SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1326

“Double Minded”

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.” And the people did not answer him a word. – 1 Kings 18:21

Life this side of Heaven is a series of choices and decisions, some major and some minor. For many of us, these choices can be overwhelming and daunting giving way to fear of making the wrong decision resulting in hesitation, vacillation, indecisiveness, and double mindedness.

The English language has several idioms to describe this condition: ‘hot and cold’, cold feet’, ‘on the fence’, ‘hem and haw’, ‘up in the air’, ‘half-hearted’, etc. In our reference Scripture, Elijah essentially told the people it was time to ‘fish or cut bait’.

The Word of God calls it limping between two opinions, wavering, divided loyalties, lukewarm and idolatry.

For they go up to their roofs and bow down to the sun, moon, and stars. They claim to follow the Lord, but then they worship Molech, too. – Zephaniah 1:5 (NLT)

Be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind… Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. – James 1:6-8 (NLT)

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. – James 4:8

Truth Revealed in Creation: God wants all people to come to Him and He reveals Himself  to us through His creation.

What can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse. – Romans 1:19-20

Truth Revealed Through the Word of God: God continues to draw us by His Holy Spirit to a steadfast, single-minded commitment to Jesus through Scripture.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness; So, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. – 2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 10:17

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12

He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. – John 16:8

Eternal Consequences: The single most important decision we must make while we have breath has eternal consequences. We must decide to repent of our sin, confess that Jesus is Lord, and follow Him.

The Lord… is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance; The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent; Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out – 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 17:30; Acts 3:19

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. – Romans 10:9

Undivided, Steadfast Devotion to Jesus: Having responded to the revelation of God and the conviction of His Holy Spirit to repent, we must now stay the course, steadfast in faith and devotion to Jesus.

We must die to this world, i.e. ‘Take up our cross’ and follow Jesus. We must not be double-minded and unstable, having one foot in the world and the other on the narrow path of righteousness.

Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God; Remember Lot’s wife.” – 2 Corinthians 1:17; Luke 9:62; 17:32

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money; Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. – Matthew 6:24; 1 John 2:15

May your walk with the Lord be with a steadfast, undivided heart. May He steady your steps according to the promise of His Word. (Psalm 119:133)

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord…. – 1 Corinthians 15:58