Why did Jesus speak so strongly against lukewarm faith?

In Revelation 3:14–21, the Lord describes the “lukewarm” heart attitude of those in the Laodicean church, an attitude manifested by their deeds. Jesus’ words to this church were quite strong:


In their relationship to God, the Laodiceans were neither cold nor hot, just lukewarm. Hot water can cleanse and purify; cold water can refresh and enliven. But tepid water carries no corresponding value. The Laodiceans readily understood the Lord’s analogy because their drinking water came over an aqueduct from a spring six miles to the south; when it arrived at their city, the water was disgustingly lukewarm. Laodicean water was not hot like the nearby hot springs that people bathed in, nor was it refreshingly cold for drinking. It was lukewarm, good for nothing. In fact, it was nauseating, and that was the Lord’s response to the Laodiceans—they sickened Him, and He said in disgust, “I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (verse 16).

The letter to the church at Laodicea is the harshest of the seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor. By His indictment of their “deeds” (Revelation 3:15), Jesus makes it clear that this church is dying, if not already dead. Outwardly, they seemed to be flourishing. The members of this church saw themselves as “rich” and self-sufficient, but the Lord saw them as “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (verse 17). Their lukewarm, indifferent faith led to half-hearted service.

Jesus frequently equates deeds with a person’s true spiritual state: “By their fruit you will recognize them,” and “Every good tree bears good fruit” (Matthew 7:16–17). Clearly, the lukewarm deeds of the Laodiceans were not in keeping with true salvation. Something needed to change. The deeds of the true believer will be “hot” or “cold”—that is, they will benefit the world in some way and reflect the spiritual passion of a life transformed. Lukewarm deeds, however—those done without joy, without love, and without the fire of the Spirit—do harm to the watching world. The lukewarm are those who claim to know God but live as though He doesn’t exist. They go to church and practice a form of religion, but their inner state is one of complacency.

A question often comes up regarding Jesus’ rebuke of the lukewarm Laodiceans: were they saved or not? That is, was this church comprised of believers or unbelievers?

The backslidden Christians view. Those who believe the church members in Laodicea were in fact believers see them as complacent and in need of rousing, but not children of darkness. Reasons for this line of thinking include the fact that Jesus still refers to them as “the church” at Laodicea. He doesn’t call them out for unbelief. He reminds the church that He loves them: “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline” (Revelation 3:19). And being “hot” or “cold” shouldn’t be interpreted as being “for” or “against” God; rather, the hot/cold metaphor speaks of different types of usefulness. So, the church at Laodicea was complacent, self-sufficient, and apathetic, and that resulted in their faith being rendered useless.

The unsaved hypocrites view. Those who believe the church members in Laodicea were unbelievers see them as spiritually dead posers who maintained a sham religion. Reasons for this line of thinking include the fact that Jesus is standing outside of the church seeking to be admitted (Revelation 3:20). He speaks of their spiritual wretchedness, nakedness, and blindness. And His threat to spit them out of His mouth doesn’t sound like anything He would say to His own children. Also, in addressing the Ephesian church, Jesus coaxed backslidden believers to return to their first love (Revelation 2:4), and He commended that church (verses 2–3, 6). This is quite different from His approach to the Laodiceans. So, the church at Laodicea claimed to be Christians, but their hearts were unchanged, and their hypocrisy was sickening to God.

The truth is that the church at Laodicea was probably comprised of both those who were saved and those who were not. And the concept of “lukewarmness” can be applied to anyone who has lost a passionate vision to serve the Lord. Believers can be lukewarm, too.

The general biblical message is that we all bear the responsibility for self-examination. Are we living according to our faith, or has our fervor cooled to the point of being tepid? “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). It’s possible for believers to be indifferent, lazy, or unmotivated. And it’s possible for unbelievers to pretend to be religious and call themselves a “church.” Whether or not the Laodiceans were born again, we must heed the warning Jesus gave them.