HOW LONG HALT YE?

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 26, 1861

HOW LONG HALT YE?

"How long halt ye between two opinions?" 1 Kings, xviii, 21.

Some persons seem never decided. They are always wavering. They have no determination about them. They have had convictions, they have felt impressions, they have made vows, they have at times come up almost to the deciding point; but they recede again, and sink back into their old state. They linger like Lot on the plains of Sodom. They look backwards, forwards, before, behind. They seem about to determine, but they deceive the hope. Such persons are in great danger. Such a state is very perilous. The conscience is hardening. The Spirit is being grieved. They are nearing the spot where God says, "Let him alone." They are approaching the state in which Israel was when God said, "So I gave them up." Gave them up! What, God give sinners up! Yes, after they have long trifled with him, resisted the Holy Spirit, and endeavored to effect a compromise between sin and holiness, between Christ and the world, God gives them up. And when God gives a man up, all is over with him. His doom is sealed—his fate is fixed forever. Reader! are you decided? or are you halting? Halt no longer, but decide at once. Throw yourself into the arms of Christ—devote your energies to the work of Christ—consecrate all you have and are to the glory of Christ; or give yourself up without reserve to the world, to sin, and to Satan. If you cannot, if you dare not do the latter, then do the former, and do it at once. Go to the cross, and there, renouncing self, the world, and every idol, take Jesus to be thy Saviour and thy Sovereign, thy all and in all. Say, "Thine am I, Jesus; and on thy side, thou Son of God. I will be for thee, for thee alone, and for thee forever. I AM THE LORD'S."

I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. Rev. iii, 15.