As I interact with people from different walks of life and engage in various roles, I often come across individuals who claim to be Christians but do not reflect the love and sincerity that should accompany their faith. Being involved in ministry and media, I have frequent interactions with people, and it is disheartening to encounter those who are fake and insincere in their Christian identity. Some outwardly display symbols such as crosses, fish lapels, and Jesus t-shirts, but their hearts are deceitful and filthy. In these last days, Lord knows, I have absolutely zero tolerance, below zero tolerance, for such behavior. Considering everything happening in the world, we cannot afford to be half-hearted Christians. God is watching us, and we will have to give an account for our actions. We must be either for Him or against Him. We must be willing to obey Him without hesitation, to do what He did, rather than merely saying what would Jesus do.
It is important to remember that God sees the true condition of our hearts, and we cannot hide from Him. Only the pure is heart shall see God (Matthew 5:8). Jesus Himself emphasized that His disciples would be known by the love they show towards one another. Unfortunately, there is a lot of lip service but little action among some who claim to be Christians. On the other hand, I have been incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to encounter some truly amazing individuals, who do not profess Christ but demonstrate greater love, kindness, and helpfulness and for that, I am immensely grateful. My beloved father whom I hold dear in my heart was a devout Muslim until he received Christ at the end of his life displayed such remarkable and admirable qualities that I cherish deeply and greatly miss.
I recently came across a video by a man of God on YouTube who highlighted that one of the signs of a lukewarm Christian is their inability to show love or empathy, and I wholeheartedly agree. I have witnessed this lukewarmness repeatedly, and it is both concerning and truly sad. I have come to the realization that lukewarm Christians will remain lukewarm until the return of Y’shua and I’m good with that.
Previously, I used to feel saddened by not having a church upbringing, but now I consider it a blessing to be unchurched. It’s more about having an intimate and solid relationship with Christ. Thank you, Lord Jesus! I must say, it is important to acknowledge that not everyone is bad. There are certainly individuals who are kind-hearted and genuinely compassionate.
Let us remember the message in the Holy Scriptures when God spoke to the Laodicean church, expressing His disdain for lukewarmness and stating that He would spit them out of His mouth. God would rather have His followers be hot and passionately committed or cold and completely disengaged.
I salute those who fervently strive to demonstrate the love of Christ in their actions. I have been fortunate to encounter a few individuals who exemplify this Christ-like love, and I am forever grateful for their impact on my life. God will never forget their acts of love, and they are cherished, precious and valuable in His sight.
I emphasize that love is not merely a feeling or word but an action. In Hebrew, one of the words for love, avaha, is directly connected with action and obedience. I have always believed that when you genuinely love someone and you truly have that biblical love, you are compelled to find ways to uplift and alleviate their pain or burdens. Love motivates us to take tangible steps to make a positive difference in the lives of others to the best of our ability.
Let us not continue to merely profess to be Christians without following the example of Jesus. Can somebody shout hallelujah? As someone who was raised as a Muslim, I was taught to treat others as I wanted to be treated. It’s not rocket science.
Our prayer should be, “God, help me to do what is pleasing, honorable and acceptable in Your sight. Lord, help me to love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and love my neighbor as myself.” It is as simple as asking Him to work through us, enabling us to do what we cannot accomplish on our own. Indeed, it is that simple. We need to rely on His strength and guidance to live out our faith authentically and to demonstrate His love to others.
Revelation 3:15-18
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.