Wake Up to the Danger of Lukewarm Faith: Preventing Spiritual Apathy

As I look around the church, I can't help but notice a certain type of member. Let's call him Mr. A. He's been a member for years, baptized and all, and he still shows up to church on Sundays. While he may not be the most passionate or zealous believer, he's not an open sinner either. He's a nice enough guy, serves occasionally, and will engage in conversations on his way out. But there's something missing in his faith.

If Mr. A were to suddenly leave the church, not many would even notice. He's not exactly a standout member. But he's still a member nonetheless. Different members have different gifts, right?

But here's the concern: Mr. A is far too comfortable in the church, and he may be on a dangerous path towards hell. Nominalism, or lukewarmness, is a perilous state for a professing Christian. Jesus himself warned about this in his teachings.

In Luke 14:34-35, Jesus talks about salt losing its taste and becoming useless. He says that it's thrown away, of no use to anyone. In Luke 13:6-7, he tells a parable about a fig tree that doesn't bear any fruit for three years. The owner of the tree decides to cut it down because it's just taking up space. In Revelation 3:1, Jesus speaks to a church that has a reputation for being alive, but in reality, they are dead. And in Revelation 3:16, he says that because they are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, he will spit them out of his mouth. These are strong words, and they should make us tremble.

I can't help but be gravely concerned for Mr. A and others like him. It's a concern born out of personal experience, as I used to be just like him. I used to blend into the pew, going through the motions of church life without truly knowing and loving Jesus with all my heart.

But here's the thing: Mr. A is not alone. There are many like him in our churches, and we need to wake up to this reality. We can't continue to ignore the fact that there may be millions of people who think they are heaven-bound Christians, but in reality, they are not. They have Christ at the margins of their thoughts and affections, not at the transforming center. And on the day of judgment, they will hear Jesus say, "I never knew you; depart from me."

So, how do we address this issue? How do we prevent people like Mr. A from sleeping their way into hell? I believe one of the problems lies in how we understand and emphasize certain aspects of the Christian faith.

One tendency in Protestant churches is to overstate justification and understate regeneration. Justification is important, of course. It's the act of God declaring us righteous through faith in Jesus Christ. But when we overemphasize justification and neglect the importance of regeneration, we run the risk of creating a lax standard for membership and discipleship.

Justification is not just about cognitive assent, about agreeing intellectually with what Christ has done. It's about the obedience of faith, about bearing fruit in keeping with repentance, about faith working through love. As James 2:14 says, "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?" Our confessions affirm that faith is the alone instrument of justification, but it is not alone in the person justified. It is accompanied by all other saving graces and is a living faith that works by love.

But we also need to understand and emphasize regeneration. Jesus himself said that unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Regeneration is a heart-change, a love-change, a creature-change that must happen if we are to be in heaven. It's not just about attending church and saying we believe certain creeds. It's about having a new heart, a new love, and a new allegiance. It's about having the Holy Spirit within us, causing us to walk in God's statutes and obey his rules.

Being born again is not just a one-time event, but a lifelong process that produces unmistakable fruit. As Ezekiel 36:25-27 says, God will cleanse us from our uncleannesses and idols, give us a new heart and a new spirit, and put his Spirit within us. This will cause us to walk in his statutes and be careful to obey his rules. Our assurance as Christians is directly related to our lives of obedience and love for other believers.

So, what can we do as a church to address this issue? First and foremost, we need to be watchful and alert. We can't afford to let our people sleep their way into judgment. We need to call them to discipleship, to a life of wholehearted devotion to Jesus. We need to encourage, exhort, rebuke, and blow the trumpet of God's word in their ears. We need to pray earnestly for their souls and be diligent in our shepherding.

We also need to have a biblical understanding of membership. Membership is not just about attending church and having your name on a list. It's about being part of a body of believers who are committed to one another's spiritual growth and well-being. It's about being accountable to one another, loving and serving one another, and spurring one another on to love and good works.

In conclusion, let us not be complacent when it comes to the spiritual state of our fellow church members. Let us not be content with a lukewarm faith that blends into the background. Let us strive for a vibrant, passionate, and wholehearted devotion to Jesus. Let us be like salt that doesn't lose its taste, like a fig tree that bears much fruit, and like a church that is truly alive. And let us be diligent in watching over the souls of our fellow believers, so that none of them hear the dreaded words, "I never knew you; depart from me."