"He that is not with me is against me; and he
gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matt.
12:30) In the above statement Jesus forever destroys the
idea that we can occupy a neutral position of being a
Christian and of serving him. He states emphatically that
we are either with him or against him; we're either
gathering for him or scattering abroad. Walking with Jesus
demands a whole-hearted decision that stubbornly resists
all foes. The enemy does not insist that you make a
decision against Christ, but merely remain in a state of
indecision; for he knows if you are undecided you are
still on his territory. This is where many people have
lost themselves spiritually; they have hesitated to make a
definite decision for Christ and his gospel and are
wandering around in a daze. A definite decision for Christ
is the only hope of our spiritual well-being, and it means
to suffer reproach and persecution.
We have reached the critical era of
time when very few are willing to make a definite decision
for Christ and suffer the reproach that necessarily goes
with the gospel. Were it possible to accept Christ and all
the glory that goes with fellowship with him without
receiving many persecutions or reproach, there would be
many more serving him. But to accept Christ means to
suffer persecution. Paul in speaking to Timothy, cautions
him of perilous times that should come and folk would have
a form of godliness but deny the power thereof. He
continued by saying, "Thou hast fully known my
doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering,
charity, patience, persecutions, and afflictions which
came unto me. "Yea, and ALL that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Sufferings
and persecutions naturally accompany godly living, because
of the antagonistic spirit in the world; "but I'm
persuaded that the sufferings of the present time are not
worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed
in us." When Jesus shall appear to be glorified in
his saints, all the sufferings, persecutions and the
reproach of the gospel will fade into oblivion. But we
need to recognize that to enjoy this glory on the last day
and to be received into the presence of God for eternity,
there is a price we must pay, and that price is the price
of suffering for the sake of Jesus. In II Tim. 2:12 we
read. "If we suffer... we shall also reign with him.Ó
Too many times the Christian life and the gospel is
presented to folk as a robe that may be put on at their
convenience without any interruption to their every-day
living, that we should just add Christ to our life and
continue on as we've been living. Too much time is spent
trying to harmonize the gospel and Christian living with
the ways of the world. It seems we're too much interested
in trying to present Christ to people in such that they
can accept him and not suffer the reproach of the cross or
the disapproval of the world. Beloved, we must present
Christ to people as the Christ of Bible, the one who was
rejected by the world and nailed to the cross, one who is
still rejected by the world; and if received into our
hearts and lives, we will be reject the world and will
suffer his reproach. We must a definite decision that we
are going with him and suffer his reproach gladly. If we
fail to make this kind of a decision we are against him as
he says in our text. Reader, have you made the decision in
your heart to go with Christ, to say good-bye to the world
and to sin and walk with Him in this world? It may seem
hard for to make such a decision, but the glory that
awaits those who make it will far outweigh the sufferings
of this life.
Not only does Jesus destroy the
idea of a neutral position on the question of being a
Christian, but he destroys this "straddle-fence"
position after becoming a Christian. By this phrase:
"straddle-fence", I mean so many are professors
of Jesus and yet are too fearful to commit themselves on a
given question, or try to favor two apparently opposite
sides of a matter. I'm referring to questions that concern
our Christian living and are definitely answered by the
scriptures. Of course. there are questions that arise that
are left purely to the discretion and wisdom of the
individual. But as concerning sin and righteousness the
Bible speaks precisely, and we should speak the same way.
The need of the hour is definite, precise preaching of the
gospel of Jesus Christ, preaching that will classify men
and women as sinners or saints without any question left
in their minds. Jesus declares in our text that he that is
not with me is against me. If we say we are Christians,
then may God give us the backbone to show our colors and
not be fearful to commit ourselves, but to stand as Jesus
would stand were he here.
We need to make the same request of
God that Solomon made in his youth. He asked God to give
him an understanding heart to judge Israel and that he
might discern between good and bad. God will grant us the
same today if we'll ask him for it. If we'll make this
request of God and exercise it as he gives it to us, I
believe he'll commit to all sufficient discernment to know
right from wrong; but as long as we adopt the
"straddle-fenceÓ position, we will get nowhere with
God, and our influence with the world will be weak. I've
attended conventions and ministerial meetings where
questions pertaining to Christian living that were
definitely answered by the word of God, and many were too
fearful their position be known. Truly this is a sad
condition when the Israel of God and the watchmen on the
walls come to the place where they fail to sound a clear
note on the trumpet. This is absolute failure to stand
with Christ. We boast of the fact that we have become more
tolerant, but in it our glory has become our shame,
ashamed of Christ and his word. If we were not ashamed, we
would not hesitate to speak, "Thus saith the Lord.Ó
If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare
himself to the battle? This is the thing that has led many
honest folk into confusion and later into total darkness.
We may fail to give a clear and distinct sound on the
trumpet, but in the light of our text we are automatically
placing ourselves against Christ. To know his teachings
(and we have no excuse for ignorance) against sin and
ungodliness and then fail to stand up for them is to fail
in our faithfulness to Christ.
On occasions such as mentioned
above, when are too fearful to commit themselves, is a
time when many sell out to the enemy of their souls. The
reason for not committing themselves is found in a
man-fearing spirit. Some say, "if I commit myself,
someone will not agree with me, and I may lose their
friendship.Ó Surely reason is right, for all men will not
agree with the word of God; and if you stand on it, you
will lose many friends. But is not the friendship of God
more precious than of man? If you fail to stand with
Christ and for Christ, then you are against him. Too many
are interests in reaching the place where they can enjoy
the respect esteem and approbation of man rather than of
God. The so-called church has come to the place where she
wants to take the reproach out of the cross, the suffering
out of Christian living, and present to the world a way of
ease and pleasure in the name of Christ. She is somewhat
like little boy who ran out in front of the band to act as
drum major. Twirling his stick as he marched along, he
watched carefully at each street corner to see which way
band would turn so he might go the same way. Shall as the
professed people of God, be to the world as the little boy
was to the band? No! let's be followers of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Quit you like men and be strong. We must be men
who are moved by the leadings of God, men who have
completely given ourselves to God and will die for the
gospel message. The early apostles were this kind of men.
Neither would they flinch even under cruel lashings and
imprisonments. They ceased not to declare the teachings of
Jesus even though the magistrates forbade them to do it
and answered, "For we cannot but speak the things
which we have seen and heard." Could it be the
professed Christian world has not seen or heard anything?
Peter and John had seen something and heard something that
meant more to them than life. Are we so in love with Jesus
and his gospel that we will suffer for it? To be a
Christian and to be assured a place in heaven means to
make a definite decision for Christ and go out to live for
him and stand up for him on all occasions. Regardless of
what the consequences may be or the friendships involved,
we must take our stand for Jesus and his doctrine.
"He that is not with me is against me; and he
gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."
