Are You In Danger

I am talking to believers and I want to ask you a question: Which one of these is in the most danger of being deceived in certain areas of their Christian walk, those that are cold, hot or lukewarm?  I would say not the cold ones because it is easier for them to realize their condition so they have a better chance to repent realizing the situation they are in is not pleasing to the Lord.  Not the lukewarm ones because they have a better chance of yielding to the Holy Spirit’s conviction and to repent and do the things they once did asking for forgiveness and finding it.  I think it is the ones that are on fire for the Lord and let me tell you why I think this.

I know this might sound a little strange because we are supposed to be hot and not cold or lukewarm because Jesus said to the Church of Laodicea in Revelations 3:16, “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”  In other words they were like a bitter taste, like stagnated warm water; that no one would want to swallow.  

Here is the situation, at times with people that are on fire for the Lord they can become proud and even arrogant looking down on the people that don’t seem to be so spiritual.  Some believers seem to be so close to the Lord that when they see immature believers they may feel like the Lord loves them more because they feel like they have experienced more blessings from the Lord and they are privileged to have acquired more knowledge and wisdom than the immature believer has.  

What seems to happen is that they become un-teachable, thinking they have all the answers and they don’t need anyone else to teach them.  They have a hard time fitting in with other believers because they feel they can’t relate to them.  They may go off on their own seeking new insight wherever they can find it.  It is easy for them to think their expectations are higher than anyone else’s and that they seek the Lord to a higher degree than others do.  It is far easier for them to be deceived because they think that the Lord is pleased with what they are doing so they don’t realize they are being deceived.  They are in great danger and they don’t seem to even realize it.  One of the big problems these believers have is that they are taught to do what they do, to study, pray and seek the Lord and His kingdom and the other things that believers are taught and they try their best to do them, but somewhere they lose their balance and become self-righteous and don’t even know that they have fallen into that trap.

This reminds me of the Pharisees, but they took these things to a new level, they thought they were a cut above everyone else, teaching things that should be done but not doing them.  Jesus warned the multitudes and His disciples about them saying this in Matthew 23:2-3, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.  Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.”  Jesus usually didn’t have a problem with what they taught but He had a problem with what they did.  Everything they did was for a show or to be seen by men and applauded.  

Do you remember the parable Jesus told about the Pharisee and the Publican praying in Luke 18:9-14?  Remember how the Pharisee bragged on himself about how good he was and how he was not like the Publican or other men.  The Publican stood afar off with his head hanging down in repentance, beating his breast saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”  Who did Jesus say went down to his house justified?  It was the Publican.  Jesus said this, “for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The reason I know about these things is because I have been guilty and I have had to repent.  If you find that you fit into one of these categories, I hope you will repent and confess it to the Lord and seek forgiveness also. The Word says in 1^st John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  There you have it, I think I have said enough, may the good Lord bless you and yours, and have a super day.