THE SIN OF NEUTRALITY by G. B. Wilkinson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Oct 2, 1900

THE SIN OF NEUTRALITY.

By G. B. Wilkinson

G. B. WILKINSON.

(College View, Neb.)

When the meeting opened Sabbath morning, the elder, looking over his congregation, found but few of the brethren present. Those who were there, were scattered over the church, and none were on the front seats. An atmosphere of discouragement and lethargy seemed to pervade the place. Stepping from the platform, the elder exhorted all present to come forward and fill up the front seats. Sitting together, with no empty chairs before, and unable to see any behind, the congregation waited, with eager attention, to hear any message the Lord might give. He did not disappoint them, and all were greatly blessed.

Next Sabbath the hour of meeting came, and again the people were scattered. Again the exhortation to come forward was given, and with the same results. At the close of the service the elder called the attention of the brethren to the better effects produced by being in the front, and requested that henceforth they take their places without exhortation. But when the church assembled the third Sabbath, there was no improvement. A feeling of petulance arose in the elder’s heart. “Will this people never learn anything?” he muttered between his teeth. With an angry spirit, he stepped forward to rebuke his church. But at that moment a voice spoke to his soul. Had he never been guilty of the sin of which this people were guilty? When God had a work to advance among the people, had he never hung back, not wishing to oppose, but not eager to be found in the front ranks of the workers? Looking into his own heart, he was obliged to confess himself guilty.

The blessings lost by that church when not in the front, are typical of the blessings lost to God’s people when holding back generally. The burden thrown upon the leader represents the extra burden resting upon those who labor under the load of reform. The disfavor of God rests upon those who, while not wishing to oppose, hold back, waiting to see full demonstration before they give their assistance. Such action lacks true faith. True faith rests not.

I call your attention to the following: “If God abhors one sin above another, of which his people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime, and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. III, page 281. Therefore, brother, sister, if the case in hand has the slightest weight of evidence that it is God’s cause, give full co-operation at once.

Ancient Israel were slow to act upon God’s direction, until at length they hardened into rebellion. The same course will be pursued by many in remnant Israel. But it is your privilege to make this stumbling-block a stepping-stone. And when you have converted a sufficient number of these stumbling-blocks into stepping-stones, you will have a stairway whose last stone is the threshold of heaven. Delay to conquer your reluctant spirit, and you will, like Peter, reap the sure results of following afar off.

Let us be more explicit. Since the present work began, God has, at stated times, sent messages to his people. He has given them line upon line, precept upon precept. Obedience to these directions has been attended with the favor and blessing of God, while disasters have attended the unwilling ones. With each of these messages came an opportunity to doubt, if one wished to do so; but to him who hesitated, however blessed he may have been before, came the bitter experience of a blessing lost. To those who stood ready for this call, there was abundant evidence that it was of God.

God has come to us with a stirring appeal. Shall we hesitate, or shall we immediately respond? I quote the first paragraph of this appeal: “There is a burden upon my soul with regard to the destitute mission fields. There is aggressive work to be done in the missions near you; in the Southern field, which has been sadly neglected; and there is great need of funds to advance the work in foreign fields. Our foreign missions are languishing. The missionaries are not sustained as God requires they should be. For want of funds, workers are not able to enter new fields.”—An Appeal for Missions.

“The missions near you.” In the path of everyone whose name is written in heaven, lie men who have fallen among thieves. The attitude assumed toward these unfortunates testifies for or against Christ. This testimony is mightier than ritual observance or verbal statement. That this testimony might be mighty for God, insistence has always been placed upon such Samaritanism as that mentioned in the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah. In one of the earliest Testimonies ever given this people, there is a strong plea for conformity to this chapter. I was startled when I read it. Increased interest in city mission work is not a new idea in the message. It is a truer realization of what God has for years presented for our consideration. How we have delayed! Now shall we take hold and become home missionaries? Will every child of God henceforth open his heart and home to the needy around him? Or shall we stand deliberating until God proclaims us on neutral ground?

The receiver of the gospel first works to improve himself. He then, Philip-like, turns to those who are near at hand. His own work may be to witness in Jerusalem or Judea, but he never can cancel the debt he owes to those who dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth. His first duty, then, is to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth reapers, and, secondly, to see that they are supported. Yet, “Our foreign missions are languishing for want of funds.” With our duty plainly before us, can we longer withhold that which God claims? Can we longer hesitate or deliberate? Dare we stand on neutral ground?

But here is another duty. Cornelius had for a long time given alms and prayed to God for light. Why did he not receive a messenger sooner?—Because none was ready. It demanded a vision, sent of God, to expel from Peter that unwillingness which disqualified him to go. There are many heathen to-day longing and praying for light, who receive it not, because of the unwillingness in those whom God has enlightened. Brother, sister, how long will you sit on the rear seats? It is the ones who are “neither cold nor hot” whom God says he will spew from his mouth. Beware of neutral ground.