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IN TOUCH WITH GOD   by Edward Heppenstall

 
Committed to God MARCH 5

THE CHRISTIAN CANNOT BE NEUTRAL

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shaft enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matt. 7:21.

Jesus does not look for cleverness in His followers. He requires total obedience to His way and His will. There is no such thing as Christian experience by proxy. We can never be certain until we make the commitment ourselves.

One of the disturbing factors in the church is that of professed Christians with great abilities and possibilities never yet released to the cause of Christ. One of the most serious deterrents to witnessing to a triumphant Christian life is neutrality on great issues and truths that affect our loyalty to Christ and the eternal destiny of others.

Evil is no vague, dormant principle that is hard to find; but something savagely, energetically offensive. When we surrender to a climate of apathy and lukewarmness, then evil seizes chance to get us to deny our Lord. Martin Luther, in one of his legends, tells of Satan, who called a council of his chiefs to defeat the Christian.

Said one, "I let loose the wild beasts on many Christians. Their hones now bleach the sands in the arena." "What of that" said Satan. "Their souls are still saved." Said another: "I drove the storm against a shipload of Christians, and they all perished in the sea." "What of that?" said Satan. "Their souls are still saved." Said another: "I have labored for ten years to lull Christians to sleep and get them to be neutral. At last I have succeeded." Then Satan shouted for joy and all the angels of hell rejoiced together.

Nothing can be stronger than our Saviour's words on the need to banish everything that would undermine our allegiance to Him, If our right eye offend us, that is, if it tempts us to sin, we are to pluck it out and cast it from us. If our right hand prove a temptation to us, we are to cut it off.

If we remain neutral and do nothing about sin we shall be destroyed. We must tolerate no indifference, no apathy, and no delay. Unqualified commitment to Christ and to His truth is the guarantee of perfect security and ultimate salvation.

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