“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

Whatʼs Your Temperature?

Walk His Way Revisited

First posted in January, 2014

The familiar passage above is often quoted just before giving an invitation to accept Christ. Christ is knocking at the door of our hearts; all we have to do is open to Him, and He will come in.

But if it is read in its context (reading the verses before and after it), we can see these words were addressed to a lukewarm church.

A lukewarm thing is neither hot nor cold. Room temperature. Something that has been sitting out of the oven or the refrigerator too long. Something that is lukewarm is the same temperature as its environment.

A lukewarm church or individual has no passion. No fervency. Nothing about it stands out or is noticeable. “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot” (verse 15). Christ says in verse 16 that this lukewarm condition repulses Him—it turns Him away. He would rather have the church hot or cold, not lukewarm.

In verse 17, Jesus says that the people thought they had it all together and needed nothing (in other words, didnʼt need Him), and didnʼt understand they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Everything was wrong, and they didnʼt even know it.

Christ is speaking some rather severe words to those who have taken on the “temperature of the environment”. It isnʼt only that the doors of their hearts are closed, and He wants them to open to Him. Itʼs that He hates the condition they are in.

Then He gives the antidote to lukewarmness. In verses 18-19, He tells them to buy gold that has been refined in the fire—this is what has true value, this is what makes you truly rich—pursuing those things that remain after the trials have done their work in us and burned off every useless thing.

He tells them to buy white garments, which is the covering of purity, so they would not be ashamed when their nakedness—their natural condition—was revealed.

And he tells them to anoint their eyes with eye salve—that healing balm, the medicine which He, the Great Physician, offers to them—so they can see what is true about their lives. Apply what He gives, so they could see clearly.

In case anyone is overcome by feelings of guilt and shame at being lukewarm, He then says these welcome words: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent” (verse 19).

There is hope! He loves us, and is giving us a chance to repent. Be zealous, be serious about this. Letʼs honestly assess our temperature this very minute and be zealous about being on fire for Him.

“Lord Jesus, show me if I am lukewarm in any area. Have I become indistinguishable from the world around me? Ignite in me a passion for You, for Your Word, and for Your people. I hear You knocking; show me how to respond to Your invitation to open myself up to You. In Jesusʼ Name, Amen.”