Hot or Cold - Take Your Spiritual Temperature

Have you ever heard of the comedian Russell Brand?

He is best known for his stand-up comedy and roles in R-rated films.  His brand of humor is often crass and inappropriate, making him infamous for his ability to make almost anyone blush, as well as for his chaotic lifestyle.

n the early 2000s, his career was marred by arrests, drug use, addiction, and failed relationships. For the first decade of his public life, Russell was a constant source of tabloid fodder, attracting attention for his frequent misadventures.

However, over the last decade, he has also become involved in the recovery community. While he has made significant strides toward healing in his personal life, his comedic style has remained largely unchanged. His public persona has evolved somewhat, primarily in that he appears less frequently in tabloids due to destructive behavior.

Part of his recovery journey has led him to explore “spirituality” in various forms. He has sought guidance from a wide range of religions and self-help resources.

So why am I sharing all this?
 

I started following Russell on Instagram a few years ago because of his work in the recovery community. While I didn’t always agree with his views on religion and spirituality, I found his insights and humor about recovery and addiction to be interesting and, at times, encouraging.

Then, one day in the spring of 2023, while mindlessly scrolling through my Instagram feed, I noticed he posted a short video, as he often does. I saw that he was holding a Bible, which made me stop scrolling and turn the sound on to see what Russell was up to.

In the video, he explained that in his pursuit of “spiritual awakening,” he had been reading various religious texts and books. At the beginning of 2023, he started reading through the Bible and was also encouraged by a friend to read *The Purpose Driven Life* by Rick Warren.

Now, my interest was truly piqued! What was he going to say about Rick? What insights would he share regarding God’s Word?

Remember, this is a guy who, in my opinion, seemed spiritually empty. I viewed him as a lost, confused, and foul-mouthed individual searching for something without knowing where to find it.

Yet, I firmly believe that God has the power to save anyone. Our Heavenly Father loves all His children and desires to reach each one of us. Christ’s work on the cross, which rescues us from our sins, is inclusive. God can reach into the hearts of the most lost and confused and draw them back to Him.

As I watched the video, Russell explained that while reading these two texts, something began to change within him. He started to delve deeper into the Gospels and learn more about Jesus and His life.

The video concluded with Russell Brand sharing that he realized all his previous searching and spiritual pursuits were ultimately meaningless. He discovered something in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that was not available anywhere else.

He committed his life to Christ and declared himself a Christian, dedicating his life to pursuing a relationship with Jesus!
 

Praise God!

Shortly after that video, he posted another video… A video of him being baptized on Easter Sunday! 

Friends, this is what life is all about!  A sinner that was once lost is now found!

I was thrilled for him and closely followed his journey. In the months since that first video, he has regularly posted about his conversion, what he’s learning from God’s Word, and he has openly spoken to millions about Jesus. He has even baptized friends! He is genuinely transformed and is using what God has done in his life to share the message of Jesus with others.

This guy is on fire! He is new and unpolished, but watching this unfold on social media has been like witnessing a spiritual infant learn to walk, talk, and grow.

However, there’s a “but.” As I’ve observed this change in his heart and mind, I’ve also noticed the comments from some Christians on his posts. 

I’ve seen them judging him, ridiculing him, accusing him of insincerity, and questioning his spiritual maturity.

Honestly, it’s been disheartening to see so many people who claim to follow Jesus express the need to tell this man that he is not a “real Christian.” These are strangers to him, and it seems that because he is a celebrity, they feel entitled to belittle him and the work God is doing in his life.

There are two key lessons we can learn from this story:

What’s your spiritual temperature?

Revelation 3:15-16 says, “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.”

What we see in Russell Brand is a person who is “hot” in his love and desire for Jesus. Sure, he may not have it all figured out, but his eagerness to learn and grow is evident.

What about you? Are you as passionate for the Lord as you were when He saved you?

Or have you been around the church and faith for so long that it has become nothing more than a tradition?

If we aren’t careful, our time with God and His family can shift from being life-giving to merely checking a box.

To be clear, do you attend church 1.5 times a month without pursuing Jesus the rest of the week? Do you find yourself feeling critical of what the church is doing?

The danger is that we could become mere church consumers, thinking, “What do I get out of this?” “How do I benefit?” and perhaps the most pervasive and destructive thought, “How does this make me look?”

If this resonates with you, what steps do you need to take to fall in love with Jesus again?

I believe it is better to be excited and unpolished than to have all the answers without any heart change.

We should pray that we never lose sight of the depths from which God has brought us. Pray that all our actions flow through the filter of our love for God and our desire for Him to be known and glorified.
 

Are we building up or tearing down?

Certainly, we see biblical examples of Christ’s followers encouraging each other to live according to Jesus’ teachings. In fact, Jesus often corrected His disciples (mostly Peter—silly Peter) when they needed guidance.

But His correction was always rooted in love.

There is a difference between lovingly encouraging a brother or sister to step up and judging them to feel superior.

Those fellow believers who choose to tear down a stranger on social media are not looking to build someone up in love. They mistakenly believe it is their place to put someone down. This is nothing but an issue of pride, the desire to appear smarter or better than someone else.

It is not our job to constantly point out the flaws in others; we can leave that to the Holy Spirit.

Does Russell Brand have everything figured out? Did he instantly become a perfect Christ follower at the moment of his conversion?

Of course not. Neither did you.

So, instead of spending our time searching for the speck of dust in a celebrity's eye, perhaps we should focus on the log in our own.

If our first reaction when someone expresses newfound love for Jesus is to point out what they still need to fix, we miss out on the joy of knowing Jesus and celebrating that someone else knows Him too.

Remember, the shepherd doesn’t stand around congratulating the 99 that stayed with him. He lovingly goes after the one that is lost.  

Luke 15:10
“I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

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