Revelation 3:15-16
“‘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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus' lament, "Would that you were either cold or hot!" isn't a wish for people to be utterly unreligious. Instead, it reveals that a state of spiritual indifference, a lukewarm faith, is actually more dangerous because it allows for self-deception. This halfway state, where outward profession masks inner apathy, is seen as a more perilous condition than outright opposition to Christ.
Jesus is addressing the church in Laodicea, a wealthy city known for its textile industry and a medical school that produced eye salve. He identifies Himself as the "Amen," the faithful and true witness, before revealing His knowledge of their spiritual condition. He finds them neither actively opposing Him (cold) nor fervently devoted (hot), but in a self-deceived, lukewarm state that prompts His disgust.
Imagine your favorite drink – too hot to enjoy or too cold to taste. Jesus uses this everyday analogy to describe a spiritual state far more dangerous than outright opposition.
Jesus confronts the church in Laodicea with their spiritual condition: neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm.
What Does 'Lukewarm' Mean?
This isn't about temperature; it's about spiritual commitment. 'Hot' signifies fervent, passionate devotion to God, like a boiling spring. 'Cold' represents a state of being untouched by faith, perhaps outright rejection of God. The 'lukewarm' are those who profess faith but lack genuine zeal or conviction. They're comfortable, perhaps even self-satisfied, with a superficial Christianity that doesn't demand sacrifice or deep commitment.
Why is it So Bad?
This state is perilous because it breeds self-deception. It looks like religion but lacks its life-giving power. It’s a state where conviction is dulled, and the heart remains unmoved. It’s a dangerous middle ground where one might feel religious enough to avoid judgment but not committed enough to truly live for God. This indifference makes genuine repentance and transformation incredibly difficult because there's no pressing need felt.
Jesus expresses a surprising wish: 'Would that you were either cold or hot!' This reveals something profound about the value of sincere commitment, even in opposition.
Jesus’ lament isn't a desire for people to be truly 'cold' in the sense of being lost. Instead, it highlights the hopelessness of the lukewarm state by contrasting it with the potential found in those at the extremes.
The 'Cold' Sinner:
Those who are 'cold' – perhaps outwardly unconcerned with faith or even opposed – are in a more honest position. They haven't made a profession they aren't living up to. There's a clarity about their stance, making them potentially more open to a genuine encounter with God. Their lack of pretense means that when the truth does reach them, their response can be more authentic and life-changing, as seen with people like Matthew or Zacchaeus who went from 'cold' to 'hot' after encountering Jesus.
Understand the original words
ergon · Greek Noun
The outward expressions and actions of a person, which in a biblical context serve as evidence of one’s spiritual condition, faith, and relationship with God.
chliaros · Greek Adjective
An adjective describing a state of spiritual stagnation, lack of zeal, and compromise, where one is not clearly committed to Christ nor openly hostile, resulting in a state God finds repulsive.
The city of Laodicea's geographic and economic context, particularly its lukewarm water supply and material wealth, provides a powerful backdrop for Christ's condemnation of their spiritual indifference.
c. 1st century AD
Prosperous Laodicea flourishes
Laodicea was a wealthy city in Asia Minor, known for its banking, textile industry (especially black wool), and a renowned medical school famous for its eye salve. Its prosperity, however, bred self-sufficiency and spiritual complacency.
c. 1st century AD
Water supply issues in Laodicea
Unlike nearby Hierapolis with its hot springs or Colossae with its cool, fresh water, Laodicea's water had to be brought in by aqueducts. This water often arrived tepid and unpleasant, a stark contrast to the pure, cool water Christ offers.
c. AD 60-64
Paul's Letter to the Colossians
Though not directly addressed to Laodicea, this letter sent to a neighboring city likely influenced the region. It warns against false teachings and spiritual emptiness, themes echoed in Revelation's message to Laodicea.
c. AD 95— this verse
John writes the Book of Revelation
The Apostle John, likely in exile on the island of Patmos, receives divine visions and is instructed to write to the seven churches in Asia Minor, including Laodicea.
This passage calls believers to be 'fervent in spirit,' directly contrasting the 'lukewarm' state rejected by Christ in Revelation 3:15 with a passionate, devoted heart.
Matthew 21:31Jesus states that 'tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you,' implying that those considered 'cold' or even 'sinful' but repentant can have more hope than the self-righteous and lukewarm.
1 Kings 18:21Elijah confronts the Israelites on Mount Carmel, asking them to 'How long will you go limping between two opinions?' This captures the essence of the lukewarmness condemned in Revelation 3:15, where a divided heart is unacceptable to God.
2 Peter 2:20-21This passage warns against those who, after escaping impurity through knowledge of Christ, become entangled again and are worse off than before, mirroring the dangerous regression of the lukewarm Laodiceans who had known truth but failed to live by it.
John 9:41Jesus tells the Pharisees, 'If you were blind, you would have no guilt, but now that you say ‘We see,’ your guilt remains,' highlighting how spiritual blindness combined with a claim of sight (like the self-deceived Laodiceans) leaves one inexcusable.
ellicottRevelation 3:15: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot."
(15, 16) Neither cold nor hot.— The “heat” here is the glowing, fervent zeal and devotion which is commended and commanded elsewhere ( Romans 12:11 ). It is not, however, the self-conscious, galvanised earnestness which, in days of senile pietism, passes for zeal. It is an earnestness which does not know itself earnest, being all too absorbed in its work. It is self-forgetful, and so self-sac…
pulpitRevelation 3:15: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot."
Verse 15. - I know thy works; and because they are not what they should be (vers. 16, 17), I give thee this admonition, which is nevertheless a warning and a token of my love (ver. 19). That thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. The lukewarmness of which the Epistle complains was produced by a fallacious sense of security, begotten of ease and prosperity. In truth thos…
Jesus' lament, "Would that you were either cold or hot!" isn't a wish for people to be utterly unreligious. Instead, it reveals that a state of spiritual indifference, a lukewarm faith, is actually more dangerous because it allows for self-deception. This halfway state, where outward profession masks inner apathy, is seen as a more perilous condition than outright opposition to Christ.
Jesus is addressing the church in Laodicea, a wealthy city known for its textile industry and a medical school that produced eye salve. He identifies Himself as the "Amen," the faithful and true witness, before revealing His knowledge of their spiritual condition. He finds them neither actively opposing Him (cold) nor fervently devoted (hot), but in a self-deceived, lukewarm state that prompts His disgust.
Jesus is addressing the church in Laodicea, a wealthy city known for its textile industry and a medical school that produced eye salve. He identifies Himself as the "Amen," the faithful and true witness, before revealing His knowledge of their spiritual condition. He finds them neither actively opposing Him (cold) nor fervently devoted (hot), but in a self-deceived, lukewarm state that prompts His disgust.
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The 'Hot' Believer:
Conversely, the 'hot' believer is characterized by fervent, active love and devotion. This is the ideal state that Jesus desires for all His followers. Their sincerity and zeal make them vibrant witnesses for Christ.
The Danger of the Middle Ground:
The lukewarm are caught in a dangerous illusion of spiritual safety. They aren't openly hostile, so they don't see the urgent need for change. They aren't passionately devoted, so they miss out on the true richness of a life with God. This makes them harder to reach and more resistant to conviction.
"“‘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." — Jesus' lament, "Would that you were either cold or hot!" isn't a wish for people to be utterly unreligious. Instead, it reveals that a state of spiritual indifference, a lukewarm faith, is actually m…
