Devotion 

20 September 2022 

 

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How long will you waver between two opinions?

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How long will you waver between two opinions? 1King 18:16-21

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Defending the truth of God makes a person to appear like a trouble maker. This was true of the prophet Elijah. All what was said about him never stopped him from telling the truth. “How long will you waver between two opinions?” This was Elijah’s challenging words to the children of Israel who were enjoying the worship of both God and Baal. They were compromising their faith and were limping along between two opinions. In seeing that danger, the prophet Elijah challenged them, “If the Lord is God, follow Him; if Baal, then follow him.”

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In our time, the same scenario is repeating itself. We see people striving to accommodate the evils of the world and also pretending to please God. We must be prepared like Elijah to stand for God, to stand for the scriptural truth to prevail over sin and other evils. Though Elijah was alone, he stood his ground for the true worship of God.

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The challenge is now for us: whether to allow an altar to Baal and an altar to Jehovah to stand side by side or not in the life of the Church. We are called upon to make a choice between God and Baal. Prophet Elijah clearly says to us in this generation that: “If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, then follow him.” We have to decide between God and the present evils of our generation.

 

If we transpose Elijah's speech into the New Testament time or in our time, it simply means; do we choose Jesus the Messiah or Barabbas, God or self, biblical theology or revisionist theology? There can be no comparison or compatibility between biblical truth and unbiblical human lust for sinful pleasure. Prophet Elijah continues to challenge us; ‘how long will you waver between two opinions?’ With this question, God holds every one of us under obligation to think for ourself, judge for ourself, repent and return to the truth of God. With uprightness of mind, we are to uphold the right opinion and follow the light that shines from heaven upon our way.

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It is a fatal inconsistency to believe in God and yet not follow His teachings. A heavy penalty and a sad verdict rests on those who profess that they know God, but in their life and practice, they deny him. About such people St Paul says:

... But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. As for you, Titus, promote the kind of life that reflects wholesome teaching. (Titus 1:16-2:1)

 

May this text said by Paul to Titus admonish us, and may the calling to Titus to wholesome teaching and godly living be reflected in your life and mine, and in the life of the Church today. For the glory of God our Saviour!

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Contributed by:
The Most Revd Dr Justin Badi Arama

Archbishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan

Chairman, Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA).

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