7 SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE A LUKEWARM CHRISTIAN and HOW TO BREAK FREE

lukewarm Christianity, signs of lukewarm faith, understanding God, Christian walk, tithing, people-pleasing, spiritual growth, relationship with Jesus, faith and works, overcoming lukewarmness

In this conversation, Erika explores the concept of lukewarm Christianity, identifying key signs that indicate a lack of genuine faith. She emphasizes the importance of understanding God's true nature, the dangers of legalism, and the significance of tithing from a place of love. Erika also discusses the challenges of the Christian walk and the need to break free from people-pleasing behaviors to fully embrace one's faith.

takeaways

• Lukewarm Christians struggle with their faith and relationship with Jesus.
• Understanding God's nature is crucial for genuine faith.
• Salvation is a gift, not something to be earned through works.
• Legalism can lead to judgmental attitudes that push others away from Christ.
• Tithing should come from a place of love, not obligation.
• The Christian walk is challenging and requires commitment.
• People-pleasing can hinder one's ability to stand firm in faith.
• Sharing the gospel is a fundamental duty of all Christians.
• A true relationship with God is built on faith, not works.
• God desires a personal relationship with each believer.

Transcript

Erika (00:02)
Have you ever wondered, am I truly following Christ or just going through the motions? If so, you are in the right place. And I know exactly how you feel. I struggled for the most of my life being a lukewarm Christian, but I will say I didn't necessarily know that I was, but I did know that I wanted to deepen my relationship with Jesus. So that's why I feel led to my next topic.

Seven signs you might be a lukewarm Christian and how to break free My name is Erica. Welcome to where is your voice? Ministries so blessed and honored that you are here. So firstly What is a lukewarm Christian in? Revelations chapter 3 verse 15 through 16 it reads I know your deeds

that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other. So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth." That's from Jesus pretty much saying, you may believe in me, but are you truly taking your faith serious? In Revelations chapter three, verse 14 through 21,

The Lord is describing the lukewarm heart attitude of those in the Lacedaian church, an attitude manifesting by their deeds. The Lacedaians were neither cold nor hot in relationship to God, just lukewarm. Hot water can cleanse and purify. Cold water can refresh and enliven. But lukewarm water carries no similar value.

The Lacedetians understood that Lord's analogy because their city drinking water came over an adiduck from a spring six miles to the south and it arrived disgustingly lukewarm. The Lacedetians' water was not hot like the nearby hot springs that people bathed in, nor was it refreshingly cold for drinking. It was lukewarm, good for nothing. In fact, it was nauseating.

and that was the Lord's response to them. They sickened him and he said, I am about to spit you out of my mouth, which leads me to the first sign that you may be a lukewarm Christian is if you're not sharing the gospel. As Jesus stated, he needs people who are going to be useful to the kingdom. As you see,

When I read the culture context for Lukewarm with the Lacedatians, wasn't that code meant that they were unbelievers. Code was still useful. Jesus was implying that Lukewarm means that you are not useful towards the kingdom. You're in fact causing more harm than good. So this is why I will spit you out. Also as Christians, we are commissioned

to share the gospel it is a must, a requirement from Jesus himself as stated in Mark chapter 16 verse 15 through 16 he said, go into the world and proclaim the gospel every creature whoever believes and is baptized will be saved whoever does not believe will be condemned so as you hear sharing the gospel is a must

Christianity and if you aren't sharing you have to ask yourself am I being useful for the kingdom? Although I do know the fear in this I have another video with tips on how you can share the gospel with practical steps. number two that you may be a lukewarm Christian is you don't understand the true nature of God. In Romans chapter 10 verse 2

It says, I testify about them. They are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Paul was writing these about the Israelites, meaning they did believe in God and love God, but they didn't understand that God is righteousness. God righteousness is not something he has, but something he is. It's an essential part of his character, meaning

He is always just, fair, and true in all his actions and decisions. So when people don't understand this, what they do is try to establish their own righteousness through following the law, missing the point that salvation is a gift from God. The danger of loving God without knowing God's true character can lead to actions that are contrary to God's will and can be even more harmful to others.

Sign number three that you might be a lukewarm Christian if you think you have to earn slash work your way to heaven. So you are that Christian that is in church. Every service you attend, you're serving in church, you're reading the Bible relentlessly, but you're still, you're not getting anywhere. And you keep asking God and others.

Why am I stuck here? I'm doing all that I can but it's going nowhere. You are the same as the Israelites. They thought the same thing as you are behaving now. You can't earn nor work your way to God. It's a relationship that he is seeking not your work. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 through 10. For it is grace that you have been saved through faith and this is not from yourself.

It is a gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do the good works with God prepared in advance for us to do. So as you hear, it is not based on works, but faith. And this is not saying going to church, reading the Bible, or things are not going to help you gain a relationship with God, because they will.

help you but those things are there to strengthen your relationship with God so you can learn how to have a closer relationship with him everything you do has to be out of love and faith you're going to church reading the Bible and serving because you desire to the Holy Spirit is leading you to do those things out of love out of a loving desire to know God more a loving desire to help others

It's a difference and you will know when you get there. I can easily say that because I was there. I was over serving, going to church, reading the Bible, joining small groups. All I could honestly. And if there was a small group coming up, I was joining that small group. And I thought that I had to work slash earn my way to Jesus. And I was also trying to hear his voice. So I thought that

was the way. And then you know once I let that go and I just relaxed and focused just knowing that God loves me and trying to understand how God love works that saved me from from feeling like I had to work myself to God and it truly freed me because when you're like that you're in a slave mindset like you have to know that you have been adopted you're an heir to the kingdom like you don't have to

Do things to think that this is how you're going to get a closer relationship with God. You do it for a desire to know God more, not because you're trying to manipulate God. Sign number four, you might be a lukewarm Christian, is you are overly critical to other Christians. You are that Christian that knows almost every law in the Torah. You have the commandments memorized, and you will make sure

that every sinner around you knows that they are a sinner. You love to convict people with a Bible verse you know offhand. You are a saint and everyone else is a sinner. You my friend are the most dangerous of all Christians and you run so many believers away from Christianity. I didn't want to be a Christian because of these type of lukewarm Christians. You are more aligned with the enemy.

than you are with God. You are so focused on everyone else that you don't realize the huge plank in your own eye that we all have in some form. Let's go to the Bible. 1 John chapter 1 verse 8 through 10 says, if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us.

our sins and purify us from our unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. So as you heard, we are all sinners and we need Jesus to be whole, to act to say or act like we have never sinned while judging others is calling God a liar. Also in Luke chapter 7 verse 36 through 50 reads,

When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived in a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house. So she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisees who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, if this man were a prophet, he would know who was touching him and what kind of woman she is, that she is a sinner. Jesus answered him, Simon, I have something to tell you. Tell me teacher, he said. Two people owed money to a certain money lender. One owed him 500 denarii and the other 50. Neither.

of them had money to pay back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more? Simon replied, I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven. You have judged correctly, Jesus said. Then he turned towards the woman and he said to Simon, do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet.

but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman from the town I entered has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven as her great love has shown, but whoever has been forgiven little loves little.

Then Jesus said to her, your sins are forgiven. The other guests began to say among themselves, who is this who has forgiven sin? So Jesus said to the woman, your faith has been saved, go in peace. Now, if you are the critical lukewarm Christian, then you are Simon, the Pharisees, blocking and judging people.

who are trying to get to Jesus. You stand in the way of people seeing and meeting Jesus when you should be helping them see Jesus. Sign number five, you might be a lukewarm Christian, is you don't understand the proper way to type. Meaning you type solely for the reason to get something back. You've probably been under a lot of prosperity ministries who taught you.

To give all you can so that God can bless you. And this is how you get rich. Let's see what the Bible says about this in Psalms chapter 50 verse 8 through 15. I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pen, for every animal on the forest is mine.

and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains and the insects in the fields are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice, thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High God, and call on me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you and you will honor me.

So this is God speaking to the Israelites who were solely giving from works and God was mad at this because he doesn't need anything from us. He wants us to tithe and give from a loving and thankful heart knowing that he is our source so we should want to give back to him knowing that he will give more because he loves us and he will help us regardless of if we give or not.

As you heard in the last verse, he said, call on me when you are in trouble and I will deliver you. You have to give God all of your love to God. You can't manipulate God. Ask yourself, how would you feel if someone only gave you money, expecting to receive money back? Would you be okay with someone doing that to you? Because we are created in God's image. So we have a measure in us.

on how we should treat people and based on how we like to be treated. Also in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 verse 1 through 3 it reads, if I speak in tongues, our men are of angels but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all possessions to the poor and give over my body to the hardship that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. As you heard it said, if I give all my possessions to the poor and I don't have love, I gain nothing.

So tithing has to be out of love and thanksgiving. Otherwise, I suggest to not even tithe. I honestly suggest to just give to the poor since you know they can't repay you back. If you want to just, you feel like, I need to give, I need to do something, give to them. So sign number six, you might be a lukewarm Christian, is if you think...

The Christianity walk will be easy or you want it to be easy. I honestly blame social media for painting this picture because they tend to send off that message that once you become a Christian, your life will be easy and careless. That is a lie. The walk of Christianity is hard. Of course it would be because now you have the enemy against you as well. Also nowhere in the Bible does it say being a Christian is easy.

In Luke chapter 14 verse 25 through 33, large crowds were traveling with Jesus turning to them. He said, If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes even their own life, such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and you're not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, this person began to build and wasn't able to finish. Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won't he first sit down and consider whether he is able?

with 10 000 men to oppose one coming against him with 20 000 if he is not able he will send a delegation while the other is still long off and will ask for terms of peace in the same way those of you who do not give up everything you cannot be my disciple now this is from jesus why would jesus say this if being a christian was so easy he is actually

It's letting you know from the beginning to make sure this is what you want to do because once you start this walk people will despise you, even your family will, and you will be offended every day. But the best part about this walk that although it is hard, Jesus walks it with you and he will anoint you with the oil of joy and grace so that you won't feel the pressure of the walk.

at all times. Then in Exodus chapter 3 verse 11 and 12 it read, But Moses said to God, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? And God said, I will be with you, and this will be a sign to you that it is I who have sent you, when you have brought the people out of Egypt. You will worship God on this mountain.

We all know that what God commissioned Moses to do was not easy whatsoever, but God was with him. God even made the task harder by making Pharaoh stubborn. This walk is not easy, but God is with you. Sign number seven, might be a lukewarm Christian is, and this is my last sign.

And this happens to so many Christians and unbelievers.

and they tend to take advantage of us a lot when we have this trait is that you are a people pleaser. God does not want you to be a people pleaser. He wants soldiers with boundaries that are courageous to speak up for the kingdom. People pleasers are too busy trying to please people to speak up for what is right and be firm in their faith. In Galatians chapter 1 verse 10 it says,

Am I trying to win the approval of human beings or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. This is Paul speaking to the Church of Galatia because they were allowing people in to speak a gospel and contrary to what was the truth. And they allowed it to happen. And Paul places a

on people who are speaking in contrary to the gospel. So if you are a people pleaser, how will you be able to stand firm in your faith and beliefs in God when other people come to oppose you because they will? It happens a lot in other religions like Jehovah Witness for example. What they believe in is in contrary to Christianity.

But when they come up to you, they come up preaching Jesus, but they don't follow Jesus. So when they oppose your beliefs, what are you going to do? And that's just one example out of many that could arise from being a people pleaser. So how do I break free from these habits? One way is prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart.

And if there is anything that does not align with God to expose it, then pray for God to break you free from those habits. And then the next prayer is to ask God to now send me and use me for His will. This is a process, but God will meet you where you are at and help you along the way because He truly wants you and He will do anything to get you and break you free from yourself.

God has to get you out of your own way so you can start doing His will. He is trying to create something new in you. That takes time. Just be patient and have faith. the process. Before I go, I'm going to go ahead and pray. Please give this a like or a thumbs up or a comment, whatever those things are that you do. Send it to someone else that you think might be a lukewarm Christian or is just struggling in that area. All right, here we go.

Lord, we come to you in the name of Jesus, God. Thank you so much for just leading me to this next topic about lukewarm Christianity. We know how hard it can be here, down here in this world, Lord. It can be so scary, but we know, God, that we have you. You're going to partner with us, Lord, to strengthen us, Lord, to be that mighty Christian that you want us to be, Lord, to be set apart from everyone else, Lord.

such a time like this God we pray Lord that you will search our hearts and break us free Lord from anything that does not align to your will Lord and that the Holy Spirit will consistently guide us to all truth in Jesus name we pray amen