What’s Your Temperature?

If you’re not feeling well, one of the first things your doctor typically does is take your temperature. Why? Because your temperature indicates the state of your health.

In the same way, your spiritual temperature indicates your spiritual health. The Bible gives us only three categories: icy cold, miserably lukewarm, or burning hot.

First, there’s icy cold. Jesus said of the end times, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12 NKJV). This is basically someone who has a heart like stone. It would describe nonbelievers who have no interest in the things of God. They just don’t care.

Next, there’s miserably lukewarm. Believe it or not, this spiritual temperature is actually more offensive to Jesus than icy cold, which seems surprising. To the lukewarm church of Laodicea He said, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:15–16 NKJV).

Those of us who drink coffee like it hot or iced. The same goes for tea. I also like milk hot or cold. But do any of us like these things lukewarm? Probably not. So here’s what Jesus was saying: “Lukewarmness makes me want to throw up.”

The final category is burning hot, and that’s the spiritual temperature we all should want to be. Describing their conversation with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, the disciples said, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32 NKJV).

What’s your spiritual temperature right now?