Continuing with the adventures of Elijah, you probably remember the famous confrontation with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18. Please take time to read it if you’re not familiar. It’s great stuff complete with the simple challenge to the Israelites who wanted to call themselves God’s people and worship Baal at the same time:

And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” (1 Kings 18.21, ESV, emphasis mine)

I remember from back in the 70s the great Bible teacher Dr. Howard Hendricks citing a Gallup poll. Gallup, after discovering record numbers of people attending church, believing the Bible to be the word of God, having a “born-again” experience, etc., came to this chilling conclusion after considering other aspects of their lives:

Never before has the gospel made such inroads and yet makes so little difference in how people live. – Gallup poll, cited by Alan Heller (about whom I know nothing)

Elijah’s challenge to Israel holds for us:

If the LORD is God, follow him. (1 Kings 18.21)

Why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great. (Luke 6.46 – 49, ESV)