Laodicea
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Hello @Shandy
Great question and thread!
First, tell us what you think each of these types of Christians are......
Hi @Lafftur
Thanks for reply.
I find it hard to imagine a cold Christian. Pperhaps they believe but have no real love in their hearts for the Lord, and therefore never get close to Him. They deny the power of The Holy Spirit.
Lukewarm Christian
Perhaps they believe and love God , but not enough to follow Him as He has told us to. Maybe they have the form of Godliness but do not move out of their comfort zone. Are they picking their cross up daily, I don't know. I would imagine they go to church, know scripture and lead a good life. But do they know The Lord?
Hot Christian
Strong faith, walks and talks with God. Their hearts are on fire for The Lord. They will fo anything for Him and are filled with The Holy Spirit. They love their brothers, sisters and neighbours. They are many more things too.
But what say you?
Thanks for reply.
I find it hard to imagine a cold Christian. Pperhaps they believe but have no real love in their hearts for the Lord, and therefore never get close to Him. They deny the power of The Holy Spirit.
Lukewarm Christian
Perhaps they believe and love God , but not enough to follow Him as He has told us to. Maybe they have the form of Godliness but do not move out of their comfort zone. Are they picking their cross up daily, I don't know. I would imagine they go to church, know scripture and lead a good life. But do they know The Lord?
Hot Christian
Strong faith, walks and talks with God. Their hearts are on fire for The Lord. They will fo anything for Him and are filled with The Holy Spirit. They love their brothers, sisters and neighbours. They are many more things too.
But what say you?
Based on what I've read about the history of Laodicea, both hot and cold water served good, although different, purposes. The hot water was for cleansing and such, while the cold water was for refreshment. Lukewarm water wasn't good for much of anything.
In light of this, it would appear that Jesus was saying that He would rather a person be either hot or cold, seeing as they are both good things. However, He doesn't want anyone to be lukewarm, or a "fence-sitter".
It should be noted that both hot and cold water are mentioned in the Gospels. Christ talked about a person giving one of His followers a cup of cold water and not losing his reward for it. Also, hot springs are associated with healing. Again, both hot and cold water are good, but lukewarm water is not.
$0.02
In light of this, it would appear that Jesus was saying that He would rather a person be either hot or cold, seeing as they are both good things. However, He doesn't want anyone to be lukewarm, or a "fence-sitter".
It should be noted that both hot and cold water are mentioned in the Gospels. Christ talked about a person giving one of His followers a cup of cold water and not losing his reward for it. Also, hot springs are associated with healing. Again, both hot and cold water are good, but lukewarm water is not.
$0.02
Thank you @NotmebutHim
I have always thought off cold as not good. But yes I see what you are saying makes a lot more sense, and why Jesus said that.
Si what would I be like if I was cold?
I agree with you, and might I add....
A cold Christian is one that has no love and no faith, no desire for truth.....meaning it was their "flesh" that wanted to be saved and not go to hell....so it's just the flesh trying to save itself or appear righteous in front of others....the Lord knows those that looooooove Him.
Yes, they definitely deny, resist and speak evil of the Holy Spirit. They are tares among the wheat.....no worries, the Lord will allow us to grow together yet, there will be a time of separation and the tares shall be no more.
You are correct, they do not know the Lord....they know about Him but, not personally because they love the world and love God......fence walkers. They love God if everything is going good for them but, they get very angry with God when God does not do what they think God should have done because they do not know that God will sometimes stick us in the dungeon like He did with Joseph. They are too quick to turn away from God, no endurance, not stable, no commitment.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Full of fervent love for God, experiencing encounters with God, knowing God personally....great, great love for God, others and themselves.... They speak evil of no one, not God, not others and not themselves....they are able to love their enemies.....because they love God. They have overcome in the Church of Ephesus.....they never leave their First Love.....Jesus Christ, our Beloved.
They have also overcome the Church of Smyrna.....they love not their life...even unto death...they lay their life down...
They have also overcome the Church of Pergamos....Thyatira, Sardis, and walk in brotherly love as the Church of Philadelphia, and lastly they overcome the Church of Laodicea.....
A cold Christian is one that has no love and no faith, no desire for truth.....meaning it was their "flesh" that wanted to be saved and not go to hell....so it's just the flesh trying to save itself or appear righteous in front of others....the Lord knows those that looooooove Him.
Yes, they definitely deny, resist and speak evil of the Holy Spirit. They are tares among the wheat.....no worries, the Lord will allow us to grow together yet, there will be a time of separation and the tares shall be no more.
You are correct, they do not know the Lord....they know about Him but, not personally because they love the world and love God......fence walkers. They love God if everything is going good for them but, they get very angry with God when God does not do what they think God should have done because they do not know that God will sometimes stick us in the dungeon like He did with Joseph. They are too quick to turn away from God, no endurance, not stable, no commitment.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Full of fervent love for God, experiencing encounters with God, knowing God personally....great, great love for God, others and themselves.... They speak evil of no one, not God, not others and not themselves....they are able to love their enemies.....because they love God. They have overcome in the Church of Ephesus.....they never leave their First Love.....Jesus Christ, our Beloved.
They have also overcome the Church of Smyrna.....they love not their life...even unto death...they lay their life down...
They have also overcome the Church of Pergamos....Thyatira, Sardis, and walk in brotherly love as the Church of Philadelphia, and lastly they overcome the Church of Laodicea.....
Thank you @Lafftur I agree with you.I agree with you, and might I add....
A cold Christian is one that has no love and no faith, no desire for truth.....meaning it was their "flesh" that wanted to be saved and not go to hell....so it's just the flesh trying to save itself or appear righteous in front of others....the Lord knows those that looooooove Him.
Yes, they definitely deny, resist and speak evil of the Holy Spirit. They are tares among the wheat.....no worries, the Lord will allow us to grow together yet, there will be a time of separation and the tares shall be no more.
You are correct, they do not know the Lord....they know about Him but, not personally because they love the world and love God......fence walkers. They love God if everything is going good for them but, they get very angry with God when God does not do what they think God should have done because they do not know that God will sometimes stick us in the dungeon like He did with Joseph. They are too quick to turn away from God, no endurance, not stable, no commitment.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Full of fervent love for God, experiencing encounters with God, knowing God personally....great, great love for God, others and themselves.... They speak evil of no one, not God, not others and not themselves....they are able to love their enemies.....because they love God. They have overcome in the Church of Ephesus.....they never leave their First Love.....Jesus Christ, our Beloved.
They have also overcome the Church of Smyrna.....they love not their life...even unto death...they lay their life down...
They have also overcome the Church of Pergamos....Thyatira, Sardis, and walk in brotherly love as the Church of Philadelphia, and lastly they overcome the Church of Laodicea.....
Just reading your answer gave me so much joy, especially when you got to the hot part
To overcome to that degree must be amazing. I want to join their club I want to be there!
15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Jesus would rather someones WORKS were Hot or cold but not lukewarm . So the one that's not palatable is ' lukewarm ' .
16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Jesus would rather someones WORKS were Hot or cold but not lukewarm . So the one that's not palatable is ' lukewarm ' .
You're already there! Welcome!
You've already joined the club because you desire to....desire is your destiny in your heart....it's just a matter of time now and God's timing is perfect!
True, God wants a solid decision and commitment from us.....cold is No to God and hot is Yes to God, being double minded is disgusting to God and He'll spit lukewarm out of His mouth.
I choose and commit to be HOT!!
So true.. God has to be The Most important thing in your life. He Is thei most important. God does not like half neasures. We have to love God with all our being.
God's timing really is perfect, I agree. I believe each christian is exactly where He wants them to be at the time, if their heart is right with The Lord.You're already there! Welcome!
You've already joined the club because you desire to....desire is your destiny in your heart....it's just a matter of time now and God's timing is perfect!
Yes Hot Hot Hot. That is where you are @Lafftur. What a shining light you are. You bring joy to the soul.True, God wants a solid decision and commitment from us.....cold is No to God and hot is Yes to God, being double minded is disgusting to God and He'll spit lukewarm out of His mouth.
I choose and commit to be HOT!!
True, God wants a solid decision and commitment from us.....cold is No to God and hot is Yes to God, being double minded is disgusting to God and He'll spit lukewarm out of His mouth.
I choose and commit to be HOT!!
Can you show this using scripture?
True, God wants a solid decision and commitment from us.....cold is No to God and hot is Yes to God, being double minded is disgusting to God and He'll spit lukewarm out of His mouth.
I choose and commit to be HOT!!
If cold is No-to-God why would Jesus not spew out the cold?
The analogy doesn't make sense that way.
You need historical context for this.
To the north of Laodicea, Hierapolis was located on therapeutic hot springs.
To the south, Colossae had cold springs of clean, drinkable water.
Laodicea had problems with its water supply, which was brought in by aqueduct
from a few miles away. By the time the water reached Laodicea,
it had become lukewarm. It was at times tepid, unclean, and undrinkable.
It could cause illness, so that you might want to spit or vomit it out,
as Jesus is says he might do, metaphorically, with the entire Laodicean church.
Laodicea seems to have absorbed the lifestyle of the wealthy and elite of the city.
They had a kind of social sickness rendering them neither hot nor cold.
Not good for anything, in a spiritual sense.
D
DWR
Guest
Cold---There is fruit hidden among the thorns
Lukewarm---lots of blooms in the spring but little fruit. More show than results.
Hot--- The fruit is so large and plentiful that the branches are about to break.
A person who goes days and weeks even months without thinking about God or what God desires until this person suddenly needs God to get them out of a jam
A person who has God on their mind but still is trying to enjoy both worlds of life.
A person that walks into a public place and the enemy of God inside the non believers will suddenly take notice because they're in Danger!
It seems that what we understand differently is the 'cold' bit. I like to explore when differences come up. Especially when given in a great christian way, like you all have done in this thread.
Thank you for the historical facts of Laodicea. Jesus used terms then that they would understand.
But how would you describe a cold Christian using this in a spiritual way?
There obviosly is a difference.
Thank you for the historical facts of Laodicea. Jesus used terms then that they would understand.
But how would you describe a cold Christian using this in a spiritual way?
There obviosly is a difference.