My first memory of the word neutral and its meaning was that it had to do with placing the Model "A" Ford's gear shift in a position that allowed the driver to release the clutch while the motor was running (we called them motors - not engines - as in "Ford Motor Company"). When the gear was in neutral position, the car did not move. Neutral was pretty much a do-nothing position. When a driver parked a car on an incline, he had to remember that it would surely roll backward, or forward, if he left the gear shift in neutral. Neutral simply meant that the car was not in gear - the driver had absolutely no influence over its movement.

I am seriously afraid that a lot of our brethren are determined to operate in neutral. They don't want to distinguish between a false teacher and a sound teacher. They don't want to take a fellowship position that would make a distinction between darkness and light, between truth and error, or between sinfulness and righteousness. They simply want to smile and remain neutral. For years, we have been trying to tell them that neutral (no position) opens the door for the Devil, but they simply smile and go about their merry ways, perfectly satisfied with staying in neutral, not really standing FOR or AGAINST anything. These brethren are about as much use to the cause of Christ as a Model "A" crank would be to a 2004 Ford!

The neutral brethren want to be identified with the "it really doesn't matter" philosophy that so many brethren today openly advocate. If they assume the neutral position, they never have to open their Bibles to give an answer to anyone. "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." (1 Peter 3:15) By accepting and respecting the diverse beliefs of all brethren (Isaiah 30:8-14), they never have to delve any deeper into spiritual matters than "y'all be good now."

Sometimes, they even venture so far as to say that they just want to be "middle-of-the-road" brethren. A long time ago, most of us learned that in the middle of the road, there is nothing except a yellow stripe and dead armadillos. And if you lie down on that yellow stripe in the middle of the road, it may come off on your back. Out in West Texas where I was reared, they said that a fellow who wouldn't stand up for anything was nothing more than a coward who had a yellow stripe down his back. If you intend to ask these brethren to openly discuss scriptural matters, my friend, you might just as well save your breath to cool your coffee! If you ask them to openly debate these issues, you will hear the sound of "silence."

Possibly, we just don't get the picture. NEUTRAL means you don't have a position. You don't have any real convictions; you don't really have any serious conscience development; you just don't stand for anything, and you ultimately fall for just about everything. Your motor is running, but you are not in gear. The lights are on, but nobody's home. This is a sad picture for God-fearing, Bible-respecting, righteous-living brethren who have the courage to stand up and be counted, and who have the courage to be seen as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

But the neutral folks seem to be the ones that so many of our brethren consider as being the ones who will lead the future church. Wow! Here are folks in neutral gear, just sitting there with their motors running, who won't really take a stand for or against anything; and they are going to be the future of the Lord's church. Talk about a frightening thought. But as difficult as it is to comprehend, the majority of our brethren are undoubtedly following blindly as they are being led in this direction.

Great numbers of brethren sit like baby birds in a nest - eyes closed and mouths wide open - just waiting for the next neutral thought that someone is going to feed them.

We now have a Bible publishing company that advertises a "gender-neutral" Bible (?); we are living in the age of so-called "gender-neutral" marriages (?); more and more, the world expects us to be neutral when it comes to morality; and now we are even faced with brethren among us who want to proclaim a "neutral gospel." They want to talk about Christ, not doctrine. They want to be positive - not negative - in their preaching. They want their preaching to use less scripture and more emotional tales and humorous stories. They don't want to point out error and false teaching - and anyway, according to them, only a dishonest person can be a false teacher. They expect you to declare that you absolutely believe exactly what the Scriptures say, but you must also be willing to fellowship all the brethren who could care less about what the Lord said. On and on and on they go; their motors are running, but they are happy and content to just be in neutral!

Do you see the point I am trying to make? Do you truly realize the seriousness of this apathy and indifference toward truth and error, and this absolute unconcern about whether things are right or wrong? Do you understand the dangers we face as the result of this lack of respect and concern for Scriptural authority? There are people "among us" whom we cannot even recognize as being "of us." Their conversation and teaching has become so sectarian and denominational that they don't even sound like Christians. They are among us, but they have no clue regarding what God's Word demands of us. They tolerate false doctrines, they fellowship iniquity, they ridicule those who would oppose them, and they are being more and more successful in leading multitudes of brethren down the destructive path of sin and digression.

Brethren, we had better get in gear! We must preach the Word - reprove, rebuke, and exhort (2 Timothy 4:1-4). We must have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:6-17). We must do everything possible to rescue brethren who are overtaken with sin and error (Galatians 6:1-2). And we must determine that we will not receive encouragement from, or give encouragement to, anyone who doesn't promote the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9-11). And having done all to stand, we must STAND therefore (Ephesians 6:10-18).

We must determine that we will not be part of this so-called neutral generation (Matthew 12:30). The night is far spent, and the day is at hand. It is now time to wake up, stand up, and speak up for Truth (Romans 13:11-14) (1 Thessalonians 5:4-11). You and I are the Lord's messengers and servants. Can He count on us to sound the clear and forceful message of Truth?