“Either You Are or You Ain’t!”
By Lou Coleman
And don’t nobody know better than you which you are. So what you need to do is be honest with yourself and stop playing; and stop thinking that you are fooling everybody else; because you know what they say… “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” So do yourself a favor and just admit that you like what you are doing. You like the way sin makes you feel. Don’t worry we all are to some extent a hypocrite. Everyone has their own little treasure box… guilty as charged; and if you say that you are without sin, then you are unsaved and calling God a liar [1 John 1:8-10]. God calls all men sinners [Romans 3:10, 19-23]. Let God be true and every man a liar! Listen, as I told you before, God has called me to teach against sin, not people. I teach against sin, many times stepping on my own toes as well. It is “Woe is me! For I am undone” as [Isaiah 6:5] said, and as Paul said “Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” [1Tim 1:15] so as [Ephesian 4:15] encourages us “Express the truth in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, and living truly.” Refuse to wear a mask and play games. Set yourself free! Be honest; because if you don’t live authentically, you live a lie. You live phony. You try to be somebody you’re not. And that becomes comical. [2Cor 4:2]. Tell the truth and make the devil mad! You or either a Saint or an Ain’t! I’m talking to the almost Christians. “Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian” [Acts 26:28]
I tell you it is a tragedy that the church is as carnal as can be. But then again, there is nothing new under the sun. In [1 Corinthians 3:1-3] they were just as carnal back in New Testament times; yet the world has never witnessed apostasy as we are seeing it today everywhere. I want you to know; God is not pleased! “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” [James 4:4]. How sad; the same mentality that drive the world today has invaded the church. We live in a day of half-hearted service, when people serve the gods of self, materialism, recreation and pleasure more than they serve the God of Heaven. Shame on us! Listen, it’s time to get right with God and have a pure heart. It’s Time to Stop Playing Church! God wants you to know today that He is still Lord of Lords and King of Kings; and one day He is coming back for a church without spot or blemish and like He called Israel back to Himself on Mount Carmel, He is calling you back to Him today.
You know in [1King 18:21] Elijah Challenged the People – A Question – Simply put, “How long are you going to waiver or vacillate between two ways of life?” These people were guilty of trying to hold hands with God and Baal. They wanted the best of both worlds! My friend that will never work! You might as well come to understand right now that divided allegiance is as wicked as open idolatry! This is proven by Christ’s condemnation of the church at Laodicea, [Rev. 3:14-22]. A person is either for Christ as he is against Him! You cannot be neutral! You cannot occupy the middle of the road! Jesus said it this way, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathered not with me scattered abroad.” [Matt. 12:30]. I ask you…. Where do you stand in regard to Christ?
I want you to know that Elijah presented the people with the problem. He told them that they were being contradictory. If God is Lord, then Baal cannot be. If Baal is Lord then God cannot be. Elijah told them there was room in the universe for only one Lord and one God! They were challenged to choose who they will follow. This is the same challenge before you right now. Many who claim to love the Lord are also holding hands with the world, the flesh, material possessions or whatever. This is a contradiction! Either God is Lord or He isn’t. If He isn’t, then those other things you hold to must be. The bottom line is this: you have to make a choice! Who will you serve? Who is really the Lord of your life? You can’t have it both ways! If you say you love the Lord and deny Him by your life, you actions and your activities, then you really don’t love Him at all! Be honest with yourself!
I leave you with a divine and profound paradox. We are all sinners who miss the mark and who are in need of God’s lavish grace to forgive us and save us. And the other side of the paradox is this: “I beg you, I plead with you, and I implore you: Lead a life worthy of the high calling that you have received in Jesus Christ.” As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!