Apathy is a feeling of indifference, a lack of interest, concern, or passion. It can lead to inaction, lack of motivation, and detachment. The Bible has much to say about avoiding apathy and instead pursuing wholehearted devotion to God. Here are some key Bible verses about apathy:
Revelation 3:15-16 – Neither hot nor cold
“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)
This verse from Revelation condemns being apathetic or lukewarm in faith. God desires wholehearted commitment, not indifference. This verse challenges believers to evaluate whether they are passionately following Jesus or just going through the motions.
Matthew 24:12 – Love of many will grow cold
“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12)
Jesus warned that increasing sin in the world can lead to love growing cold. This is a caution for believers to actively guard their hearts against apathy and continue loving God and others wholeheartedly despite surrounding evil.
Proverbs 24:30-34 – Lazy and apathetic
“I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” (Proverbs 24:30-34)
This passage describes someone who is lazy and apathetic about maintaining his property and business. This results in ruin and poverty coming upon him. This serves as a warning against laziness and apathy leading to negative consequences.
1 Corinthians 9:24 – Run with purpose
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26)
Paul challenges believers to run the race of faith with purpose and zeal, not aimlessly drift along. He encourages passionately pursuing eternal rewards, not living apathetically.
Titus 3:3 – Enslaved to passions and pleasures
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.” (Titus 3:3)
Paul reminds Titus that before faith in Christ, people are enslaved to worldly passions and pleasures which lead to negative behavior. The Gospel transforms hearts to instead passionately love God and others.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 – Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Paul warns Timothy that people who are apathetic about God but passionate about selfish pleasures are dangerous. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining a passionate love for God rather than worldly apathy.
Colossians 3:23-24 – Work heartily for the Lord
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
This exhortation to slaves also applies to all believers – to work wholeheartedly as if for the Lord, not apathetically as if for man. Our work and service should be fueled by passion for honoring Christ.
Romans 12:11 – Never lack zeal
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” (Romans 12:11)
Paul directly tells believers to avoid apathy and maintain spiritual passion and zeal in serving the Lord. We should constantly stir up zeal rather than become complacent.
2 Peter 1:5-8 – Make every effort
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)
Peter exhorts believers to make every effort to pursue spiritual growth with diligence. This requires intentional passionate effort in order to avoid ineffectiveness and lack of productivity – the fruits of apathy.
Matthew 6:24 – Cannot serve both God and money
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
Jesus teaches that we will end up devoted to and passionate about either God or money – we cannot be equally loyal to both. We must guard our hearts against apathy towards God by maintaining wholehearted devotion to Him alone.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 – Whatever your hand finds to do
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)
Solomon reminds us life is short so we should passionately pursue every endeavor. This is a call to avoid apathy and laziness by living purposefully and diligently for God’s glory.
Proverbs 18:9 – Slack in his work
“One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.” (Proverbs 18:9)
Being careless and apathetic in our work is compared to actively destroying things. Half-hearted work has consequences. We must pursue excellence for God’s glory.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 – Warn those who are idle
“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.” (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15)
Paul instructs the Thessalonians to warn believers who are living idly instead of working diligently. He reminds them of the example of hard work he set, and urges them to settle down and passionately labor for the Lord, rather than grow weary and apathetic.
Hebrews 6:11-12 – Show this same diligence
“We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (Hebrews 6:11-12)
The writer of Hebrews encourages believers to passionately pursue their hope in Christ with diligence like the heroes of the faith, rather than lazily drifting. We must actively guard against apathy and model faithfulness.
Titus 2:11-14 – Zealous for good works
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14)
The saving grace of God trains believers to reject worldly passions and instead live godly self-controlled lives, eagerly doing good works. We must actively resist apathy and zealously pursue godliness.
Galatians 6:9-10 – Not grow weary in doing good
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:9-10)
Paul exhorts the Galatian church to avoid growing weary and losing heart in passionately doing good deeds. Believers must actively fight against apathy creeping in by fixing our hope on eternal rewards.
Colossians 3:17 – Do it all for the Lord
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)
This verse reminds believers to do everything wholeheartedly for God’s glory, not apathetically for selfish gain. Our passion and diligence comes from doing all for the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58 – Give yourselves fully
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Paul encourages the Corinthians to stand firm in the faith and maintain zeal by fully giving themselves to the Lord’s work. Our labor for Christ matters for eternity, fueling us to avoid apathy.
James 4:17 – Knows the good and doesn’t do it
“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17)
James warns against the sin of knowing God’s will but apathetically choosing not to do it. We must passionately act on what we know to be right out of love for God.
In summary, the Bible clearly warns believers against drifting into apathy, indifference, and lack of zeal. Instead Scripture calls followers of Christ to wholehearted devotion, passionately loving God above all and serving Him with our full efforts. We must actively resist laziness and apathy by fixing our eyes on eternal rewards and relying on the empowering grace of the Gospel. By God’s strength, may we all fight off indifference and run with endurance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1-3).