From Lukewarm to Lit: Understanding God's Assessment vs. Self-Assessment

In our Christian walk, there's often a stark contrast between how we see ourselves and how God sees us. This disconnect can lead to a dangerous spiritual condition that Jesus specifically warned about in Revelation.

What Does It Mean to Be Lukewarm in Faith?

In Revelation 3:15-17, Jesus addresses the church of Laodicea with these sobering words:
"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked."
This passage reveals a critical spiritual problem: the gap between self-assessment and God's assessment. The Laodiceans believed they were spiritually rich and needed nothing, while God saw them as spiritually bankrupt.

The Danger of Self-Sufficiency Syndrome

The church at Laodicea was located in a wealthy banking and trading center—comparable to living in an affluent suburb today. Their material prosperity led to what we might call a "self-sufficiency syndrome":

• When financially comfortable, we pray less. 
• We depend on our resources rather than trusting God. 
• We buy our way out of problems instead of seeking God's help. 
• We develop a comfort-seeking mentality. 
  

This comfort-seeking approach to faith is precisely what Jesus was addressing. The Laodiceans had reached a point where they no longer felt dependent on God—they had "need of nothing," including their dependency on Him.

How Prosperity Can Hinder Spiritual Growth

The prosperity message that swept through churches in recent decades has, in many ways, done more harm than good. While God does want us to prosper in all aspects of life (3 John 1:2), focusing solely on material gain distorts our understanding of true biblical prosperity.

When we become financially comfortable, several spiritual dangers emerge:

• We pray less frequently
• We read the Bible less consistently
• We engage in fewer evangelistic activities
• We give less sacrificially
• Our faith becomes compartmentalized

Statistical research confirms this pattern: countries with high Christian wealth often show decreased prayer frequency, reduced Bible reading, and less sacrificial giving.

The Missing Element: Sacrificial Living

At the heart of authentic Christianity is sacrifice. Jesus didn't establish a comfort-based religion—He established one founded on sacrifice, beginning with His own sacrifice on the cross.

True sacrifice means giving God what costs you something. This applies to:

• Your finances (giving beyond what's comfortable)
• Your time (serving when inconvenient)
• Your relationships (loving difficult people)
• our obedience (following God's word even when challenging)

King David understood this principle when he said, "I will not offer to the Lord that which costs me nothing" (2 Samuel 24:24). Sacrifice isn't about giving from abundance—it's about giving from need.

The Power of Sacrificial Giving

In 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, Paul highlights the Macedonian church, which gave "beyond their ability" despite "extreme poverty." Their sacrificial giving demonstrated true faith because it required complete dependence on God.

When giving requires faith:

• It forces us to trust God for our needs
• It develops our spiritual muscles
• It positions us to experience God's provision

Comfortable giving, by contrast, requires no faith. When we pre-determine what we'll give based on what we're comfortable with, we miss the opportunity to exercise faith and experience God's supernatural provision.

The Suburban Church Challenge

Churches in affluent areas face unique spiritual challenges:

• It's difficult to motivate people to serve sacrificially
• Paid staff often replace volunteer ministry
• Comfort becomes the priority over commitment
• Programs replace discipleship
• Churches measure success by attendance and budgets rather than spiritual transformation.

This comfort-centered approach to faith is precisely what makes us lukewarm—not cold enough to recognize our need for God, not hot enough to live sacrificially for Him.

How to Move from Lukewarm to Lit

To move from lukewarm to spiritually "lit" (on fire for God), we must:

• Recognize prosperity as stewardship, not entitlement
• Use resources for Kingdom advancement, not just personal comfort
• Maintain spiritual disciplines even when life is comfortable
• Choose challenges over comfort in spiritual growth
• Develop complete dependency on God through sacrificial living

God wants a relationship with us based on trust and dependency. He wants us to connect with Him daily, seeking His direction rather than operating on spiritual autopilot.

Life Application

Take a moment to honestly assess your spiritual temperature. If God were to take your spiritual temperature today, where would you fall on the thermometer?

• Hot: Fully committed, unashamed of the gospel, living sacrificially
• Cold: Struggling but honest about it, open to growth
• Lukewarm: Religious but uncommitted, comfortable but unproductive

If you find yourself in the lukewarm category, remember Jesus' warning that He will "vomit you out of my mouth." This week, challenge yourself to:

• Identify your comfort zones: Where have you been operating on spiritual autopilot?
• Take one sacrificial step: Give something that costs you—whether time, money, or comfort.
• Increase your dependency: Identify one area where you've been self-sufficient and deliberately depend on God instead.
• Ask yourself daily, "Am I living in a way that requires faith, or am I just comfortable?"

The path from lukewarm to lit begins with honest self-assessment and a willingness to embrace sacrifice over comfort. Remember, God doesn't want what's left over from your comfortable life—He wants a relationship built on trust, dependency, and sacrificial love.