Perhaps you are already aware of this?
Thanks to @O'Darby for pointing this out to me.
In the past I had always read over the passage, not stopping to REALLY analyze it.
Everyone (hopefully) is familiar with the "lukewarm" passage about the church in Laodicea .
Oftentimes related to the modern church of today. Seems appropriate. Text at the bottom of this OP.
That "lukewarm" passage states that God (Jesus) prefers EITHER hot or cold to lukewarm.
I had always assumed HOT was God's preference. He left room for COLD. ???
If we define HOT as love and COLD as Hate, indifference is the extreme in the middle.
Personally, I would prefer that someone hate me instead of acting indifferent.
At least hatred acknowledges my existence, Indifference recons me as nonexistent.
And I think this is the thrust here.
God would prefer hatred to indifferent lukewarmness.
"... having a form of godliness but denying its power...." - 2 Timothy 3:5 NIV
Revelation 3:14-17 NIV
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’
But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
/
Thanks to @O'Darby for pointing this out to me.
In the past I had always read over the passage, not stopping to REALLY analyze it.
OMGoodness!As for atheists, many are closer to God than their Christian counterparts. They are at least hot or cold and not lukewarm and afraid. A sincere exploration of atheism is one route to God.
Everyone (hopefully) is familiar with the "lukewarm" passage about the church in Laodicea .
Oftentimes related to the modern church of today. Seems appropriate. Text at the bottom of this OP.
That "lukewarm" passage states that God (Jesus) prefers EITHER hot or cold to lukewarm.
I had always assumed HOT was God's preference. He left room for COLD. ???
If we define HOT as love and COLD as Hate, indifference is the extreme in the middle.
Personally, I would prefer that someone hate me instead of acting indifferent.
At least hatred acknowledges my existence, Indifference recons me as nonexistent.
And I think this is the thrust here.
God would prefer hatred to indifferent lukewarmness.
"... having a form of godliness but denying its power...." - 2 Timothy 3:5 NIV
Revelation 3:14-17 NIV
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’
But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
/