Americans do not like confrontations and will do all they can to avoid them. We have a spirit of compromise and seek to find common ground by using “politically” correct speech in dealing with matters. This is so different from the way God deals with us.
Our God is a confrontational God. In the very beginning, He confronted those in error. His questions, “Who told you that you were naked” and “Have you eaten of the tree,” forced Adam and Eve to face Him (Gen. 3:11). Later, when Moses descended from Mt. Sinai, our Creator forced another decision. Moses said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me” (Ex. 32:26)! God’s confrontation does not allow for one to “straddle the road” and not make a decision.
This Divine nature was manifested again when Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. The prophet assembled Israel and said to them, “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). Even though the people refused to answer, this confrontation provided the answer. Their silence showed where they actually were.
When Immanuel was born in Bethlehem, His teaching was confrontational. His question to the Jewish leaders forced them to make a decision when He asked about the baptism of John—“From where did it come? From heaven or from man” (Matt. 21:25)? Confrontation of this type leaves no room for a middle ground.
What about you? Has your study of the Bible caused you to come “face to face” with God where He forces you to make a decision? You may not have seen it this way, but His revealed words demand that you make a decision. You sit in a Bible class or listen to a sermon where you hear something that is different from what you believe. How do you respond? What is being taught may be wrong, but it cannot be wrong if this is what His word teaches. When your belief about a matter is opposite from what He teaches, it is not enough to say, “I just don’t believe that.” God has confronted you, and you have made a decision to reject Him, even though you may not realize it. When you refuse to make a decision, you still have made a choice, even though you may not see it that way.
The seriousness of this matter is shown when we realize that in such dilemmas both positions cannot be right. There is no option. One belief is from God, the other is simply a lie. So when God confronts you, take it seriously. Your eternal destiny is being decided by the choice you make!