By: The Rev. Russell E. J. Martin
As followers of Christ, we daily face choices. Will we resist temptation and not sin or will we fail? Perhaps a more pertinent choice we face is what we will do for God. The sin of omission should weigh as heavily as any other but often, we do not consider it.
In 1 Kings 18 Elijah will call fire from God down on his thoroughly drenched offering, thus proving that Baal is a false God. Seeing this, the people believe. We rarely, if ever, have so dramatic an encounter but Elijah’s question from verse two still applies to us. “How long will we limp between two opinions?”
Everyone wants to be liked and accepted but this has little to do with what God wants. He wants us to choose. Not just in our hearts and privately, but vocally and publically. We must lovingly give voice to the all the truth of scripture, not just the popular truth. The unpopular truth would include abortion and homosexuality. If we do not contend for these issues, who will speak the truth? To speak out on these issues will no doubt lose you some friends. But the Apostle Paul, when writing to the Church in Ephesus, instructs us to tell the truth in love. In the end, we are called to be truth tellers but in a loving manner. Is it possible that if we fail to share truth with a loving heart and attitude, truth might not be as effective?
This is our choice. Will we speak for God and biblical truth in our individual spheres of influence or will we limp between opinions?