THE MYTH OF NEUTRALITY
By Jerry Falwell
Thesis: You Can’t Live in the Middle
You Must Cross From One Side to the Other
A. INTRODUCTION
Many want "Easy Christianity," also called, "Easy Believism." They take long vacations from church, and are not loyal in attendance and tithes. They seek selfish pleasures and have lost the desire for separation and holiness. They have addictive habits, and are slaves to sin. They only want practical sermons to help them make it through tough times, they have no stomach for doctrine or the deeper Christian life. They ask "what can Christ do for me?" NOT "What can I sacrifice for Christ." Too few have taken Christ "For better or worse . . .in sickness and health, till death do us part." Many try to cut out on God, yet keep the good things they got from their Christianity. The Bible teaches there is no middle ground. NEUTRALITY IS A MYTH.
The highway of life goes in two different directions, each leading to opposite destinations. "The highway to Hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who chase its easy way. But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it" (Matt 7:13,14, Living Bible).
B. THE SHRINKING MIDDLE IS SHRINKING.
1. There was a historical safety net.
Actually, there never was "middle ground" between God’s side and Satan’s world, or between God’s road and the Devil’s road. But historically there appeared to be middle ground because America was "Christianized." That middle ground was cultural Christianity.
Illustrations of cultural Christianity:
• Bible Reading in public schools
• 10 Commandments basis for morality
• Lord’s Day honored
• "Sin tax" to control liquor and cigarettes
In the past, many who left Christ’s service did not fall into paganism; i.e. idol worship, demon domination, or addictive sin. A "Christianized" society gave those who departed from the church the benefits of Christianity, even though they left organized Christianity, i.e. the church. Their safety net was cultural Christianity.
2. American is losing its Christian influence, even though there is no loss of the outward factors of Christianity.
American has not lost:
a. Its percentage of church members. About 41% of America prefers Christianity, the same at 1940,
b. Its belief in God, the Bible, heaven, etc. (About the same percentage believe in these essentials today or 1940, according to Gallup Poll),
c. Its number of churches. Outwardly, the presence of church building appears about as strong as 50 years ago.
3. There is definite loss of authentic Christianity.
American Christianity is losing the cultural battles. Called "The Secularization of Christianity," the following forces have diluted the effectiveness of individual Christians:
a. Television,
b. Music,
c. Hostile public school system,
d. Hostile media.
4. The eight present cultural battles against Christianity.
Summarized by George Barna.
1. Media mockery
2. Rewriting history (reconstructionism)
3. Declining loyalty in church attendance (membership remains the same)
4. Reducing Christian freedom with politically correct philosophy
5. Limiting Christianity by zoning laws, privacy laws, etc.
6. Diversion of national attention away from clean living as reflected in Judeo-Christian ethics or Protestant-Puritan values, toward the filthy speech movement, gambling, free pursuit of alcohol and a sexual revolution
7. Shrinking pool of Christian discipleship
8. Waning influence of Christian institutions such as Salvation Army, YMCA, Christian charity, etc.
5. Today there is no middle ground.
Those who leave the church cannot end up neutral, i.e. "I’m not for the Church . . . I’m not against the Church:"
a. Secularization is a demanding god. It wants your complete devotion.
b. Pleasure is a consummate goal, to get it you must seek it with all your heart.
c. Lust is a divisive trap, what you think is satisfying may be tormenting to the possessor.
C. THERE NEVER HAS BEEN NEUTRAL GROUND BECAUSE CHRISTIANITY DEMANDED TOTAL ALLEGIANCE.
(Even though some in America thought our Christian culture was safe ground).
1. Total Devotion. "Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, with all they soul, and with all thy mind" (Matt. 23:37).
2. Total Repentance. In comparison to anyone or anything else, we must totally love Jesus Christ. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple, and whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26-27).
3. Total Discipleship. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
4. Total Separation. Jesus said, "He that is not with me, is against me" (Matt. 12:30).
5. Total Submission. Jesus said, "You cannot serve God and mammon" (Luke 16:13).
D. PEOPLE WHO CROSS FROM ONE KINGDOM TO THE OTHER.
1. Those who deny Christianity. "Some . . . concerning faith have made shipwrecks, of whom Hymenaeus and Alexander, who I have delivered unto Satan" (I Tim. 1:20).
2. Those who were never Christian. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us" (I John 2:19).
3. Those who backslide. "But it is happened unto them (backsliders) . . . the dog is turned to his own vomit again" (II Peter 2:22).
4. Those who embrace false doctrine. "Some have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam" (II Peter 2:15).
5. Those who sell out to the flesh and the world. "If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein . . . the latter end is worst than the beginning (II Peter 2:20).
E. PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY CAN DEPART
CHRISTIANITY AND LIVE IN THE MIDDLE.
1. Depart by neglect. Some wrongly stop giving attention to basic Christian discipline, i.e. prayer, Bible study, church attendance, etc. "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some" (Heb. 10:25).
2. Drawn off by temptation. Some wrongly stop following Christ because they have started following the world. "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica" (II Tim. 4:10).
3. Default by neglect. Some wrongly think they can be neutral so they neglect Christianity.
4. Departure because they are busy. When we say "I’m too busy" we are saying three things.
a. I’m a "half-time" Christian who doesn’t put Christ first.
b. I’m a "used-to-be" Christian who has stopped making time for God.
c. I’m a "never been" Christian who has never given my time, talent and treasure to God.
5. Departure because they are making money. "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (I Tim. 6:9, 10).
6. Departure because they want to have a good time on Sunday. "For men shall be lovers of their own selves . . . lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God" (II Tim. 3:2, 4).
F. YOU CAN’T LIVE IN TWO WORLDS
1. Both sides have a kingdom. God calls His the Kingdom of God. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt 6:33).
Satan is called "the god of this world" (II Cor. 4:3). He has a kingdom, "If Satan cast out Satan . . . how shall his kingdom stand?" (Matt. 12:26).
2. Both sides want your loyalty. "If the LORD be God, follow Him" (I Kings 17:21).
3. Both sides want your worship. The desire of God, "The Father seeks people to worship Him"
(Jn. 4:24 NKJV). The desire of Satan is to be worshipped. "I will give you all of this (kingdoms of this world) if you will bow down and worship me" (Matt. 4:9).
4. Both sides have "helpers" to carry out their program.
God has His angelic spirits to carry out His purpose. "Angels are merely spirits sent to serve people who are saved" (Heb 1:14 CEV). Satan has his demonic spirits to carry out his purpose. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph. 6:12).
G. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU STEP INTO THE MIDDLE?
1. You will be blinded. "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not" (II Cor. 4:3).
2. You put yourself under satanic control. "You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules this world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God" (Eph. 2:2 CEV).
Those who do not belong to God are under Satan’s control but don’t know it because they are blinded.
3. You will be deceived. "Just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ" (II Cor. 11:3 NIV).
H. TWO KINGDOMS ARE OPPOSITE POLES
Illustrations
• Touch two poles of car battery and get sparks
• Child abuser and parents will fight
Light Darkness
Truth Error
Doing Right Doing Wrong
Serving Christ Serving Self
Straight and Narrow Broad and Wide
God’s Opinion Man’s Opinion
Separated from Sin Serving Sin
Enter by New Birth Enter by Natural Birth
Helping God Hindering God
I. ONE CHOICE
No one chooses to be born in Satan’s kingdom. No one chooses to be born in darkness. Everyone is born in darkness. Everyone is lost, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).
• Born a sinner. "In sin did my mother conceive me" (Ps. 51:5).
• Born spiritually dead. "You . . . were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1).
• You must be re-born. Jesus answered, . . . verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).
• New birth transforms you. God "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Col. 1:13).
• Christ is only choice. "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the father, but by me" (John 14:6).
• No exceptions. "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved" (Acts
4:12).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
For more information on the TRBC Pastor’s Bible Class, log on to the Internet for TRBC Home page at www.trbc.org/pbc.
