Pondering His Holy Word

1 Kings 18:21 – ESV 
 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

Elijah’s question to the Israelites is still relevant in today’s modern church. As Christians, we can find ourselves seeking peace with the world the word “compromise” is often use to achieve such worldly peace. Go along to get along. On some issues, we stand with Jesus, but it can be easier to agree with the world on other matters. Notice, I said easier, not correct. 

A serious issue that affects the church faces is not other religions or even atheists but compromise and lukewarmness. In Matthew, Jesus describes people who received the word with great joy but fall away during difficult times or people who receive the word with great joy but are choked up by the world’s cares. In Revelations, Jesus calls these people lukewarm and warns that He will spew them out of his mouth (Matthew 13:1-9, Revelation 3:14-16). 

Even with this serious warning, Christians still limp between two opinions. Think about Elijah’s statement. The people didn’t confidently gallop from one side to the other, but they limped. Yes, Israel worshiped Yahweh as their national god, but they had household idols, sacrificed to the queen of heaven, and provided offerings to the Baals in high places. But when it was time to show force, they sought their national God, Yahweh. Later, they sank back into idolatry when it suited them. 

Today, Christians do the same thing. When all is well or, at best, average, we become complacent and lean into back the world. We seek money and riches. It is only in difficult times that many seek the Lord. Yet, we sink back into idolatry once the storm passes. How long are we going to limp between two opinions? 

Though we may not have household Gods or sacrifice to high places, idolatry is still very real in the church age. Instead of leaning on God, we rely on science and technology. I’m not talking about science as a field of inquiry and observation, but science as the unquestionable logic that stands above all religions. Also, we may not sacrifice to high places, but we seek wisdom within ourselves, the “divine spark.” We seek the “god” within ourselves.

How long will we continue limping between the one true God and idolatry? If Jesus is Lord, follow him; if astrology is god, follow them. But you must take a stand.

The problem with limping between two opinions is that we are not confident in either opinion which demonstrates that we don’t have faith in Jesus. Therefore, we rely on what we can “see,” but we Christians must remember that we walk not by sight but by faith. (2 Cor 5:6-7). We don’t act based on our feelings, which change from moment to moment, but we walk by the assurance of God’s promise through Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior (Hebrew 11:1). 

Sometimes, we choose to leave God out of our secular life (or our part of life that doesn’t involve religion) and only seek him during the holy times. Yet, we should remember that when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, He consecrated our body and life as Holy. None of our life is godless because the Spirit of the Living God lives in us. We are reborn through Christ and are given his eyes so now our previous eyes and our previous selves have been crucified so that now Christ is living in us. 

If we have faith, then why are we limping between two opinions? We know that there is no god except the LORD. Why are we seeking God in ourselves? We know the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father. Without God, we don’t have anything divine about us. If we accept Jesus, why do we think we can find ourselves in our idols and the hosts of heaven? 

We might as well not serve Jesus at all because God himself said that we should have no other gods before him (Exodus 20:3). Joshua tells the Israelites to choose who they will serve (Joshua 24:14-15). Also, Jesus tells his disciples that those who will not hate his own life before him is not fit to be His disciple (Luke 14:26). The same message goes to us because God is the Holy God; He does not accept the worship of other gods. We will all bend the knee in this lifetime or the next (Romans 14:11)

Following the Lord Jesus Christ is an eternity-long commitment. The hobbling between two opinions is not an option—the limping stops. We boldly go into the world and spread the Gospel because you will not find God in this secular world or mystical, gnostic-like new age religion but in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit alone. 

Leaning on our understanding will lead us down the path destruction. We must trust in the Lord with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). 

Following Christ is an active journey that requires you to walk on water should he calls you, keep the faith when you are tired, and bow before him and worship.