Lukewarmness Equals False Testimony
Many will call Jesus Lord the day He returns but He will say to them to go away, I never knew you. These “christians” will have never walked in the Spirit of God and did not actually belong to Jesus. They lived a lie thinking they were saved yet always remained in submission to their father the devil. They never knew the Lord, they just knew about Him. This really defines the church of today which is likened to the last church age of Laodicea. While many think they are hot for Jesus, they actually are not — they are only lukewarm and that is a horrible place to be as the Scriptures tells us Jesus will be so repulsed He will vomit them out of His mouth.
Revelation 3:14-16 - And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15I 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.
When the blinders of flesh are removed from our hearts, it is pretty easy to discern who is lukewarm and in danger of final judgment by the Lord. We all should examine ourselves constantly to make sure we are in the true faith, knowing what true faith really entails and being aware we are in a war with a very real cunning deceiver. The lukewarm will do many religious things, they pray, some study the Bible, they go to church, they take part in missions, they do many good works, however they do not truthfully testify for Jesus. If we testify in truth and in spirit about the Lord by our words and our deeds, the world will separate from us. The sword of the Spirit that is Christ IN US, will repel those that live in the world and walk after the lusts of their flesh. The unregenerate will hate us and despise us just as they did Jesus and the early disciples and prophets. But take heart!
John 15:19 - If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you
Do you have a daily testimony for Jesus? Most professing Christians don’t. I am not talking about some magnificent one time experience where the Lord came and delivered you from a bondage, addiction, sin, an ungodly lifestyle or you were blessed with Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The testifying I am referring to in this post, is the ongoing day in and day out witnessing for Jesus. Our God is a good God and He has shown himself to many to deliver them of such bondages and like the woman caught in adultery He tells us to “go and sin no more”. These types of initial conversion testimonies are very real, edifying and powerful and prove the mercy of our gracious God who gives to the undeserving. I have my own story that I will share in due time. When the Spirit of God comes upon you, you will know it without any doubt and you will be changed. The world will know it to, IF you testify for Jesus.
Those in the world cannot even receive the Holy Spirit, they will remain in darkness and oblivious to the deception of their practice of religion until and unless they come out.
John 14:15-17 - “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
When the saints are Born Again, God has purposed us for service in His Kingdom. We no longer live for ourself, we now live for Him. If God has chosen you out of this dark world, He expects or better said demands that you surrender your will to His will. It is up to us to obey the Spirit who will lead us to put to death our pursuit of fleshly desires that war against the Spirit. Surrendering to this leading of Jesus’s Spirit is the essence of what faith in the Lord really means. It is not just saying some words with our lips and going thru the motions of religion. In fact the Webster’s dictionary defines lukewarm as meaning LACKING CONVICTION. This is a very apropos definition for what God intended with His warning to the last church age that we are in today. We are to be God’s witnesses and a light to this dark and otherwise evil world. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven He spoke to His disciples which includes you and me today.
ACTS 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Witnesses testify to the TRUTH. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and the only way to the Father. God does not save us and give us the promise of the Father, which is the Holy Spirit, so we can continue to pursue fleshly pleasures, comfort and entertainment. We are to walk the narrow road witnessing to the lost both inside and outside the professing church. Very few Christians are testifying for Jesus in their daily walk. Oh sure there are many religious activities that are erroneously assumed to be this witnessing Jesus was referring to. Most of these witnesses are false and testify to a different gospel and another Jesus. Dead religion testifies without the Holy Ghost and without the spirit of God in you, you cannot be a true witness for Jesus Christ. Without the Spirit, we are none of His the Scriptures tell us. When we walk in true faith, Jesus becomes our life and purpose, we don’t simply add Jesus to our life and keep marching down the world’s road. The Apostle Peter told Cornelius the duty of a disciple of Jesus Christ and notice it wasn’t walking around saying God loves you!
ACTS 10:42 - And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead
God recently revealed some profound truth to me that exposed hypocrisy in my walk. My testimony had no power of the Spirit. This was because I had not laid down some worldly things to the Lord. When we rebel against God there can be no power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God endues us with the same power of testimony that Jesus had when He walked this earth in the flesh. God does not move in power where flesh is lording over ones life. Until we overcome these things, we will be spiritually dead which defines most of what we call church today. Jesus must be Lord in spirit and in truth, not just in our intellect and words. Many have a giant beam in their eye which they are blind to see. That is why the true and faithful witnesses need to testify in love and gentleness the truths of the gospel. This is how we wash each others feet and serve the body the way God intended we fellowship. All of us need to work together to purge sin from the congregation.
Joel 2:16 - Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
Contrast that with what Babylon does in its gathering together! Babylon perverts love, accommodates sin and becomes the dwelling place of demons as the Prophet Joel spoke would be the case. Without sanctification nobody will see the Lord and any supposed testimony for God will be powerless, incongruent and ineffective for bearing fruit for the Kingdom.
This kind of ineffective false testimony will always be present where Christians have not come out from the world and died to their lusts fully. They may testify at times and at other times, they will cleave themselves to the world and do the same things the world does, giving tacit approval to practiced sin and rebellion to the Word of God. The apostate church in Babylon teaches such rebellion to God’s commandments (teaching unbelief) while putting forth forms of godliness in the construct of man’s religion. God hates this, it is an abomination to Him that is destroying His very temples that He will avenge on the last day.
Jeremiah 51:11 - For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it, Because it is the vengeance of the LORD, The vengeance for His temple.
Jesus said He will vomit lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. He wishes you would either be hot and on fire for Him always, or be ice-cold and just surrender to the world and live like the heathen. Some may wish to argue but that is what God said and it makes perfect sense when you think how it affects ones testimony. When lukewarm christians testify, they are not set apart and separated from the world and as discussed, their testimony has no power. This leads people away from the true Jesus and the requirements for sincere repentance from sin and self-exaltation. So while lukewarm Christians think they are doing God a service, they are tearing down and coming against the Kingdom despite the outward profession of faith. If you are going to be lukewarm, you might as well quit playing church and putting on forms of godliness and go enjoy yourself in the flesh. You will be no better off than the ice cold heathen who reject God outright and choose to live in open unashamed rebellion to the Lord. Don’t kid yourself anymore.
The true unbelieving world looks at such witnesses and scoffs at what they see as a hypocritical religion called christianity. Such false testimony denies the power of the risen Christ to transform one into a new creation and sheds the blood of innocent souls looking for the way to Mt. Zion. God is none to pleased with this fruitless wicked exaltation of man using His Holy Name that has led many seeking the Lord astray.
Jeremiah 50:5-6 - They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces toward it, saying, Come and let us join ourselves to the LORD In a perpetual covenant that will not be forgotten.’ 6 “ My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray
Many of us called and chosen of God have remained lukewarm. It is so easy to do by all the weight of temptations and trials we face in this body. But we must hold fast and endure to the very end to be saved and enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I sense the Lord awakening many more to righteousness and by His mercy exposing the secret sins and lusts that must go to complete the process of sanctification (purification) of heart. We must seize the opportunity to serve Him boldly now with living daily testimonies in both word and in deed. We may be the best last hope for many of the lost and those ensnared into religion to surrender their lives to Christ and enter into the ark of safety. Many of us have families that are lost beyond description even though they are nice people and good folks and have membership in a church. If we love them, we will tell them the truth in testifying to the Lord and His Gospel that saves. We must not compromise and think we are loving them by staying quiet and placing their acceptance of us above our acceptance to the Most High God.
If we admit to ourselves that there is really something wrong in the church system and be separated from them then we will see and understand the scriptures are saying. Seek God with our whole heart and not by reading and studying. He will guide us if your intention is pure to know him.
Ho. 5:15 Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me.”
This written for the church as well, we have to admit our guilt that other christians before us. All the things they have done and ourselves as well. I believe that we are in misery if we are far from Him and doesn’t know his ways.
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. (De. 4:29)
I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live. Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me. Is. 65:9-10
We are Abraham, Isaac and Jacobs descendant in the last days if we seek God our heart and have faith with his son Jesus Christ.
No-one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.’ [Isaiah 54:13] Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. Jn. 6:44 -45
He will teach us everything we need to know, we don’t need anyone to teach us. The key of knowledge has been sealed to those who seek God by studying in schools with the way of the world and not by heart.
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit — just as it has taught you, remain in him. 1Jn. 2:27
We are not to follow men, follow Jesus. If you follow men, only follow them as far as they themselves are following Jesus and the sound words of the Lord Jesus Christ. Most churches are false and are teaching our youth to put on forms of godliness. There is one that is your teacher 1 John 2:27 if you are Born of God and not simply religious. It sounds to me that the spirit of God is doing to you what it did to me, which is to call me out of Mystery Babylon, the apostate churches of the end that teach us we can stay married to our fleshly desires and claim to be married to Jesus and walk as a double minded harlot. I know this is tough truth for a young person to understand that has spent their whole life being raised under the traditions of man’s religion. But you may just have to learn some knew things and unlearn others and let the Spirit of God guide you. If you are not a peace in this church, then that is a call to action.
I need some elderly advised…I struggling of this thought…I think the church I’m into is not making me grow (it’s a youth church),but I’m weighing my heart if this is pride or played by Satan. I could not easily submit myself to the leaders, probably I questioned the credibility and testimonies of my leaders. There are things that I think ,something is wrong. I’m praying deeply to discern what is God’s direction for me. I’m leading also people and I know how critical this decision. I hope to hear from you.
In the 1990′s I was living the life of a hypocrite. I would tell people I was a Christian if they asked, but I was living like the world. I started a job in a brickyard and met a very godly man there. He was the only Christian there and the other workers gave him a very hard time. I felt sorry for him, so when I was assigned to work with him I told him that I too was a Christian. I had told the lie so often that even I believed it. After working with him for a couple of weeks he asked me one day if I was familiar with the passage in the book of Revelation concerning the church at Laodicea. He then proceeded to confront me about my hypocrisy. Although I didn’t actually repent until about 10 years later, from that day forward I could no longer lie to myself and claim I was a blood-bought Christian. I hope some day to run into that man again so I can thank him.
Pete thank you for this post and your further explanation in the comments, very helpful. God bless you.
To our dear brother in the faith, We echo your words with what the Lord requires of His church:
As citizens of God’s kingdom we have the right, the privilege and the honor to:
Take up our cross DAILY…Deny ourselves…Put to death whatever belongs to our old nature…suffer in the flesh and cease from sin…put off the old man with his deceitful practices…be anxious for NOTHING…not concern ourselves with food or drink or clothing…Set our minds on heavenly things not on things of the earth…turn the other cheek…give to whoever asks…forsake this present world…return good for evil and a blessing for a curse…forgive 70 x 7…put to death the deeds of the body…receive with meekness the engrafted Word…keep ourselves from the love of money…hate our lives in this world…let no unwholesome talk come out of our mouths…love each other FERVENTLY…imitate God and live a life of love…
It is the way of the transgressor that is hard. The path of the righteous is like the first gleamings of the dawn that shine brighter and brighter unto the fulness of the day.
With much affection, Saints in Palestine, TX
Pete,
Thanks for the explanations.
“Our assignment in Joel 2:16 is to gather the flock that is inside or has wondered out from these Babylonian towers and palaces. We gather them together and we sanctify the congregation, which is the role of fellowship and gathering. That is what washing each others feet means.”
I wholeheartedly agree. I’ve been working on how to gather the flock that is inside. Do you have any thoughts on that?
God Bless
Glenn
Pete: Thank you, I feel better now. I too listned to Doug Batchelor, he is the reason I attended an SDA church to begin with, I still have some of the material that they sent to me. They do teach from the Bible, but I just can’t agree with the Ellen White theology. However, I still love them, and pray that the Lord will open their hearts, and minds. I just finished watching video 3-4 with Milton, and it was awesome, he really knew how to put the word of God in your lap. I have got a lot of Bible verses to look up, and copy, so I will be off line for awhile. Your sister in Christ, Sandra
Sandy, I didn’t think you were judging, I was simply stating my view of the SDA church and its members. I have been blessed by some of the teachings of many of their big teachers such as Doug Batchelor but only follow these teachings as far as they align with Jesus and the Scriptures. We are to judge but not judge hearts. We are to judge but not hypocritically. Sharing ones views on a matter is not judging anyones heart. Christianity has gotten a phobia about judging and has totally missed the mark and as a result accomodates sin in the congregation. This is how the road to eternal life is made very broad, God loves everyone (not true) and everybody is going to be saved. Oh how great the apostasy.
Hello Pete: In response to your reply, I hope that you didn’t think that I was judgeing anyone, I wasn’t. I don’t have the right to judge anyone for any reason, I have my own “logs” to cast away, and I do fear God. I was trying to convey my concern for them, and for anyone who is being decieved by the world, and its ruler. I am sorry if I misinformed you in any way to think I was being judgemental. Also, I wanted to let you know that I have started watching the videos you posted on you-tube with Milton Green, so far I have watched the first two, and am looking forward to the rest. He was talking about a “God kind of love”, and what pride can do to someone’s heart. Also, that we should love the Lord above all, just as it says in Matthew 22:36-40. , and I do. God Bless, your sister in Christ, Sandra
Thank you Sandy. As I searched churches and doctrines, the SDA were better than most all because they preach a walk of holiness to the very end to be saved. Many things I don’t like for instance 1) the keeping the Sabbath in the flesh as counting for anything before God and 2) the obvious false prophecies of Ellen White and some of her invented doctrines. But I judge not these peoples hearts as most seem to be looking to be right with Jesus and separate from the lusts of this world.
I have come to realize even the 10 Commandments is not the focus. Those were all a type and a tutor to bring us to Jesus. Jesus is the fullfilling of the law, every jot and tittle. So when CHRIST IS FORMED INSIDE OF US, we fulfill the law and do not transgress it. So rather than focusing on do’s and don’ts we should focus on Christ and putting on His divine and nature and we will therefore instintively do all the law requires. I have put up a powerful teaching series on Youtube done by Milton Green in 1986. I encourage you and all to watch this and take notes with your Bibles. It is many hours long but I have broken it into segments and will be putting the remainder of this series online. It changed my life and opened my eyes to what was happening. About half of what Milt says is reading Scripture, so this is not some preacher pontificating, this man was given a mission by God to fulfill before the Lord took HIm home in 1987.
Jesus must build the church not man. So the towers into heaven that man has built cannot be used or converted for use in the kingdom of God. They are built on the wrong foundation of SELF EXALTATION and not the cornerstone that is Christ. Most of these places are so infested with demons and blind men, I see no call to go clean the house. We were never supposed to go into those places and follow men to begin with.
Until men repent in all humility and die to self and quit trying to make names for themselves in the name of God, God cannot use them. Our assignment in Joel 2:16 is to gather the flock that is inside or has wondered out from these babylonian towers and palaces. We gather them together and we sanctify the congregation, which is the role of fellowship and gathering. That is what washing each others feet means. We purify each other by admonishment, correction, rebuke given in a godly gentle way. That is the love of God and love for our neighbors and is exactly the example we have in the Bible from Jesus and the Apostles. In order to do this and have effective testimony, we must first purify ourselves and remove our own logs.
May Jesus Bless You
Hi Pete: Awesome! I am reminded of the times when Jesus was teaching me about all the deception in the churches today. I recall at one point I was led to attend an SDA church, and don’t get me wrong, they are good people, and theirs is the only church I have attended where everyone kneels when they pray, but after careful study I found that they too are being decieved. However, I don’t know of any church that follows the “Ten Commandments” like they do. I was asked by their Pastor after only attending twice to give a testimony when I felt ready, I never did, and soon stopped attending. The general belief is that we testify all of our sins in front of a congregation, well, to me that is like going to confessional before a priest, and what does God say “You are to have no other God’s before me”. Jesus did not give His life for a Priest or congregation to come between us, and Him, because of Him and what He did we can go thru Him, and only Him to get to the Father. When you ask for forgiveness, you will know in your heart that He has forgiven you, As He says “I will cast all your iniquity into the sea, and it shall be forgotten, never to be remembered anymore”. If we are to testify about anything, then we need to testify of His soon return, and His undying love for all. Testify to the promises He made, and the Glory that He will share when you accept Him. I do not need to know what anyone did in their past, that is between them, and the Lord. My job is to teach them, and show them His ways, and His love for them. The world will shun you, I know this first hand, but as long as you have Jesus, what else do you need. Jesus doesn’t want us to stand on ceremony, He wants our heart, and our devotion, after all He is our “Husband”. We need to stop trying to look good to everyone else, and start looking to Jesus. He ask only one simple thing “Come, follow me”. I’m sorry, Pete, but sometimes I just don’t know when to stop, I just love the Lord so much, sometimes I think I could talk about Him nonstop. Thank you, and May His blessing be with you. Your sister in Christ, Sandra
Pete,
As I was contemplating your post and arrived at a question. I used to think that churches could find their way back to God if they could just “cut off the old head” and come back to earnestly seeking Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
I also think that this is not the assignment that is given to individuals who recognize the abomination. Doesn’t the Word call for those folks to separate. Your thoughts?
http://thebigpicmin.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/is-christ-the-head-of-todays-church/
God Bless
Glenn