Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-29
Ahab and Jezebel
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD w. TOMKINS.
Texts 1. Kings xxi. 1920.

II l He KNlASs A3Is io-<Us
The history of Ahab and his wicked
~ie, JeZebel. Is sad. He was weak
man, with no character to sustain him
l IN the time Of temptation, and he was
driven TO wicked deeds by the innu-
/ ence and daring OF Jezcbel. He wanted
| the land which another owned I'm
l able to secure 1t by fair means. he
| resorted to the foul deeds OF the thief
Il and murderer. Then God sent Elijah
TO him with the awful message: Hast
thou killed. and also taken posses
SION Elijah was a fearless prophet.
Ills defiance of evil when the people
~orshiped Baal and his bold warnings
70 Ahab made him n terror to evil
aoers and comfort to those who wero
royal TO God. And in this he Is an cx-
ample for US. 1t demands courage to
h'e To-day. The evils which destroy
men are mighty. and must be resisted
WIN termination: We cannot trife with
elem. We must hate evil if we love
~>-1 (See Psi. xcvii. 100
am afraid we have grown little
feeble in our rebuke of sin in these
uays There Is not keen discrimi-
nation between right and wrong, be-
cause we have tfihed with evil instea1
OF boldly rebuking it. Confusion of
mind always results from compromise.
Iimtdity makes US hesitate because We
are not sure concerning certain things
as TO whether they are really wrong.
Familiarity breeds contempt. We read
30 constantly about evil doinEs and we
near and see so much that Is bad that
our judgment becomes perverted and
we cannot see clearly.
Unless i hate evil / cannot. after
while. tell tho difference between
evil and good. And there are so many
who are ready to defend the wrong.
dressing IT up in the Euise of pleasure
or liberty or even of philanthropy. that
as We listen to their plausible argu-
ments We find ourselves bewildcred.
Only as we seek the guidance Of the
Holy Spirit and follow the example of
Christ. and then stand boldly for all
that Is pure and good and against all
that is base and sinful. can We have
right Judgment in all things.
CANNOT OCCUPY
A NEUTRAL POSITION
We cannot occupy a neutral position
regarding right and wrong. If we
know thing is evil and yet do not
cry out against 1t and condemn 1t
grows weak. II Is with our ethical
nature as 1t is with our physical ma
ture. II l do not use my body in the
right way or II ! do not bring II to
night against disease. IL Is bound to
lose its strength. Many OF the feeble
people in body and nerve have become
60 because they have not exercised
their wills. They have givcr in to
this or that temptation without a
struggle. They have let gloomy
thoughts master their minds They
have allowed trouble to blind them TO
the bright things OF God and nature
and life. and SO they have lost enthusi-
asm and hope.
So with morals. I may not he a
dronkard myself. but II l do not hate
drunkenness and hate the drink which
causes drunkenness soon. all uncon-
bctously. begin to think that the tenn
perance cause Is exaggerated in It's
declarations and endeavors, and that
there Is no harm In tho occasional glass
OF wine or champagne. / may not bn
impure personally. yet if l look with
unrebuking eye and voice upon pic-
lures and plays and read books which
are full OF impure suggestions. IL Is
Inevitable that l must become apolo-
setic concerning impurity. and finally
uphold It as not SO great an evil as
some men think it to DO
The active body can alone be a
healthy body. The man who hates sin
and hghts against II can alone be
keen in his discrimination between
things good and bad.
MUST BID SATAN
GET BEHIND US
Therefore. we must nate evil with a
strong and unrestrained hatred in all
Its forms. We must defy Satan and
bid him get behind us whenever he
approaches US. no matter whether he
comes AS roaring lion or disguised
as IN angel of light. The only thing
am called upon to loathe is sin. When
i see Satan Turing people on to de-
struction i must curse him. When I
see wrong things ] must openly re-
buke them with hatred in my heart
against them, for they are hottie 10
God. Som etimes we are timid about
giving way to these emotions because
they seem to border upon anger We
speak mildly anG compromsingly of
acts which we know are evil because
we are AFRAID OF hurting somebody's
, feelings! Of course, we must not be
: brutal or coarse in our attack nor can
we. wisely. defy persons rather than
deeds. But 1t Is our duty to speak
plainly and to warn concerning evils
which are threatening to destroy men.
Many people do not realize either the
power OF wrong things or tho extent
OF that power. Good folk often re-
fuse TO join crusade against the sa-
loon or impurity or dishonesty or 20
litlcal graft because they are ignor.
ant of the facts. Christians must try
by showing them the dangers that
threaten and making clear tho bor.
- rors OF 'unrestrained crime. They must
demand that evil be dcfied
WRONG WILL FINALLY
BE CONQUERED
wrong Will finally be conquered. Evil
is bound eventually to fail, because
God reigns and His holy will is SUI
preme. Therefore. we fight hopefully,
for we are III a winning battle. We
need rot be downhearted. Sometimes
we defy evil. and yet our defiance Is
weak, because it is hopeless. "You
never can destroy this wrong OF
course, we must fight against it, but it
will go on just the same" But it will
not go on just the same" if we all
take hand in the conflict. I'VE have
Christs own promise. and that cannot
fall" The only question is whether
we shall have share in the battle,
and 30 take part in the victorious song
at the end. or whether we shall be
like Meroz, whose inhabitants took no
part in fighting the enemy (JudGes v.
esq. God Is on the side Of the right
business. To go with Him is to find
Joy in life and glory in heaven.
Empty defiance. we should remember
sanpot accomplish much. Our Lords
parable of the house empty swept