago executed with a dreadful severity upon the Laodicean church; and it is now succeeded by a mongrel race of Pagans and Muhammadans; and the name of Christ is not even heard among them. But, though this church has been demolished for so many hundreds of years, that lukewarmness of spirit in religion which brought this judgement upon them, still lives, and possesses the Christians of our own age! It may therefore be expedient for us to consider Christ's friendly warning to them—that we may escape their doom!

The epistles to the seven churches in Asia are introduced with this solemn and striking preface, "I know your works!" That is to say, your character is drawn by one who thoroughly knows you; one who inspects all your conduct, and takes notice of you when you take no notice of yourselves; one that cannot be imposed upon by an empty profession and artifice—but searches the heart and the thoughts. Oh that this truth were deeply impressed upon our hearts, for surely we could not trifle and sin—while sensible that we are under the eye of our Judge!

"I know your works," says he to the Laodicean church, "that you are neither cold nor hot." This church was in a very bad condition, and Christ reproves her with the gravest severity; and yet we do not find her charged with the practice or toleration of any gross immoralities, as some of the other churches were. She is not censured for immorality among her members, or communicating with idolaters in eating things sacrificed to idols, like some of the rest. She was free from the infection of the Nicolaitans, which had spread among them. What then is her charge? It is a subtle, latent wickedness, which has no shocking appearance, which makes no gross blemish in the outward character of a professor in the view of others, and may escape his own notice; it is, "You are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot!"

As if our Lord had said, "You do not entirely renounce and openly disregard the Christian religion, and you do not make it a serious business, and mind it as your grand concern. You have a form of godliness—but deny the power. All your religion is a dull languid thing, a mere indifference; your heart is not in it; it is not animated with the fervour of your spirit. You have neither the coldness of the profligate sinner—nor the sacred fire and life of the true Christian; but you keep a sort of medium between them. In some things you resemble the one, in other things the other; as lukewarmness partakes of the nature both of heat and cold."

Now such a lukewarmness is an eternal fault in religion; it is the most absurd and inconsistent thing imaginable: more so than avowed impiety, or a professed rejection of all religion. Therefore, says Christ, "I wish that you were cold or hot" that is, "You might be anything more consistently than what you are. If you looked upon Christianity as a cheat, and openly rejected the profession of it—it would not be strange that you should be careless about it, and disregard it in practice. But to own Christianity as true, and make a profession of it—and yet be lukewarm and indifferent about it—this is the most absurd conduct that can be conceived. For, if Christianity is true, it is certainly the most important and significant truth in all the world, and requires the utmost exertion of all your powers!"

When Christ expresses his abhorrence of lukewarmness in the form of a wish, "I wish that you were cold or hot," we are not to suppose his meaning to be, that coldness or fervour in religion is equally acceptable; or that coldness is at all acceptable to him; for reason and revelation concur to assure us, that the open rejection and avowed contempt of true religion is an aggravated wickedness, as well as a hypocritical profession. But our Lord's design is to express, in the strongest manner possible, how odious and abominable their lukewarmness was to him; as if he should say, "Your state is so bad, that you cannot change for the worse; I would rather you were anything than what you are!"

You are ready to observe, that the lukewarm professor is in reality wicked and corrupt at heart, a slave to sin, and an enemy to God, as well as the avowed sinner; and therefore they are both hateful in the sight of God—and both in a state of condemnation! But there are some aggravations peculiar to the lukewarm professor that render him peculiarly odious to God, as:

1. He adds the sin of a hypocritical profession to his other sins. The wickedness of infidelity, and the wickedness of falsely pretending to be religious—meet and centre in him at once.

2. To all this, he adds the guilt of presumption, pride, and self-flattery, imagining he is in a safe state and in favour with God; whereas he who makes no pretensions to religion, has no such sins. Thus the miserable Laodiceans "thought themselves rich, and increased in goods, and in need of nothing."

3. Hence it follows, that the lukewarm professor is in the most dangerous condition, as he is not liable to conviction, nor so likely to be brought to repentance. Thus publicans and harlots received the gospel more readily than the self-righteous Pharisees!

4. The honour of God and religion is more injured by the negligent, unholy behaviour of these Laodiceans; than by the vices of those who make no pretensions to religion; with whom therefore its honour has no connection. On these accounts you see lukewarmness is more aggravatedly sinful and dangerous, than entire coldness about religion.

So then, says Christ, "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth!" This is their doom; as if he should say, "As lukewarm water is more disagreeable to the stomach than either cold or hot water—so you, of all others, are the most abominable to me. I am quite sick of such professors, and I will cast them out of my church, and reject them forever!"

My present design is to expose the peculiar absurdity and wickedness of lukewarmness or indifference in religion; a disease that has spread its deadly contagion far and wide among us, and calls for a speedy cure! And let me first observe to you, that if I do not offer you sufficient arguments to convince your own reason of the absurdity and wickedness of such a temper—then you may still indulge it; but that if my arguments are sufficient—then shake off your sloth, and be fervent in spirit; and if you neglect your duty, be it at your peril.

In illustrating this point I shall proceed upon this plain principle: "That true religion is, of all things, the most important in itself, and the most significant to us." This we cannot deny, without openly pronouncing it an imposture. If there is a God, as religion teaches us, he is the most glorious, the most venerable, and the most lovely Being. Nothing can be so important to us as his favour—and nothing so terrible as his displeasure. If God is our Maker, our Benefactor, our Lawgiver and Judge—it must be our greatest concern to serve him with all our might. If Jesus Christ is such a Saviour as our religion represents, and we profess to believe—then he demands our warmest love and most lively service. If eternity, if heaven and hell, and the final judgement, are realities—they are certainly the most magnificent, the most solemn, the most important, and the most significant realities! And, in comparison to them, the most weighty concerns of the present life are but trifles, dreams, and shadows!

If prayer and other religious exercises are our duty, certainly they require all the vigour of our souls; and nothing can be more absurd or incongruous than to perform them in a languid, spiritless manner, as if we knew not what we were about. If there is any life within us—these are proper objects to call it forth. If our souls are endowed with active powers—here are objects that demand their utmost exertion. Here we can never be so much in earnest as the case requires. Trifle about anything—but oh do not trifle here! Be careless and indifferent about crowns and kingdoms, about health, life, and all the world—but oh do not be careless and indifferent about such immense concerns as these!

But to be more particular: let us take a view of a lukewarm temper in various attitudes, or with respect to several objects, particularly towards God—towards Jesus Christ—a future state of happiness or misery—and in the duties of religion; and in each of these views we cannot but be shocked at so monstrous a temper, especially if we consider our difficulties and dangers in a religious life, and the eagerness and activity of mankind in inferior pursuits.

1. Consider who and what GOD is. He is the original uncreated beauty, the sum total of all natural and moral perfections, the origin of all the excellencies that are scattered through this glorious universe; he is the supreme good, and the only proper portion for our immortal spirits. He also sustains the most majestic and endearing relations to us—our Father, our Preserver and Benefactor, our Lawgiver and our Judge. And is such a Being to be put off with heartless, lukewarm services?

What can be more absurd or impious than to dishonour supreme excellency and beauty—with a languid love and esteem! What can be more absurd or impious than to trifle in the presence of the most venerable Majesty! What can be more absurd or impious than to treat the best of Beings with indifference! What can be more absurd or impious than to be careless about our duty to such a glorious Father! What can be more absurd or impious than to return such a Benefactor only insipid complimental expressions of gratitude! What can be more absurd or impious than to be dull and spiritless in obedience to such a lawgiver! What can be more absurd or impious than to be indifferent about the favour or displeasure of such a Judge!

I appeal to heaven and earth, if this is not the most shocking conduct imaginable! Does not your reason pronounce it horrid and most daringly wicked? And yet thus is the great and blessed God treated by the generality of mankind. It is most astonishing that he should bear with such treatment so long, and that mankind themselves are not shocked at it—but such is really the case.

And are there not some lukewarm Laodiceans in this assembly? Jesus knows your works, that you are neither cold nor hot; and it is fit that you should also know them. May you not be convinced upon a little inquiry, that your hearts are habitually indifferent towards God? You may indeed entertain a speculative esteem or a good opinion of him—but are your souls alive towards him? Do they burn with his love? Are you fervent in spirit when you are serving him? Some of you, I hope, amid all your infirmities, can give comfortable answers to these inquiries. But alas! how few! But yet as to such of you as are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot—you are the most abominable creatures upon earth to a holy God. Be zealous, be warm, therefore, and repent! (verse 19.)

2. Is lukewarmness a proper temper towards JESUS CHRIST? Is this a suitable return for that love which brought him down from his native paradise into our wretched world? That love which, for thirty-three painful and tedious years, kept his mind intent upon this one object—the salvation of sinners? That love which rendered him cheerfully patient of the shame, the curse, the tortures of crucifixion, and all the agonies of the most painful death? That love which makes him the sinner's friend still in the courts of heaven, where he appears as our prevailing Advocate and Intercessor?

Blessed Jesus! is lukewarmness a proper return to you for all this kindness? No! Methinks devils cannot treat you worse!

My fellow-mortals, my fellow-sinners, you who are the objects of all this love, can you put him off with languid devotions and faint services? Then every grateful and generous passion is extinct in your souls, and you are qualified to venture upon every form of ingratitude and baseness. Oh, was Christ indifferent about your salvation? Was his love lukewarm towards you? No! your salvation was the object of his most intense application night and day through the whole course of his life, and it lay nearest his heart in the agonies of death. For this he had a baptism to be baptised with—a baptism, an immersion in tears and blood! "And how distressed I am," says he, "until it is completed!" For this with desire, he desired to eat his last Passover, because it introduced the last scene of his sufferings.

His love! what shall I say of it? What language can describe its strength and ardour? "His love was strong as death. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away!" Song of Solomon 8:6, 7. Never did a tender mother love her nursing child with a love equal to his! Never was a father more anxious to rescue an only son from the hands of a murderer, or to pluck him out of the fire—than Jesus was to save perishing sinners. Now to neglect him after all; to forget him; or to think of him with indifference, as though he were a being of but little importance, and we but little obliged to him, what is all this but the most unnatural, barbarous ingratitude, and the most shocking wickedness!

Do you expect everlasting happiness from Christ purchased at the expense of His blood? And can you hope for such an immense blessing from Him, without feeling yourselves most sensibly obliged to Him? Can you hope that He will do so much for you—and can you be content to do nothing for Him, or to go through his service with lukewarmness and languor, as if you cared not how you hurried through it, or how little you had to do with it? Can anything be more absurd or impious than this! Methinks you may defy hell to show a worse temper! May not Christ justly wish you were either cold or hot; wish you were anything rather than thus lukewarm towards Him—under a profession of friendship? Alas! my brethren, if this is your habitual temper, instead of being saved by Him—you may expect that He will reject you with the most nauseating disgust and abhorrence! But,

3. Is lukewarmness and indifference a suitable temper with respect to a future eternal state of happiness or misery? Are lukewarmness and indifference a suitable temper with respect to a HAPPINESS far exceeding the utmost bounds of our present thoughts and wishes; a happiness equal to the largest capacities of our souls in their most improved and perfect state; a happiness beyond the grave, when all the enjoyments of this transitory life have taken an eternal flight from us, and leave us hungry and famishing forever—if these are our only portion; a happiness that will last as long as our immortal spirits, and never fade or fly from us?

Or are lukewarmness and indifference a suitable temper with respect to a MISERY beyond expression, beyond conception dreadful; a misery inflicted by a God of almighty power and inexorable justice upon all obstinate, incorrigible rebels for numberless, wilful and daring provocations, inflicted on purpose to show His wrath and make His power known! A misery proceeding from the united fury of divine indignation, of turbulent passions of a guilty conscience, of malicious tormenting devils! A misery (who can bear up under the horror of the thought!) that shall last as long as the eternal God shall live to inflict it—as long as sin shall continue evil to deserve it—as long as an immortal spirit shall endure to bear it—a misery that shall never be mitigated, never intermitted, never, never, never see an end?

And remember, that a state of eternal happiness or misery is not far remote from us—but near us, just before us! The next year, the next hour, or the next moment—we may enter into it! It is a state for which we are now candidates, now upon trial; now our eternal all lies at stake! Oh, sirs, does an apathetic, careless attitude befit us in such a solemn situation? Is a state of such eternal happiness—or such misery; is such a state which we must shortly enter—a matter of indifference to us? Oh, can you be lukewarm about such matters? Was such a exceeding stupidity ever seen under the canopy of heaven, or even in the regions of hell—which abound with monstrous and horrid beings? No! the vilest demons below cannot make light of these things! Mortals! can you trifle about them?

Well, trifle a little longer—and your trifling will be over, forever! You may now be indifferent about the improving of your time; but time is not indifferent whether to pass by or not: it is determined to continue its rapid course, and hurry you into the ocean of eternity, though you should continue sleeping and dreaming through all the passage!

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