Revelation 3:15-16 NIV - “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other. So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
What does it mean to be lukewarm in this scripture? Most people think Jesus is talking about apathy or a lack of zeal. That it’s better to be on fire for God or coldly opposed to Him than halfhearted in the middle. This is not what this scripture means.
Lukewarm is what you get when you mix hot and cold. Jesus is saying “I wish you were one (hot) or the other (cold) but not both mixed together. Why does Jesus say it’s better to be cold than lukewarm? Because if you live under the stone-cold law, you will quickly recognize your need for grace that flows from the white-hot love of your Fathers heart. The law is good because it leads you to Jesus!
What happens when you mix law and grace? Frankengrace! That’s what happened to the Galatians, they started out in the Spirit (grace) and then added laws and rituals to earn their salvation. Like the fictitious character from the novel Frankenstein, you end up with a monster that’s both dead and alive. What are you? Cold (living by the law) or hot (living by grace), or lukewarm (a mixture of both…Frankengrace)?
