Sunday Sermons
Neutrality
Neutrality
“For the first 20 seconds you think about it, political neutrality is admirable. Not taking sides in a conflict between belligerents is thought—for a moment—to be the position of peace, of level-headedness, of moral superiority, of taking the high road. Belgium has historically been a neutral country. The 1839 Treaty of London ratified it. Indeed, its neutrality leading up to World War II is the reason why, when the French built their infamous Maginot Line of military defense against Hitler’s Germany along France’s eastern border, it stopped at Belgium and didn’t go all the way to the English Channel to respect its neighbor’s neutrality. The German army laughed all the way through the Ardennes forest. There may be instances where neutrality is a virtue, but I can’t think of any off the top of my head”. (“Neutrality is not so admirable”, World Magazine (Online), Andree Seu Peterson, March 25th, 2016).
The Old Testament and Neutrality
“Queen Esther flirted with the idea of neutrality when the forces of evil were rising like a poison tide against the Jews in fifth century B.C. Persia. Cousin Mordecai disabused her of the fantasy of neutrality, warning her sternly” (Peterson).
- “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish …” (Esther 4:13-14).
Israel was frequently warned against making any covenants or terms of peace with the Canaanites and false religion:
- “Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim” (Exodus 34:12-13).
This admonition is often given to Israel: Compare with Deuteronomy 7:7:5; 12:3; Judges 2:2.
During the time of Elijah, the Holy Spirit rebuked the Israelite nation that was trying to walk the line between allegiance to Baal and allegiance to the true God:
- “How long will you hesitate between two opinions?If the Lord is God, follow Him, but if Baal, follow him.But the people did not answer him a word” (1 Kings 18:21).
King Jehoshaphat foolishly permitted his son to marry the daughter and Ahab and Jezebel (2 Chronicles 18:1). He followed God in his own personal life up to a point but also compromised and tried to be friends with wicked King Ahab, in fact, even forming a political covenant with Ahab and helping him in battle. After almost losing his life because of such foolishness the Holy Spirit rebuked him and said,
- “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring forth wrath on yourself from the Lord?” (2 Chronicles 19:2).
God rebuked Eli the priest, who attempted to walk the line between following God and mistakenly covering for his sons. Observe that God expected more of Eli then just having a talk with his sons.
- “For I have told him that I am about to judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves and he did not rebuke them” (1 Samuel 3:13).
Jesus and Neutrality
Jesus was not a fan of neutrality either:
- “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24).
- “Whoever denies Me before men, I will deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33).
- “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37).
Observe that Jesus already made the point that we cannot serve two masters. Thus any attempt to love Jesus equally with family or the views of men, that is, any attempt to treat them as equals means that we have denied Him.
- “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Matthew 12:30).
Thus He effectively eliminated the notion of a third option. Carefully observe that not gathering with Jesus is scattering, which brings us to the next comment.
Neutrality is Impossible
“Neutrality does not achieve what it intends—to be left alone. Brussels is now one of the most Islamic cities in Europe, with Muslims making up an estimated one-quarter of its population. The small European country has become a magnet for Islam (its second largest religion), for wimpy neutrality is never a match for fervent radicalism. The country that would be neutral now serves as the launching pad for terrorism in Europe, with Paris bombing mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud being Belgium’s homegrown son” (Peterson).
Evil is Never Neutral
- Ahab was not neutral with Jehoshaphat.He even had the nerve to ask Jehoshaphat to cover for him and be the actual target in the upcoming battle while he went into the fight in a disguise.He was more than willing to pressure and sacrifice his in-law if it benefited him (1 Kings 22:30).
Why is it that believers think that they must tip toe around sin and evil when evil has no qualms about trying to invade the bride of Christ? When we will learn? Evil and false doctrine will not leave us, or brethren or our children alone. As Satan is restlessly seeking to devour someone are we restlessly seeking to save someone? (1 Peter 5:8).
- Acts 20:29
- 2 Timothy 4:2-4
- 2 Peter 2:1-3
- Jude 4
Neutrality is Weakness
Just think of all the Bible examples we have previously noted. Jehoshaphat and the people during the time of Elijah, are all examples of weakness. In every example evil was running all over those who were attempting to be neutral. The people of Israel were neutral and Jezebel was killing one prophet of God after another. Jehoshaphat was trying to be neutral and almost lost his life!
“Henry I. Sobel, in his article ‘Neutrality, Morality, and the Holocaust’ published in the American University International Law Review in 1998, wrote: ‘Neutrality is nothing more than official indifference. Indifference always benefits the aggressor, never the victim. The countries that embraced neutrality during the Holocaust are guilty of having encouraged the divorce of ethics from politics. … [C]onfronting totalitarian regimes with ambiguity causes far greater evil than the effective use of force against them. …Ultimately, neutrality is an abdication of moral responsibility’” (Peterson).
Neutrality is to Side with Evil
In all the above examples, neutrality involved and included allowing evil to move ahead unopposed. The refusal to take a stand, to take a side, to side with Jesus was to take a definite stand with evil and against Jesus. Jehoshaphat was accused to helping evil and hating good in his attempt to walk the line between loyalty to God and loyalty to Ahab. In the book of Revelation the congregation in Thyatira was trying to be neutral with a false prophetess named Jezebel. Yet this same Jezebel was not being neutral at all. He was aggressively spreading her false doctrine and condemning precious souls (Revelation 2:20). Observe that Jesus said that He was against not merely Jezebel, but was more specifically against them for tolerating her. Jezebel and others like her might have said something very modern sounding like, “Why can’t we just all chill and get along?” “Isn’t there room at the table for all points of view?” The clear answer from God is a resounding “no”. In addition, the plea for tolerance from evil is very temporary. Once evil or error has won the majority there is quickly an end of the plea for tolerance or all sides to be given an equal hearing. The final word from Jesus on neutrality is also found in the book of Revelation: “So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16). So, let’ definitely be on His side.
Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net
