For those familiar with the book of Revelation, the word "lukewarm" should be full of meaning. In chapter 3, verse 15, the Spirit describes the believers in Laodicea as being "neither hot nor cold." They were neither burning and absolute for the Lord, nor were they cold and turned away from Him. Instead, they were in a strange middle-ground, a sort of limbo.
Perhaps our concept is that God is most displeased when a believer (this was addressed to the Laodicean believers) turns away from Him or neglects Him—when their heart is cold towards Him. What we see from these verses is that what God hates most is actually when a believer is lukewarm. He says "I wish that you were cold or hot" (v. 15). He shares just how much He hates for His people to fall into such a condition in the next verse:
Perhaps our concept is that God is most displeased when a believer (this was addressed to the Laodicean believers) turns away from Him or neglects Him—when their heart is cold towards Him. What we see from these verses is that what God hates most is actually when a believer is lukewarm. He says "I wish that you were cold or hot" (v. 15). He shares just how much He hates for His people to fall into such a condition in the next verse:
So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am about to spew you out of My mouth.
–Revelation 3:16
This is a very serious matter to God! He prefers for His people to turn away from Him than for them to be lukewarm. Why is this such a serious matter to God?