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. Revelation 3:15-16
“On the whole, if Christians would have comforts that will not deceive them, let them make it the great labor of their lives to grow in grace, to strengthen and advance the interest of Christ in their souls, and to weaken and subdue the interest of the flesh. Deceive not yourselves with a persuasion that Christ hath done all, and left you nothing to do. To overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, and, in order to that, to stand always armed upon our watch, and valiantly and patiently to fight it out, is of great importance to our assurance and salvation. Indeed, it is so great a part of our baptismal obligations, that he who performeth it not is no more than a nominal Christian.”
Richard Baxter (1615-1691) in The Saints’ Everlasting Rest (Grand Rapids: CCEL), Excerpt from Ch. 7 “The Necessity of Diligently Seeking the Saints Rest, 74.
As we examine our hearts and fast during Lent, we subdue the interests of the flesh and learn to apply more labor toward growing in grace and avoiding the path of the nominal Christian.
Baxter makes a keen point. Don’t miss it. While Christ accomplished our salvation on the cross, he has not “left us nothing to do.” He has given us power, authority, and a command to do His work.
We need not wonder what Christ thinks of nominal living which lacks generous deeds. He has told us in His letter to the church in Laodicea, in today’s Scripture. He wants to spit us out.
Let us learn in Lent to apply great labor to overcoming instead of assimilating to the world, mortifying rather than serving the desires of the flesh, and watching out for and avoding being deceived by the devil.
Why? For Jesus there is really no such thing as nominal or a Christian in name only. He wants to see the actions that match anything we say we believe. God help us get in gear during Lent.