When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and follow the Baals.” (1 Kings 18:17-18)
Live with the Bible as your guide in 2019 and you may be described as a “troubler” of modern culture.
- Jesus as the exclusive path to salvation? “Intolerant.”
- A faith once for all delivered to the saints? “Old-fashioned.”
- One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God? “Narrow-minded.”
- The church as pillar and support of the truth? “Obsolete.”
- God as sovereign over all, including sexuality and marriage? “Bigoted.”
- Righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment? “Unloving.”
Sincerely attempt to keep in step with the Spirit, and some may view you as the “troubler.” But 1 Kings 18 reminds us that we aren’t the first to be accused of standing on the “wrong side” of history. It also reminds us why Elijah believed what he believed, said what he said, and did what he did.
“As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to [Ahab] today.” (1 Kings 18:15)
Every single human being on the planet is accountable to the Creator; it’s just that some of us submit to that fact, and some of us don’t. If the current submitters are described as the “troublers,” it’s not the first time and it won’t be the last.
Let’s continue to speak the truth in love. It’s what the world needs most. Let’s be unashamed of the gospel. It’s the power of God for salvation. Let’s humbly shine as lights in this dark world. After all, wasn’t it Jesus who taught that someone may see our good works and come to give glory to our Father who is in heaven?
Like Elijah, we stand before the LORD of hosts. The solid Rock. All other ground is sinking sand. To point that out isn’t to make trouble. It’s to offer hope.