The Dangers of a Lukewarm Christian

IRON SHARPENS IRON: April 25, 2023

Welcome back! Over the past few weeks, I've been breaking down several key takeaways from the "Iron Sharpens Iron" message I delivered at the Warrior Women's Conference. We've discussed what the phrase "iron sharpens iron" means, what happens when we do and don't sharpen ourselves and others, female friendships in the Bible that exemplify this concept, and what a warrior woman looks like in battle. As we've thoroughly explained the importance of having Christian women in our life who do life alongside us, in this final blog in the series, we need to look inward.

There's a dangerous epidemic spreading all over. It's something that isn't being talked about as much as it should. It's a squirmy topic, but it's one you can't shy away from. It happened to me: a lukewarm Christian.

Think about that first cup of coffee in this morning. That first sip is so soothing. It's so hot. It goes down so smooth. It gives you a pep in your step. But let’s say you set down that cup because you got distracted with a phone call or maybe the kids need something, and by the time you get back to the cup 30 minutes later, it’s not good. Even if the flavor is there, the temperature isn’t and that makes a huge difference. You go back to drink it and you end up just dumping it out because it’s lukewarm.

That’s what lukewarm faith is like. You’re not hot. You’re not cold. You’re in the middle. You’re sitting on the fence. You have one foot in the world and the other in Jesus.

How are we to sharpen iron when we’re lukewarm? You can’t be living in disobedience to God and try to sharpen iron. You can’t be harboring anger against somebody and try to sharpen iron. You can’t be living for yourself and try to sharpen iron. You can’t be half in in your faith and try to sharpen iron. Don’t miss this – our God is big and He’s going to still use you in the disobedience, but not to your fullest potential.

In Francis Chan’s book “Crazy Love,” there is a chapter on the profile of the lukewarm Christian. As you read some of these attributes, I want you to really think about your walk with Christ and be honest with yourself if you resonate with some of these:

1. Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin. They want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. God is a useful fire escape they employ, not a God they worship. In other words, you want to claim Jesus as Savior ONLY so when you do die, you won’t go to hell.

2. Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not do radical things themselves. As followers of Christ, we SHOULD be radical! Jesus was radical!

3. Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than the average person, but besides that, they aren’t very typical from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but couldn’t be more wrong. They may say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives, but only a part. He doesn’t have control over their lives.

4. Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. When’s the last time you talked about Jesus with anyone? Really think about it. Everyone loves to tell you, “You don’t talk about two things: politics and religion.” It ain’t religion. It’s a relationship with Jesus. I write this with the most sincere heart – you need to have a serious conversation with God if sharing your faith is something you struggle with. I read this quote a long time ago: “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Do you have fruit in your life that show you are a girl who is more than a good girl, but that you are a girl on fire for Jesus? Do you walk the walk and not just talk the talk?

5. Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and their lives.

6. Lukewarm people give God their leftovers—not their first and best. Think about your quiet time with God. Are you waiting until the end of the day after you’re exhausted and can only muster up the strength to read a quick daily devotion and don’t even open your Bible? He deserves our undivided attention first thing in the morning. We don’t know what our day is going to hold. We need to have the word of God in our hearts so that when that spiritual warfare comes around, our sword is sharpened and we can slay demons in Jesus’ name.

7. Lukewarm people gauge their mortality or “goodness” by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they are not as hard-core for Jesus as so and so, they are nowhere near as horrible as that person who parties until the sun comes up. Remember, the comparison of sin game is a lie straight from Satan.

8. Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith as a child, were baptized, and come from a Christian family. As an adult – what is your life? Are you on FIRE for Jesus? If you’re an adult now who doesn’t desire to walk with God, who doesn’t desire to become Christlike, who doesn’t desire to live for God — you need to really do some self-reflection and talk one-on-one with God. You can’t hold onto the prayer you prayed as a kid if there isn’t transformation in your life. Being a Christian is more than a label. It’s more than the way you were raised.

Having lived it, I can tell you that the lukewarm life is so empty. For years, I resonated with some of those attributes of a lukewarm Christian - especially the part where you have labeled yourself Christian because of how you were raised and how your life isn’t as bad as other people’s. But there is a consequence to lukewarmness:

Revelation 3:16 says, “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Some versions say He will literally vomit you out of His mouth.

My pastor, Pastor Jay, made a great statement on this stage a few weeks ago that you can’t have the Savior, if you don’t have Him as your Lord. Your works won’t save you. You might be the best person, the kindest person, the person who cares for those around them, you’re a good friend, you don’t really do “bad things,” but if you have not asked Jesus to be your Lord over your life, in the end, when you stand before him and list all the things you did in His name, Matthew 7:21-23 tells us He will say “I never knew you:"

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day, many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’"

But here’s the good news. It doesn’t have to be like that! Jesus has HUGE plans for your life. It can change TODAY. Talk to Him. Tell Him you want to be on fire for Him. Get in your Bible and learn about Him. Pray fervently and without ceasing. He will soften your heart, take away your fleshly desires, and plant those desires in your heart to chase after Him. You just have to choose JESUS over everything else.

Let this be the year you become a force to be reckoned with in the Kingdom of the Lord. The year you put on the full armor of God and say, “Use me as a warrior woman!”

I know this was a heavy final blog, so if you want to reach out to me and discuss this more, shoot me a message through this site contact page. Thank you for reading!