You cannot live your life in neutral. It’s impossible. Can you get anywhere in your car in neutral? The thing to remember when your car is in neutral is that if you’re on an incline you’ll go backwards.
I Kings 18: 20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
I had a black straight shift Dodge Shadow years ago and came by here to make some copies. I left the car running and put it in neutral. I came in here and when I went back out I thought someone had stolen the car. It had drifted into the bank over there. I had to get it fixed and then the next spring I did the same thing again. Now I remember to pull the gear up and put on the break!
Too many people try to live in neutral. In this scripture Elijah asked the people how long they were going to halt between two opinions. You can’t have things two ways. In life there are conscious decisions. It’s like coming to a crossroads in the car and taking this way instead of that way. You drive a little ways and then realize you’re not going the correct way. You turn around and take the right road. There are not multiple ways to be saved; there is only one way to heaven.
The people of Israel thought they could do all the things they should in the temple but go home to their images of Baal. It caused a split in the country. Are we not a divided nation in every way? There is an outright resistance to the right things and the one true God. It’s much like the skit we just saw on wearing masks. People think they can go to church but live any way they want outside of that. Do you follow the model of the Bible or the latest trends from Paris or television…or whatever? You can’t serve two masters. You can’t just halt between two opinions. The devil tells us we can serve many masters. We don’t have statues of Baal as Israel did but power, achievement, and money are followed. Remember me telling you about that television program that wanted to open up the conversation to do away with teaching like we all were raised on and re-do the public school system introducing anti-Christian thought processes and the acceptance of anything goes? No wonder there is no peace. The Bible says there is no peace for the wicked.
This is where Israel was. So many worshipped Baal that there were 450 prophets and Elijah challenged them to come to Mount Carmel. Ahab and Jezebel were the king and queen, both wicked and followers of Baal worship. I’m glad to be an American but I’m not happy about how things are going. Our forefathers formed this country on Christian principles and it’s being tossed aside. Elijah asked the people how long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. You know the story. He called for an altar to be built, filled with wood, and for the true God to answer by fire. Nothing happened when all those prophets of Baal prayed. Why? Well…there was no Baal. He’s wasn’t real. GOD IS REAL! He knew before the world was created that we would need a Savior.
Don’t try to live in neutral. The road to heaven is an uphill road to glory. The road to hell is a downward road. If you don’t get your life in gear you’ll go backward. If you don’t repent—that means turn around—you’ll go down. If you put it in neutral and think you’ll believe Jesus but still believe yourself and do what you want you’ll find yourself at the bottom of the hill. Behind it is a chasm of suffering in hell fire. The devil will welcome you there. Going uphill might be a little harder or require a little more gas but do it. Get out of neutral.
Nazi Germany had taken over several countries in Europe. Hitler called for a meeting with the congress of Poland and laid out what he wanted to go. Poland wanted to remain neutral. Hitler worked his words around with “how about just letting our soldiers come in; we’ll be your friends; we’ll help you out.” They signed the agreement. On September 1, 1939 Poland woke to German bombs all over the country. They didn’t read the fine print that stated they would become part of Nazi Germany. They believed the lie that they could remain neutral.
So today I ask you how long you’re going to halt between two opinions. Quit fooling yourself. Make a stand for God while you can.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 