Our Lord Jesus spoke of the endtime in Matthew chapter twenty-four. Among the many things covered, He spoke of the love of many growing cold (Matthew 24:12). The Greek word ‘cold’ is the word ‘psycho’ which is a derivation from the word for ‘soul’ (psyche). This warning is in line with the Lord’s observation of the Laodicean church as neither hot (zestos – a word related to zeal) nor cold (psychros – cold as in sluggish) (Revelation 3:15). In the context, I believe that the Lord wants us all to be passionate, full of fire and zeal (Greek ‘zelos). His preference for cold or hot is an expression of His not being satisfied with being lukewarm.
There are enough bible verses that support the view that God wants His people to be filled with zeal or ‘hotness.’ The zeal of Phinehas was rewarded with a covenant of peace (Numbers 25:11). Elijah achieved much because he had a very great zeal for God (1 Kings 19:10). He regards his love for the Lord as being very zealous towards God (1 Kings 19:14). When Jehu was anointed by God to be king, he immediately carried out his assignment with great zeal by killing all who remained of Ahab (2 Kings 10:16). Even though he got rid of Baal worship, he did not completely get rid of the worship of the golden calf introduced by Jeroboam (2 Kings 10:29). Yet God blessed him and allowed his sins to sit on the throne for four generations (2 Kings 10:30). David always sang about his zeal towards God and how much it consumed him (Psalm 69:9; 119:139). God Himself demonstrates great zeal for His people (Zechariah 1:14; 8:2). Jesus Himself showed great zeal for our Heavenly Father (John 2:17). The apostle Paul considered himself more zealous than all his contemporaries in the things of God (Galatians 1:14). Jesus Himself in the message to the Laodiceans exhorts us to be zealous (Revelation 3:19).
Zeal can be a bad thing if it is channelled towards things that has nothing to do with God or Jesus. Saul’s zeal to win recognition and adulation from the people of Israel resulted in him breaking the covenant with the Gibeonites and murdering them, causing the famine in David’s time (2 Samuel 21:2). Solomon’s zeal for God diminished as his heart turned to pleasing his many wives building temples to false gods for them. He used his skills and talents that had been demonstrated towards the building of the Temple of God for the construction of temples for false gods of his many wives (1 Kings 11:5-8). It is typical of man to turn the talents which God has given and use it for the devil. The apostle Paul faced people who were zealous for the law (Acts 21:20). This might not have been a bad thing if they do not use that same zeal to persecute the message of salvation by grace which Paul preached. Paul admitted that he himself was zealous towards God, even persecuting Christians, thinking they were in the wrong end of theology (Acts 22:3). Paul obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbelief, and in his heart, thought that he was serving God (1 Timothy 1:13). Paul considers it good to be zealous in a good thing (Galatians 4:18)
One can have zeal without knowledge and do completely the wrong thing with good intention but pure ignorance (Romans 10:2-3). The Corinthians have a zeal for spiritual gifts but they ended up with confusion and strife in their church (1 Corinthians 14:12). They did not do things in an orderly manner resulting in confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). Without consulting the written word, David and his people built a new cart to transport the Ark of Covenant, which resulted in the death of Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:3, 6-8). No matter how upset David himself was, he had only himself to blame for the lack of knowledge of how to bring the Ark to its resting place.
God has never been opposed to good zeal and thus God would have all of us to be ‘hot’ on fire for Him. It is only being cold or lukewarm that God is displeased with. Out of three conditions that are mentioned – hot, cold, lukewarm – God definitely would want us to be hot on fire for Him. And of the other two conditions – cold and lukewarm – God would rather we be cold than lukewarm. It is lukewarm that God vomits out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16). Cold is bad but not as bad as lukewarm. Why is lukewarm worse than cold? The following are some reasons:
- one may assume that one is hot when one is not (Revelation 3:17).
- one thinks one can mix both worlds but spiritual things are contrary to natural things (1 Corinthians 2:14-15).
- one has a little knowledge which is more dangerous than being innocently ignorant (Hebrews 5:2; 9:7). One has to either thoroughly know; rather than to know a little bit to endanger oneself but insufficient knowledge for it to be helpful. It is just like a person knowing enough bible to misquote and misuse but not having a thorough biblical knowledge to form sound theology.
- it is like having enough of the law to condemn oneself but not enough to renew oneself (Romans 7:5; 8:9-12; 12:1-2).
- A little knowledge is knowledge without love, which leads to pride (1 Corinthians 8:1-3). True knowledge and wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield (James 3:15-17).
- Those who are cold know that they are cold, and may lead them to repentance; but lukewarm is a pretence and hypocritical (Matthew 23:28; Luke 18:9-12).
What is the cause of people becoming lukewarm? In Laodicea, it was a superimposition of the natural wealth upon spiritual wealth, deceiving themselves that they were OK, rich, wealthy and needing nothing when they were actually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked (Revelation 3:17). They were also spiritually blind and needed eye salve from Jesus that they may see clearly their spiritual condition (Revelation 3:18). Their value system is such that they did not put value on spiritual things, thus Jesus exhortation to buy/exchange ‘spiritual’ gold from Him that they may truly be spiritually rich (Revelation 3:18). Jesus told them to be zealous (Greek – zeloo) and repent and open their doors to Him (Revelation 3:19-20). The main crux seems to be the inability to see their true spiritual needs because of their natural ‘blessings.’ Only those who hunger and thirst for righteousness can truly be filled (Matthew 5:6). One must be desirous for spiritual food, and have a pure heart to truly see God (Matthew 5:8; 1 Peter 2:2). We all need to be constantly reminded that we must build our foundation upon spiritual precious stones and spiritual gold which can stand the fires of testing (1 Corinthians 3:11-16). We must set our minds on things in heaven and not on earthly things (Colossians 3:1-2).
How do we know if we have become lukewarm? When we lose our zeal for God and are no longer having first love towards God (Revelation 2:4-6). When our love grows cold and we no longer spent time with God like we use to (Matthew 24:12). The Lord Jesus warns us against becoming cold in the end times. The Bible warns that in the end times:
- Men will have itching ears, choosing to listen to superficial fables rather than to solid sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:3).
- Some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrine of demons (1 Timothy 4:1).
- Some have consciences that no longer function, seared with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2).
- Forbidding marriage and abstaining from foods to become ‘more holy’ (1 Timothy 4:2-3).
- Many will be offended during persecution and betray one another and hate one another (Matthew 24:9-11).
- the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:12).
In the light of all these challenges in the end times, what can we do to immunise ourselves from becoming like the world?
- We must always have first love in everything we do and continue to love God passionately twenty-four hours every day (Revelation 2:4).
- We must move on to solid food and grow into perfection in Christ (Hebrews 5:13-14; 6:1) .
- We must have our minds renewed so that we see through a heavenly mind (Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 3:1-2).
What does it mean to have first love? Every day our hearts and minds are drawn towards Jesus and God our Father. We see Jesus and God in everything that we encounter, constantly evaluating everything and seeking to know what God sees. A song in our heart bursts out regularly as we magnify and glorify God throughout the day. We sing, we praise, we worship constantly in our hearts doing everything in the name of our Lord Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We also see the hand of our God in all of life and recognize His works every where we go. We love God and love all who belong to God, seeking to further the work of God in this life. There is the innocence and purity of love that flows constantly in our heart, never allowing the world and its way of thinking corrupt us.
What does it mean to partake of solid food and grow into perfection? We know the difference between milk and solid food. Milk being pre-digested food for infants and solid food being bread supplied directly by God into our lives (Hebrews 5:13; Matthew 4:4). Milk is hearing from God through someone else who can hear God. Solid food is the ability to hear God for ourselves. Milk is the inability to know and discern what is right or wrong, what is good or evil, what is white or black. Solid food is senses trained to discern right or wrong, good or evil, discerning righteousness and God’s Will in every situation (Hebrews 5:14; Romans 12:1-2).
What does it mean to see things from a heavenly mind? We always position ourselves with Christ in heaven and see no value in earthly things except as they are used on earth to fulfill God’s purpose (Ephesians 2:4-7). We value spiritual things above natural things and desire after spiritual things (1 Corinthians 14:1). We see things from God’s perspective and not from human perspective. We are immune to the attractions of this earth and only respond to the call of heaven.
Watch and pray and never let your love for God grow cold. Always be on fire for God and let the Holy Spirit be upon you, and Christ within you to do all the works of God on earth. Be blessed. Amen.