About being Lukewarm

[Loboto-Me]

In the bible we are warned about being lukewarm, I’d like to know exactly what that means. What would we need to do NOT to be lukewarm? Do the born again christians who keep asking if we’re saved, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and fundamentals have it right in the NON Lukewarm category?

 

[awalt]

Are you speaking about Rev 3:15, it’s the only reference to lukewarm I could find?

The church at Laodicea was neither cold nor hot. It was sickeningly lukewarm. The Lord would have preferred it to have been extreme in its indifference or its zeal. But no—it was lukewarm enough to deceive people into thinking that it was a church of God, and so disgustingly lukewarm about divine things as to nauseate the Most High. Furthermore, the church was characterized by pride, ignorance, self-sufficiency, and complacency.

 

[Pug]

Here is a brief CCC passage about it:

**2094 **One can sin against God’s love in various ways: - *indifference *neglects or refuses to reflect on divine charity; it fails to consider its prevenient goodness and denies its power.

• *ingratitude *fails or refuses to acknowledge divine charity and to return him love for love.

• *lukewarmness *is hesitation or negligence in responding to divine love; it can imply refusal to give oneself over to the prompting of charity.

• *acedia *or spiritual sloth goes so far as to refuse the joy that comes from God and to be repelled by divine goodness.

• hatred of God comes from pride. It is contrary to love of God, whose goodness it denies, and whom it presumes to curse as the one who forbids sins and inflicts punishments.

 

[Zooey]

The church at Laodecia was called lukewarm. This was an interesting choice of words, as Laodecia’s water supply came partly from nearby hot springs, partly from icy streams up in the hills. Apparently, the water that came into your home was always too warm to cool you off in the summer, & too cool to warm you in winter. So this was used as a parallel to the spiritual state of the church there.
I have always had trouble with this, because odd as it makes me, I like to drink room temperature liquids. So I had to find out why “lukewarm” was used here…

 

[Genesis315]

I hate to say it, but I’d say most Catholics today would be considered lukewarm. I definitely was until not too long ago. Sure, I went to Mass every Sunday, but that was about it.

 

[stargazer257]

Genesis315:

I hate to say it, but I’d say most Catholics today would be considered lukewarm. I definitely was until not too long ago. Sure, I went to Mass every Sunday, but that was about it.

Ditto, I was there too. It took a 2x4 in the right place at the right time for me. Wish I had been hit years before…

 

[Toni]

Genesis315:

I hate to say it, but I’d say most Catholics today would be considered lukewarm. I definitely was until not too long ago. Sure, I went to Mass every Sunday, but that was about it.

I agree in fact every year when I do the Divine Mercy Novena the Saturday before Divine Mercy Sunday is the day that is offered for the souls of the lukewarm and I beg mercy every year for having been one of them.