25 Signs of Lukewarm Christians + Tips to Burn Hot!

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Christ was passionate about the day He would be crucified. Jesus wanted to die. He knew that there was a joy set before him. “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” 2 Hebrews 12:3

Jesus died to bring us into His family. To save us from blindly following Satan. He came to give us the strength, through the Holy Spirit, to avoid sin. He wanted us to be his pure children on the day He returns.

Though we were sinful, we didn’t need to earn a place at the table, He died to give us space. Do you remember the ickyness that you came from? Or, the sin and dysfunction Jesus died to save you from? He loves you the same then and now. “For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8

What is a lukewarm Christian meaning?

The Bible says the meaning of a lukewarm Christian is someone that isn’t hot or cold. Such Christians are often living a comfortable life where they accept less than what the Gospel promises or requires.

According to Revelations, some lukewarm Christian can be prideful, unrepentant, doesn’t listen to the prompting of the spirit, and isn’t passionate about spreading the Gospel to all corners of the world. Adjectives or synonyms that describe a Luke warm person are comfortable, half-hearted, indifferent, nonchalant, unconcerned, dispassionate, and uninterested.

Ultimately, a lukewarm person doesn’t realize how broken the world is and that they are a major part of God’s plan to bring light, love, and healing to the world!

Are you a lukewarm Christian?

Are you passionate about dying to your desires, needs, and expectations so others can receive undeserved love, favor, and forgiveness? You can take the Lukewarm QUIZ to tell if you are on fire for the gospel or not! Also, check out the bible verses to help you determine if you have lukewarm faith based on God’s standards.

17 Signs of a Lukewarm Christian in Church

1. You don’t think you need Jesus’ blood everyday.
2. You refuse to endure relationships with difficult people (with boundaries as necessary)
3. You won’t humble yourself. You don’t apologize.
4. You are focused on lists, rules, and customs rather than people.
5. You think you are better and more righteous than someone that is in pain.
6. You put yourself above others. You keep having the same problems in relationships or situations.
7. You think you’re more powerful than those who are weak.
8. You don’t read and follow the word.
9. You have unholy thoughts that you ignore.
10. You blame your behavior on others to excuse your hurtful behavior.  
11. You are unbalanced, focusing more on logic rather than youthful zeal.
12. You are waiting for a building to give you permission to impact the world. 
13. You need to gain something in relationships. 
14. You live in constant fear, worry, control, and anxiety.
15. You’re too wise to have emotions & too good to deal with certain situations.
16. You only associate with people who are healed and easy to get along with.
17. You’re living life in your own strength and don’t believe things will change.
18. Take the lukewarm quiz to see if you have any of the remaining 25 traits.

I would not suggest judging an entire church by the characteristics of lukewarm believers there. Remember, individual people go through situations in their life where they get stressed and fall out of love with God. Sometimes lukewarmness isn’t on purpose, but a slow loss of interest in their true love (God.) Please give yourself and others grace to get back on the right path!

Related Article: Jesus Set Boundaries

Can a lukewarm Christian Be Saved?

Yes, God calls the churches to REPENT and be saved in Revelations 3:1-23. To repent one would change their nonchalant behavior because they “feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin.” Ultimately, a lukewarm Christian must repent due to a strong desire to please God and develop a fiery hot relationship with God.

God’s free gift of forgiveness, grace, and mercy for humanity is ALWAYS available. However, we Christians must ACCEPT the offer daily by walking in faith and believing that we are new creations designed to live righteously. God looks at our hearts and KNOWS when we are giving our all (that looks different for everyone.)

“Keep working out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:​12

Related Article: 5 Reasons You Can’t Be a Good Person Without Jesus!

Our Role as Christians

Our job as Christians is to do the same things as Jesus. Our job is to walk out difficult relationships and situations, which can feel like our death. As we die, God’s resurrection power surges in us. When we are weak and it is difficult to love people into the Gospel, Christ makes us strong.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Are you allowing yourself to be weak in situations? To love difficult people (with distance boundaries)? To stay in difficult situations?  “God’s power is made perfect in my weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-11

God does not want us in abusive situations. So we must pray and seek mentorship to see what situations the Father wants us in. And keep in mind, Jesus only did what He saw the father doing because there is GRACE and an ease for difficult situations when God wants it. He will reveal to you what you should stick out. Remember, Jesus had to walk way from the Pharisees.

Related Article: Jesus Set Boundaries

Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. The father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.” John 5:19-21

What does Revelation 3 mean? This chapter defines the characteristics of 7 churches.  One of the seven churches in Revelations 3 is the church of Laodicea. The letter written to the Laodicea church is where believers can get a bulk of their teaching on lukewarmness. 

What does God say about a lukewarm Christian?

God is not okay with lukewarm believers. These lukewarm bible verses give a reference point for God’s perspective of lukewarm believers: “I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!” Revelation 3:15-16

In Revelations 3, God warns the church of the dangers of lukewarm Christianity, operating in pride, and failing to acknowledge a need for God. “You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.” Revelation 3:17-19

Lukewarm believers are oblivious to what God truly does for them day in and day out. Often, we get swept away in pride, comfort, drama, trials and difficult situations. However, it’s easy for us to get distracted or ungrateful, when we don’t have a full understanding of how he provides for us OR the fact that God causes EVERYTHING to work together for our good. It is usually when EVERYTHING is going wrong that we realize how much God has done for us in the past.

Do you still have constant need for God? Or do you try to do everything in pride and without God? I have been guilty of getting in the groove of things and feeling strong. But, what is the point of crossing off checklists and getting things done if we are doing it in our own strength? If we are doing it without the passion to die to bring others into the Gospel? 

God expects us to overcome sin.

God didn’t just give us the Holy Spirit because he’s like Santa Clause wanting to gift us with anything we want. No, he is passionate about receiving a spotless, pure, and redeemed bride when he comes back. 

If you are struggling with thoughts of jealousy, lust, anger, spiritual independence, control, manipulation, lying, deceit, shame, sexual sin, pride, etc. God needs you to stop ignoring them and submit that to Him NOW! Not because He wants to shame you, but because He LOVES you and doesn’t want you to fall prey to Satan. You can’t stay pure if you try to resist the Devil in your own strength.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:20-22

Related Article: 4 Ways To Removed Carnal and Fleshly Thoughts!

How to Stop Being a Lukewarm Christian

1. Take up your cross daily. God wants you to die to your selfish desires daily.
2. Stop entertaining sin. You can’t be on fire for God and play with sin.
3. Stop judging people and ranking righteousness. We all get the same place in the body despite how long we have been Christian or how much we know.
4. Renew your mind. Stop believing the lies of Satan and boldly declare biblical promises over the body, your family, and life.
5. Pray and fast fervently. When you care about God’s kingdom coming to earth you will fast and pray to make sure His will is your will.
6. Understand your Identity In Christ. When you know how powerful you are in Christ, it will help you to get activated as a powerful Ambassador for Christ.

You can start overcoming spiritual lukewarmness when you drop your selfishness and put God first in EVERY way. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 KJV

Christianity isn’t a game, a popularity club, nor a field to let our own qualities shine. It’s a MISSION. Our job is to love Christ, be loved and love others. It’s the commandments that Christ came to give and show us how to follow.

Why is there comparison and sin in the body of believers? “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready, for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?… What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ” 1 Corinthians 3

The ways of world should not be in the body of Christ (each individual being responsible for themselves). The saints should not be engaged in petty actions, revenge, control, jealousy, manipulation, ill-intentions, etc.. When we shed ourselves of the things within us that damage our relationships, we can have relationship with the people that God has called us to. However, if we won’t die to our dysfunctional patterns how can we bring people into God’s family?

Related Article: 3 Strategies To Break Generational Patterns

Who have you stuck out difficult (not abusive) relationships with lately? What hard situation have you allowed to refine you? When have you done something HARD that didn’t benefit you at all? Will you allow God to refine us and remove imperfections? Please don’t run away, from your feelings, nor from doing hard things with God. Allowing yourself to go there in difficult situations and relationship, gives God the ability to train and perfect you.

“Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be debilitated, but rather healed.” Hebrews 10:12