Jesus told the Church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:15-16, “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.”
A common assumption by Christians is that “lukewarm” refers to born-again believers with one foot in the world and the other in Christ. It is also presumed that the terms “hot” and “cold” indicate saved (hot) and unsaved (cold) individuals. A third hypothesis is that all three “temperatures” signify the redeemed. But in reality, the lukewarm label given by Jesus to the Church of Laodicea was a reference to their spiritually depraved state. In other words, it depicted their unsaved condition, and here are some telltale reasons why.
The Laodiceans allowed the city’s wealth and resulting attitudes of self-reliance and self-sufficiency to permeate the church. Over time, this unfortunate reality made them arrogantly trust themselves and grow indifferent toward God. Therefore, Jesus warned that He would violently eject them from His “mouth” if they did not repent.
Jesus’ vivid depiction of what would happen to them directly correlated to the Laodicean’s putrid water supply that was piped in from Hierapolis and Colosse 6-10 miles away. The water that left the hot springs in Hierapolis was beneficial in its initially hot, bubbling state, as was the icy mountain water that left Colosse. But when both arrived in Laodicea, they were neither hot nor cold but tepid. The water was also filled with high concentrations of calcium, minerals, and sulfur from the aqueducts—making it unpalatable and unbearable to drink.
The Laodiceans became accustomed to drinking their lukewarm, contaminated, and putrid water without incident despite others vomiting upon ingesting it. Hence, what their lukewarm water was to others, their spiritual condition was to Jesus. Consequently, Jesus declared to them in Revelation 3:17, “You do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked!”
Jesus’ descriptive words do not portray the characteristics of struggling yet believing individuals on any level. They exemplify an unbelieving group who needed to repent and be redeemed. Therefore, Jesus issued an appropriately strong rebuke and warned that He would purge them from His presence if they did not repent.
Another critical fact correlating “lukewarm” to unbelievers is Jesus’ declaration of who would and would not be expelled from His “mouth.” He said in Revelation 3:16, “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
Jesus’ declaration pronounced that only lukewarm individuals would be purged from His presence—not those who were hot or cold. However, if lukewarm represented born-again Christians on any level (like hot and cold in this context), that means that certain born-again believers would be expelled from Jesus’ presence on Judgment Day despite their redeemed state.
If such an outcome were possible, it would contradict the Bible’s clear and consistent message that genuine believers will be granted eternal life, and only unbelievers will be cast from Jesus’ presence into the Lake of Fire.
Jesus said of believers in John 3:14-16, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” He also said in John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Likewise, Jesus said in John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” Therefore, those who trust Jesus for salvation will not perish or suffer wrath but inherit eternal life.
However, Revelation 21:8 says of unbelievers, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” It also says in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” Likewise, Hebrews 3:18-19 declares, “And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.” Therefore, unbelievers are the only ones who will be purged from Jesus’ presence and suffer His wrath.
I hope this information provides you with clarity on who lukewarm refers to in Revelation chapter three.
