“How long halt ye between two opinions?” - 1 Kings 18:21
Have you ever noticed that every survey has a percentage of people who are undecided? Whether it is a survey about an upcoming election, the economy or favorite sodas, there is always a group of people who don't have an opinion on the subject.
While there are many who are outspoken (even belligerent) about their views, I wonder about those who are undecided. Are they afraid to speak up? Are they just apathetic about a particular subject? Or are they really uncertain what they believe?
Even in the church, there are people who are undecided. If they are challenged to make a decision, they conveniently remain neutral. Elijah confronted the people on Mount Carmel with these words, “How long halt ye between two opinions?” They could choose to stand for God or stand with Baal. Instead, the people refused to stand for anything.
That is what concerns me about our day. Many are standing for wrong things, a few are standing for good things, but there is still a large percentage of people who remain undecided.
Even in the church, I am concerned that far too many people are unconvinced. Why do we have few people truly committed to the church and the things of God? Why are so many professing Christians simply blending in with the lost culture around them? Why isn't the church making a positive impact in our society? I fear that many in the church are not truly convinced themselves.
In a survey of evangelical believers by Ligonier Ministries in 2020, 30% believe that Jesus was a good teacher, but not God. 46% believed that the Holy Spirit is a force and not a personal being. Furthermore, 22% believed that gender identity is a matter of choice and 11% believe that the Bible's condemnation of homosexuality doesn't apply today. 39% believed that “worshiping alone or with one’s family is a valid replacement for regularly attending church.” These numbers indicate that many in church are not convinced that what the Bible teaches is true today. Let's go deeper and get personal.
If you have family members who are unsaved, do you REALLY believe they will go to hell if they die unconverted? Many tend to make exceptions to their beliefs when it comes to people they know and care about. This pinpoints what I am saying. Most people are not truly convinced.
If church members were truly convinced that Jesus is the Son of God, they would treat worship seriously. If they knew that unconverted loved ones are truly hell-bound, this would intensify their prayers. If they truly believed in the reality of hell, they would recognize that every person they meet is either heaven-bound or hell-bound, and it would change everything. Just think how different our communities would be if professing Christians were truly convinced about Biblical truth. Instead, unconvinced people view convinced Christians as being extreme or radical.
Why were first century believers eager to spread the Gospel, even though it could cost them their lives? Why were they willing to endure pain and persecution? Here's the answer. They loved Jesus more than they loved their own lives. They were convinced that He is the only way. They were convinced that the Gospel message is true and needed to be shared. They were truly convinced.
What about you? Are you truly convinced? If so, let me challenge you to:
SHOW UP
STAND UP
SPEAK UP
If we are truly convinced, we should show up, stand up and speak up. That's the kind of response God expects from those who are truly convinced.
Are you convinced?
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