The verse you are refer to states: “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.”
Traditionally people have interpreted this verse by believing that “hot” refers to lively, passionate, hard-working Christians and that “cold” refers to uncommitted, unfaithful, carefree people. So essentially: Hot = spiritually active believers; Cold = apathetic unbelievers. But if you interpret the verse this way, this creates the problem of Jesus appearing to say he would rather people be in utter unbelief than in a back-sliding, albeit still saved, condition.
I think a better interpretation is as follows. First, we must understand the ancient geography of the land. Remember this part of Revelation was written to the church in the city of Laodicea. Laodicea itself lacked a natural water supply and was dependent on its neighboring cities: Hierapolis (10 km north) and Colossa (17 km west). Now, I believe, this explains the imagery in this passage.
“Hot” and “cold” do not refer to the spiritual “temperature” or the believer or unbeliever. Rather the word “hot” refers to the well-known medicinal waters of Hierapolis. Hierapolis had many “hot springs” which were used for healing. On the other hand, the word “cold” points to the refreshing waters of Colossae.
If this is what Jesus truly had in mind, then the church is not being called to check its spiritual temperature, but condemned for not doing good work. The church of Laodicea was neither providing refreshment for the spiritually weary (cold water), nor healing for the spiritually sick (hot water). The church was simply ineffective and thus distaste to God.
Now, the question you have to ask yourself is what temperature would God use to describe your life and the work of your life? Would it be hot (source of healing to those around you)? Would it be cold (source of refreshing to those around you)? Would it be a bit of both? Or would it be lukewarm (your life is barren of good works)? Because it is ‘lukewarm’ God has some severe consequences. Now, this imagery of ‘spitting’ of such people from God’s mouth doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t have salvation. But we must take this imagery seriously as a threat of divine discipline. If you are feeling like you are lukewarm, I will suggest you will need to do two things: Repent and Obey. Ask God to change your life; to help you see the sin of apathy; and to fill it with good works.
[Answered by Pastor Ho-Ming]
