“To be lukewarm in a frozen world is an evil worse than cold.”
-Paul R.S. Hanna
Scripture Inspiration:
“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.”
-Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:15-16)
Title: Lukewarm Faith
Explanation:
This piece is titled “Lukewarm Faith”. It is an AI assisted digital composite that took me about 5 hours to make. When I created this, I aimed to visually capture the essence of spiritual fervor and indifference that my quote and the scripture from Revelation highlight. The left side of the piece depicts a frozen, desolate world, symbolizing spiritual deadness and emotional coldness. The icy figures and lifeless environment represent the harshness of outright unbelief or rejection of God. The small car adds a modern touch, underscoring the relevance of Christ’s counter-intuitive message to contemporary life.
In stark contrast, the right side of the piece is a vibrant, colorful landscape full of life and is supposed to represent or remind you of the Garden of Eden. The garden symbolizes faith in God, spiritual fervor, passion, and vitality. The lush flora, flowing water, and warm sun evoke a sense of energy and engagement, representing those who are fully committed to their faith and its moral imperatives.
At the center of this duality is a serpent, a cold-blooded creature that cannot survive in extreme heat or cold. This central figure perfectly embodies the metaphor of lukewarmness. Just like the snake, which requires a lukewarm middle ground to survive, spiritual complacency or indifference exists precariously between the extremes of fervent belief and outright unbelief. Additionally, the serpent evokes the original deception in the Garden of Eden, highlighting the dangers and deceit inherent in lukewarm faith and doubt.
Interpretation of “Hot” and “Cold”:
My quote and the artwork draw inspiration from Revelation 3:15-16, where Jesus addresses the church in Laodicea and condemns their lukewarm faith. Here’s how I interpret “hot” and “cold” in this context:
“Hot” signifies passionate, committed faith. A believer who deeply cares about morality, truth, goodness, and righteousness embodies this state. Their actions align with their professed beliefs, and they live out their faith with fervor and dedication.
“Cold” represents outright rejection or unbelief but with an important nuance. It can also signify those who, though currently outside the faith, still have a strong commitment to moral principles. An atheist who earnestly seeks truth and practices righteousness is seen as “cold” because they are dead without faith or belief in God. However, they could still be on a path that may eventually lead them to God and deeper spiritual understanding, eventually becoming “hot” someday.
“Lukewarm” denotes spiritual and moral complacency. A professing Christian who lacks genuine moral commitment and fails to live out their faith authentically falls into this category. This state of lukewarmness is deemed worse than being “cold” because it represents a superficial or hypocritical faith, which is detested in scripture and will result in Jesus Christ’s harsh declaration, “I never knew you.” (Matthew 7: 21-23)
Concluding Thoughts:
When I consider this scripture, I see Christ revealing a powerful and counter-intuitive truth about the importance of being fully committed and passionate in our faith and actions. The cold-blooded serpent serves as a potent metaphor for lukewarm faith, thriving in a middle ground that avoids the extremes of dedicated faith and unbelief. This visual and symbolic representation drives home the idea that in a world filled with challenges and moral complexities, being merely lukewarm is not just inadequate but actively harmful.
The lukewarm Christian who does not care about morality and does not fight to bring the kingdom of God here to Earth is in a far more precarious position than the atheist who genuinely cares about morality.
I believe that God would rather someone be an atheist who cares about morality than a Christian who does not. The atheist who truly cares about truth, goodness, and righteousness will eventually seek God, meet Jesus and become a Christian. The lukewarm Christian may not because they are deceived by believing they are already saved when they are not.
I hope my quote and art piece help you understand my interpretation of this scripture and challenge you to examine your own levels of commitment and passion to Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.
Remember… we are the light of the world.
SHINE BRIGHT!
— Paul
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