Friday, February 24, 2017

Last (Days) Church - Lukewarm (LG69)


‘Last Generation’
Rev 3:14-16 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “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.”
       God declared that He is a creator who is faithful, truthful and knows our deeds. He classified us into three spiritual characteristic profiles.

Mat 21:28-31  “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.
    The first son was quick to rebuff his father but came around and did as he was told. The second son was quick to pay lip service but did nothing.

1. Cold – like first son. 
     These are quiet Christians who cannot commit themselves to any ministry in the church because of other commitments. They are people whose work goes unnoticed, made sacrifices in secret, and whose good works have encouraged and help many brethren (Matt 6:1-18).

2. Hot - true disciples
    Christians who are zealous, outspoken, expose heresies, obedient to His word, preachers of the gospel and commit to disciple making.

3. Lukewarm - the second son
    Jesus used the second son as a metaphor to hypocritical chief priests and elders who were quick to acquiesce to God’s commandments but did not commit to practising it. Their religious traditions were merely performances to covet for the praises of men. They were not sincere and had sinful inner thoughts. So these lukewarm Christians are like the abominable Jewish hypocrites who crucified our Lord Jesus.
Luke 16:14-15 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

Serving God
Col 1:27-28  To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
    Serving God – the N.T. church gave up all, fearlessly preached the gospel, taught the truth and made disciples of Jesus.

Serving Mammon
Luke 12:20-21 “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
     Serving mammon – Christians who use worldly wisdom to run their businesses, lay up treasures on earth and are not rich toward God.
Eph 5:11-12 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

Mat 6:24  “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
      A lukewarm church compromises God's words with the demonic worldly wisdom. They use the wisdom of worldly successes to adulterate the wisdom of God, thereby producing countless types of heresies.
    They justify their sins for hoarding His money in banks, stocks and properties as being good stewards, but in fact they rob God of His money meant for His missions, charities, and ministries.