|
HOT |
Dear Brethren,
What
does Jesus mean when He says to us, “I know your works, that you
are neither cold nor hot: I would you were
either cold or hot?” (Revelation 3:15) Does
it make a difference if we are cold or hot? Yes! Which is correct,
and which is to be avoided? Obviously, Jesus does not desire for us
to be “cold,” because then we would not be practicing Christians at
all. He is also saying that we are not to be lukewarm Christians.
“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor
hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation
3:16)
We can
conclude then, that Jesus desires that we be “hot!”
And that is exactly what we find in Revelation 3:19, “As many as
I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore,
and repent.” The Greek word ‘zeloo’ means zealous – to
have warmth – to be hot. What does Jesus mean when He says to be a
hot Christian? It means we had better make up our minds to be HOT –
HOTT – HOTTT!!!
We had
better take God’s admonition to us and be Holding On
To The Truth – all of it – and, we had better
be living it!!! Take a good look at what Jesus Christ is
saying to us, and apply it to ourselves. “I know thy works, that
thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So
then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will
spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and
increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that
thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I
counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest
be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that
the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with
eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and
chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open
the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with
me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in
his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches.” (Revelation 3:15-22)
We are
becoming too much like the evil world in which we live. Jesus is
telling us to repent, and come out of this world. He tells us that
we had better hear what He is saying to us. Don’t point the finger
at other groups and say, “Hey, look, they are lukewarm.” We,
ourselves, had better be on fire – zealous – Hot!!!
How
many of our brethren have fallen by the way side? How many of our
brethren think they are doing okay – but they have left the Truth
once delivered (Jude 3). Maybe they never made the effort to prove
the Truth for themselves. Maybe they never studied or
wrote out the Correspondence Course. In 1Thessalonians 5:21, Paul
told Timothy to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is
good.” That advice applies especially to us as well. We, too,
had better be holding on to the truth – all of it – and we had
better be living it!!!
It is
Jesus Christ, Himself, who says that the Church is letting down in
these last days. Mark His words! One way or the other, things are
about to get hot. Either we become zealous about our faith and get
hot now – or we will face the purifying fire of the
tribulation (Revelation 7:14). What are we to do? Jesus’
half-brother, Jude, has the answer in verse three. “Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation,
it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye
should earnestly contend for the faith which was once
delivered unto the saints.”
“Earnestly contending for the faith” is much more than receiving
a set of right doctrines written down in our booklets. That is why
Jesus says that we only suppose that we are rich, and increased
with goods, and have need of nothing. Why does Jesus tell us
that we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked? It is because, earnestly contending for the
faith, means that we need to repent and get to living and
practicing the very basics of true Christianity. That is the
gold tried in the fire. That is Godly character. That is the
white raiment of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
“Earnestly contending for the faith,” means truly
loving God and one another with the zealousness, and with the
fervor, that Jesus Christ demonstrated for us. There are other
ways of saying HOTTT – Hold On To The Truth. "
Let
love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil;
cleave to that which is good." (Romans
12:9) That is the Love of God. “Take fast hold of
instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy
life.” (Proverbs 4:13) "Jesus said to those Jews which
believed on Him, If ye continue in my word,
then are ye my disciples indeed." (John 8:31)
Brethren, we need to be hot, alive, zealous and on fire. In our
words and actions we represent the True Creator God on earth
today. Hold on to the Truth – God’s Truth – and live it.
***
Sermon: "HOT"
|