K091. Jesus said, "So then because thou art lukewarm.., I will spue thee out of my mouth" (3)

This is the third time I talk about the lukewarm churches or believers. I mentioned in K087 that the lukewarm believers were not the non-believers or the sinners of the world, but they could be the false believers or wicked believers who schemed against the words of God. However, now I must say that the lukewarm are not just the normal carnal believers or 'cold' believers; they are worst than the carnal believers or 'cold' believers ! Please read His words again:
Rev 3:15-16 KJV  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  (16)  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Did Jesus mean that it was ok to be 'cold' believers or carnal believers? No, of course, not. He would not want us to be cold at all. But, if there were comparisons between the lukewarm believers, the 'cold' believers (or the 'hot' believers), He would prefer us to be just cold or hot; not lukewarm. He meant that lukewarm believers are worst than the 'cold' believers. I have already explained why lukewarm believers are the worst type of the believers and why Jesus was not ungracious to spue them out in K087. Here I will just want to add that lukewarm believers are not the normal carnal believers; they are the worst.

How do we discern the lukewarm churches or believers?
We know that they are the lukewarm if they speak, preach, or behave like one. For example, if they preach 'ding dong bell' doctrine, speak evasively, or behave strangely with the wicked intention to nullify God's words, they could be the lukewarm believers. However, lukewarm behaviours are hard to detect or judge. It is difficult to tell if the lukewarm believers are hot or cold because they would always switch their speeches and behaviours to hide their real nature or lawlessness. The lukewarm preachers would even preach 'hot' doctrine to hide the 'coldness' of their hearts and vice versa (or 'cold' doctrine with 'hot' enthusiasm in the preaching of their lawlessness). That's why Jesus would spue them out and judge them more severely than those who have just grown cold in His words or doctrine. 

I am sure that we can see the evil of the lukewarm more clearly when the churches reach towards the end time. Many lukewarm churches will rise and it can be difficult to detect them because of their hot and cold approaches to the preaching of God's words. However, the Lord has spoken and the lukewarm churches must repent.


Another warning from the book of Revelation
I have mentioned many times in ("Kxxx. Jesus is the Word who came in the flesh") that the two olive trees were two prophets (Rev 11:4) and they were a picture of the law and the prophets. Since I am sharing from the book of Revelation now, I think it fit to mention what I saw when I read about the two olive trees recently:
Mat 22:40 KJV  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Rev 11:4-10 KJV  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.  (5)  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed .. .. (10) And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Can you see the similarity when this Bible passage is compared with the Bible passage in the next chapter:
Rev 12:15-16 KJV  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.  (16)  And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Hence, from here we understand that the fire and the flood which came out of the mouth of the two prophets and the dragon were not real fire or water; they were just a picture of fire (warnings, judgement, or reproofs) and water (false doctrine, lies, and lawlessness). While we may not be clear about the sequence of these two events, we can be sure that they could be the prophetic warning and explanation on how the law and the prophets works and how the dragon works. We must beware lest we become the enemies of the two prophets, but friends of the dragon. I believe that this is worth mentioning or warning, especially in our time like this.

Can the believers ignore God's warnings and just think positive ?
I don't think so. Or else I would not write so much about the warning here. The Lord would not write the whole book of Revelation or warning to the seven churches too:
Rev 1:11 KJV  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Paul would not give so many warnings to the believers, churches, and even himself too:
Act 12:7 KJV  And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
2Co 11:13-14 KJV  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  (14)  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Act 20:28 KJV  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
1Co 9:27 KJV  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
2Co 11:3-4 KJV  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  (4)  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Many argue that if God gave us righteousness or restore our righteousness in the name of Christ, our righteousness would be irrevocable no matter what we do or whom we listen to. But Paul's teaching clearly shows otherwise. Of course, he knew that we can still fall like Adam and Eve. Otherwise, he would not need to write so many warnings.

We are still given the free choice to listen or not to listen to Satan even after we have made our choice to choose Jesus. If we choose to listen to Satan after we are saved, we would fall like Adam and Eve again. 2Co 11:3-4 is the proof that this can still happen to the believers and churches.

There are enough warnings in the Bible for us to be the 'warning' preachers
If you are not convinced, look at two more Bible verses from Paul:
Heb 6:4-6 KJV  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,  (5)  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,  (6)  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 10:26-29 KJV  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  (27)  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  (28)  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:  (29)  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

When the Bible says, 'IF we sin', it means that we have the possibility to do it
Hence, when Paul made the comparisons with 'if they' or 'if we' in the Bible verses above, he thought of the possibility that they or we could fall. The implication is the same when he said 'lest I myself should be a castaway' or 'lest your minds should be corrupted' in 1Co 9:27 and 2Co 11:3-4.
Please think, When I say, "If you falsely accuse me, I will bring you to court", what do I mean? I mean that you have not accused me yet, but you can falsely accuse me if you want to. However, if I think that you can never falsely accuse me, it would be meaningless for me to say that to you.
Similarly, Paul meant it too. If he did not mean it, he would not say it too. Hence, it is ridiculous to twist his warnings and say that we can never sin or fall.
Similarly, John meant it too. If he did not mean it, he would not say it:
1Jn 1:6-10 KJV  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:  (7)  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  (8)  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  (9)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (10)  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
I don't care if some people are clever enough to lie that the 'if we' in 1 John 1:9 is not for us. I don't listen to them anymore because I know that there are 5 'if we' in the above Bible passage, all the 5 'if we' must be read together, they cannot be split or taken out of its context, and they are clearly referring to us and the believers. If we lie about this, his word is not in us.

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