As I stand in the pew on Sunday morning, I feel my chest swell with familiarity. The same songs, the same people, and the same message – but something is missing. This isn’t how it used to be! Fervor replaced by complacency, faithfulness overshadowed by obligation…I’m stuck in a rut of Lukewarm Christianity. Do you feel this way too?
How do you know if you’re a lukewarm Christian?
It’s easy to miss, but one of the most damaging things a Christian can do is live in a stifling state of lukewarmness. To experience the fullness of faith – in belief, relationship and witness – it’s important that we take an honest look at ourselves and determine whether we’re living “with” Jesus or going through the motions “for” Jesus.
So how do you tell if you’re guilty of lukewarmness? Ask yourself these questions:
- Are you finding yourself constantly worrying about many things besides your faith?
- Are your prayers rushed and shallow?
- Do you often find contentment with less than what Jesus offers? For example, have you believed that being a “good enough” Christian is true faithfulness?
- Compared to real followers of Jesus, do you sometimes feel tired or distant from God?
These questions can help identify whether one has reached a spiritual rut; they may also bring shame or confusion as well. But if this sounds familiar to you, know that recognizing these signs of lukewarmness is an opportunity for powerful transformation. When we know our actions are just going through the motions for Jesus, we can reignite our passion for Him again.
What are the signs that you’re not living for Christ wholeheartedly?
As Christians, living wholeheartedly for Christ should be our goal – but it’s easy to get caught up in a laissez-faire attitude towards the Lord. Many of us have come to the point of complacency, making compromises with our faith rather than fully committing ourselves to God. We all make mistakes – and that’s OK! But we must take steps to investigate our mindsets, actions, and lifestyles in order to determine if there are lasting consequences for our hearts away from devotion to Jesus.
It can sometimes be difficult to identify when we’ve become lukewarm Christians; it sneaks up on us without warning. To understand how we may have fallen into this detrimental mindset and help ensure that it doesn’t happen again, here are some indicators that you might not be fully devoted:
- You don’t prioritize time for the Lord. If you always run late for church or are too busy for daily prayer and Bible study, chances are your relationship with Christ has slipped without your conscious knowledge. An intimate relationship with Him requires most of all presence… so put Him first even before friends or family events.
- Your actions don’t match your faith. Our faith informs our decisions and everyday lives – but do they? Ask yourself if your behaviours or habits line up with Biblical principles… or do they happen in secret behind closed doors? If there is a disconnect between what you say and what you do, then chances are there needs to be some reevaluation of your beliefs and values.
- You prefer manufactured piety over real repentance and Brokenness. It is so easy in this day and age of media saturation (both good and bad) to create an appearance of holiness without actually being holy at all – like going out of your way publicly display your religious convictions as if it were a PR strategy – ‘look how devoted I am!’ But true Christianity should never make us feel proud; rather, being humble persevering people who bring joy no matter what the circumstances may be by focusing on how much He simplifies life by focusing on Him alone. Repentance is a keyword here: True Christians accept their shortcomings readily so as not embrace pride – recognize brokenness within ourselves – gain perspective from scripture–and realize that His grace can cleanse us even when we’re not good at cleaning ourselves off!
How can you get back on track and become more passionate about your faith?
If you feel you’re just going through the motions with your faith, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, it’s easy to become complacent in our spiritual life, romancing the idea of “church-as-performance” and allowing ourselves to become spiritually stagnant.
Fortunately, there are ways for us to get back on track and become more passionate about our faith. First, take a step back and embark on an honest self-reflection; be honest with yourself about your spiritual practices. Consider things like how often you are reading your bible and engaging with Christian media; how often are you praying? Are you attending church every week? Are there changes that you need to make in order to grow closer to God?
After self-reflection comes accountability: find a mentor who can help you stay accountable for furthering your faith journey. This could be another person in the church who will encourage and challenge you academically or an older Christian relative whom with whom can could talk about day-to-day struggles that we don’t bring up at church—this way, we have someone reminding us not just of our ideals, but also of our shortcomings. Accountability is key!
Besides finding a mentor or accountability partner, focus inwardly on cultivating a deep relationship yourself—make time every day to read the Bible and pray; start listening intently rather than just passively hearing when attending service; set goals such as memorizing Scripture or trying out short-term volunteer positions—especially ones that involve interacting with people outside of church—in order to expand your understanding of service Christ Church calls us all to obey! As C.S Lewis wrote: “aim for Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim for earth and you will get neither.”
What happens to Christians who are only mildly interested in their religion – is there still hope for them, or are they doomed to Hellfire and damnation?
Christians sometimes drift away from their faith, becoming ‘lukewarm’ in their enthusiasm and attendance to church services. It is not a great thing, but it is a reality. It is possible for a Christian to be considered ‘lukewarm’ without actually being an unbeliever yet. The Bible itself distinguishes between those who are merely lukewarm and those who are outright evil. In Revelation 3:16, Christ himself states, “So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
In this world of temptations and compromises, it’s easy to become complacent with our relationship with God. We may hear the sermon every Sunday morning, but cannot apply it when we get home. We may pray on certain occasions but remain silent during other times. We may make certain sacrifices for the sake of our faith but remain silent when we face bigger trials that will require more dedication on our part.
If you feel that your faith has become lukewarm and your commitment wavering, there is hope for you yet. This kind of spiritual crisis can act as a wake-up call that encourages us to renew our relationship with God—to re-dedicate ourselves in repentance and accept his unconditional grace once more. If you fall into apathy or doubt, take the time to spend time in prayer, meditating on scripture and seeking the counsel of other more devout believers who can help guide you back onto the path of righteousness.[1]
You need not fear being doomed by Christ’s judgement if all efforts are made through humility and sincerity to return His love and grace then there will be no need for condemnation – as stated by Christ Himself “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47).
[1] The examples given here provide only general advice for realigning one’s direction with God’s will; ultimately, the best course of action must be determined by following the individual’s own inner promptings from the Holy Spirit.
Are there any benefits to being a lukewarm Christian instead of one who is fervent in their beliefs?
In short, no. It’s universally agreed upon that a quality life relies heavily on what you put into it and being a lukewarm Christian can be detrimental in more ways than one. While there are technically no benefits to this mindset, there are plenty of negatives.
One of the biggest issues with being a lukewarm Christian is the lack of enthusiasm for God’s teachings. It doesn’t help that society isn’t always supportive of topics like religion either; in fact, it often feels like Christianity is something to just “go through the motions” at church or at prayer and so on. The spiritual growth isn’t as consistent or meaningful as it would be if you were actively seeking faith on your own instead of relying on attending an event once a week for comfort or energy—in other words, if you want to truly benefit from prayers and faith, only half-heartedly believing won’t get you far.
Having only a fractional interest in Christianity also limits your ability to serve your community. Christianity includes loving our neighbors (as we should love ourselves), setting good examples, supporting those in need, defending justice and morals…basically sinking your entire being into compassionate goals throughout society—this requires wholehearted belief rooted in understanding for maximum effectiveness against evil intentions or hardship.
So with no doubt or hesitation—proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us unequivocally how important it is to trust and lean into the Lord with all our heart when difficulty arises and really attempt to push spiritually instead of running away from Him; after all, He’s given us so much that He deserves full devotion too—it’s never wise to settle for anything less when seeking God as He may not reward our negligence, but He will surely honor determination wherever it comes from!
Can Christianity be lived without passion, or does it require complete dedication?
Have you ever felt like you were just going through the motions in your faith? Like every time you go to church or open your Bible, it’s just a routine? That can happen when we fall into a ‘lukewarm’ stage!
When living a lukewarm Christianity, our walk with God is stagnant, uneventful, and lifeless. There is no passion or zeal for His commands or the Word of the Lord. We merely do the bare minimum and nothing more. We don’t push ourselves out of our comfort zones; instead, we’re content to only use what we already know to be true.
Whenever living as lukewarm Christians, we often lay dormant in any form of spiritual growth. Our prayers are empty and our studies are unmotivated. We can barely make it through worship services without boredom setting in our hearts, surrendering any dedication to Him that was previously part of us.
Overcoming this temporary phase requires intentional effort on our part; dedicating ourselves to seeing what God will do beyond the routine parameters that previously held us captive. We must challenge ourselves in prayer; asking for strength from Him when trying times seeks to derail us from being passionate about His Word. It means sacrificing comfort for kingdom service – doing His works with an unwavering spirit despite hardships that come up along the way. Challenging Lukewarm Christianity means not just talking about God but actually walking out His plans for our lives!
