“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
— Revelation 3:16 (KJV)
Introduction
The words of Jesus to the church of the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:16 are among the most piercing and solemn warnings in all of Scripture. Spoken not to unbelievers, but to professing Christians, this verse reveals the Lord’s disgust with a faith that is half-hearted, complacent, and indifferent. The image of Christ “spueing” out the lukewarm from His mouth is a divine declaration that spiritual apathy is intolerable in the presence of a holy God.
This paper will explore what it means to be lukewarm, why the Lord condemns it so severely, and what eternal consequences await those who remain in this state.
The Context of the Lukewarm Church
The message to the Laodiceans is the seventh and final letter in Revelation’s address to the seven churches of Asia. Laodicea was a wealthy city, famous for its commerce, fine textiles, and medical advancements. Yet, it was also known for its inadequate water supply—water that arrived lukewarm through aqueducts, neither refreshing like the cold waters of Colossae nor healing like the hot springs of Hierapolis.
Christ used this natural condition to expose the spiritual condition of the church: they were self-satisfied, comfortable, and spiritually useless. They were not burning with zeal for God, nor openly opposed to Him. They professed faith, yet lacked the fervor, purity, and conviction that should characterize true disciples.
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”
— Revelation 3:17
Their outward prosperity had blinded them to their inward poverty.
What It Means to Be Lukewarm
To be lukewarm means to be spiritually indifferent—half in the world, half in the faith. It is a state of complacency where a person claims Christ with their lips but denies Him through their lifestyle and priorities.
Lukewarmness manifests in several ways:
- Spiritual apathy: Little or no hunger for prayer, Scripture, or holiness.
- Moral compromise: Blending with the world instead of standing apart from it.
- Selective obedience: Following God only when convenient or socially acceptable.
- Prideful self-sufficiency: Trusting in wealth, success, or religion rather than in Christ.
Lukewarm believers are neither wholly surrendered to Christ nor wholly rejecting Him—they live in a dangerous middle ground that deceives the heart. They may appear outwardly moral or religious, but their hearts are detached from God’s fire and truth.
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
— Matthew 15:8
Why God Rejects the Lukewarm
Jesus’ response is shocking yet revealing: “I will spue thee out of my mouth.” The word “spue” (Greek: emeō) literally means to vomit. It expresses God’s visceral rejection of hypocrisy and pretense in those who bear His name without bearing His nature.
Lukewarmness offends God because it misrepresents His character. It tells the world that God is not worth wholehearted devotion. It implies that grace excuses sin and that discipleship is optional. But Scripture teaches the opposite:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
— Matthew 22:37
A divided heart cannot please God. He would rather have one cold and openly rebellious—who knows he needs salvation—than one lukewarm and self-deceived. The lukewarm believe they are safe, yet their faith is dead.
“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot.”
— Revelation 3:15
Their works—though perhaps religious—were empty of the Spirit’s life. Christ does not seek half-hearted worship but a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1).
The Consequences of Lukewarm Faith
The consequence is clear and eternal: Christ will reject the lukewarm. The imagery of being “spued out” from His mouth signifies divine disapproval, spiritual separation, and ultimately exclusion from His kingdom.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
— Matthew 7:21
Lukewarm believers may have their names on church rolls but not in the Book of Life. They will hear the dreadful words, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23).
Their complacency in this life leads to condemnation in the next. Unless they repent and return to the fire of true devotion, their false assurance will end in everlasting regret.
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
— Revelation 3:19
Yet even in this warning, Christ extends mercy. He stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20), calling His people to renewed fellowship and wholehearted obedience.
Rekindling the Fire
The remedy for lukewarmness is repentance and renewal. Christ counsels the Laodiceans to buy from Him “gold tried in the fire” (Revelation 3:18)—a purified faith. He invites them to receive white raiment—His righteousness—and eye salve—spiritual discernment.
To overcome lukewarmness, believers must:
- Return to the Word – Feed daily on Scripture, allowing it to pierce and purify the heart.
- Renew prayer – Seek God’s presence not out of duty but desire.
- Reject worldliness – Forsake compromise and live in holiness.
- Reignite zeal – Serve the Lord fervently, remembering His cross and coming kingdom.
“Be fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.”
— Romans 12:11
The Spirit of God still ignites cold hearts with divine fire for those who yield themselves fully to Him.
Conclusion
To be lukewarm is to be self-deceived—to stand on the edge of truth but never surrender to it. It is to profess faith without power, to attend church without transformation, and to bear Christ’s name without bearing His cross.
Jesus Christ will not tolerate a half-hearted church. The time for spiritual neutrality is over. The King is at the door, and He calls His people to repent, to burn again with love, and to shine with holy fervor in a darkening world.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
— Revelation 3:22
The lukewarm will be cast out, but the zealous will reign with Christ. Choose this day whom you will serve.