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10/15 Reading Portions: 1 Kings 18; 1 Thessalonians 1; Ezekiel 48; Psalm 104
1 Kings 18:21
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.”
LIMPING
Most every Christian is acquainted with Elijah’s showdown with the 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah; and of how the sacrifices of the false prophets were unconsumed by their idols and false gods while YHVH God consumed the soaking wet sacrifice of Elijah with a heavenly fire at the Tishbite’s simple prayer. It was a visible display of God’s power to save, as the people fell on their faces and responded,
“The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.” 1 Kings 18:39
It foreshadowed the power of the gospel of Christ, which came not only in word, but also in power (1 Thess 1:5), transforming Thessalonian lives inasmuch as they…
turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. 1 Thessalonians 1:9
Yet Elijah’s word to the people before the showdown was not merely for those whose instability and infidelity caused them to falter between two opinions when it came to serving God or false gods; it is a lesson for faithful believers in Christ as well. Because of the corruptions still remaining in our mortal flesh, we may have a tendency to falter in the practical aspects of our Christianity. We may waver in submissive faith which hinders committed love. There are believers, truly saved by God’s grace in Christ, yet they are uncommitted to membership in a local church. They bounce around from fellowship to fellowship without real submission to Christ’s ordained leadership, nor do they muster genuine commitment to a body of local believers. This kind of arrangement hinders growth, both in the individual jumping from congregation to congregation while robbing some local congregation of the blessing of the faith, hope, and love from the faltering soul Christ desires to have united to His local gathering of saints. It causes the body of Christ to limp as a cripple rather than walking in the strength of Christ and the power of His might. As Christians, we wouldn’t think of having several spouses we visit as the feeling comes upon us. Neither should we think it decent or honorable to treat the visible, local representation of Christ’s beloved bride, whom He bled and died for (Eph 5:25, 32), in such a way.
