Are You a Lukewarm Christian?

FROM PASTOR STEVEN…

In his work Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, Francis Chan, senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, CA, offers a radical call for evangelicals to live a life that flows out of a ‘crazy love’ for God. Chan himself wants to live this way. He has significantly downsized his home and given away many of his resources to the poor.

One chapter in the book exposes the fact that many of us are lukewarm Christians. He offers ten characteristics in his “Profile of the Lukewarm”:

1)     Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly either because it’s expected of them or because they like the people there. It’s what “good Christians” do.

2)     Lukewarm people give money and time to the church as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra and it’s easy and safe to give, they do so.

3)     Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right in conflict. They want to fit in both inside the church and outside of it. They care more about what people think of their actions than what God thinks of their heart.

4)     Lukewarm people don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want to be saved from the penalty for their sin. They don’t genuinely hate sin and are not truly sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going to punish them. 

5)     Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for “extreme” Christians, not average ones. These people call “radical” what Jesus expected of all of his followers.

6)     People rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion. 

7)     Lukewarm people love God, but they don’t love him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. They would be quick to assure you that they try to love God that much but that sort of devotion is only for pastors and missionaries and radicals.

8)      Lukewarm people want pastors that will point out to them their gifts, but not pastors who will point out to them their sin.

9)     Lukewarm people are continually concerned with safety and comfort. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God.

10)  Lukewarm people ask:

“How far can I go before it’s considered a sin?” instead of “How can I keep myself pure as a temple of God’s Spirit?”

“How much do I have to give?” instead of “How much can I give?”

“How much time should I spend praying and reading my Bible?” instead of “I wish I didn’t have to go to work so I could sit here and be with God longer.”

Perhaps we all need to examine ourselves and make sure our love for God far exceeds our love for all other people, relationships and things. May we all be transformed into believers who have a Crazy Love!

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:25-26 ESV