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"The Double Minded Man"

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."   James 1:8

There is nothing more useless and disgraceful to God than a double-minded man. Jesus said of this man, "because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:16)  This man will sell out his loyalty for a pot of beans, "...or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright." (Hebrews 12:16)  His loyalties are divided so that he unstable and of no value to any, least of all to the kingdom of God.

John Bunyan gave this man the name, "Mr. Facing-both-ways" in his classic book Pilgrim's Progress. This man is incapable of commitment because he torn between two worlds. He desires the promises of heaven, but too in love with the world to bear his cross. Jesus said, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."   (Matthew 15:8-9)  Truth is, your lack of loyalty will cost you everything!

Adam Clarke said, "The man of two souls, who has one for earth, and another for heaven; who wishes to secure both worlds; he will not give up earth, and he is loth to let heaven go. This was a usual term among the Jews, to express the man who attempted to worship God, and yet retained the love of the creature. A man of this character is continually distracted; he will neither let earth nor heaven go, and yet he can have but one. Perhaps St. James refers to those Jews who were endeavoring to incorporate the law with the Gospel, who were divided in their minds and affections, not willing to give up the Levitical rites, and yet unwilling to renounce the Gospel. Such persons could make no progress in Divine things." — Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Other versions read as follows,
"A man unsettled in his opinions is unstable in all his ways." Webster's 1833 Bible
"such a one is a man of two minds, undecided in every step he takes." 1912 Weymouth N. T.
"A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can't make up his mind about anything." GOD'S WORD

John Gill adds this, "A man of two souls, or of a double heart, that speaks and asks with an heart, as in Psalm 12:2 who halts between two opinions, and is at an uncertainty what to do or say, and is undetermined what to ask for; or who is not sincere and upright in his requests, who asks for one thing, and means another, and asks amiss, and with an ill design; does not call upon God in truth, and in the sincerity of his soul; draws nigh to him with his mouth, and honours him with his lips, but his heart is far from him. Such an one is unstable in all his ways; he is confused in his mind; restless in his thoughts, unsettled in his designs and intentions; inconstant in his petitions; uncertain in his notions and opinion of things; and very variable in his actions, and especially in matters of religion; he is always changing, and never at a point, but at a continual uncertainty, both in a way of thinking and doing: he never continues long either in an opinion, or in a practice, but is ever shifting and moving." — John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Elijah didn't beat around the bush, he asked the people directly, "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." (I Kings 18:21)  Enough trying to have the best of two worlds, it is impossible to have two masters, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)

God is looking for commitment, faithfulness and loyalty. Make no mistake, it will cost you this world, it will cost you everything. But, "...if thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." (Matthew 6:22)  That light is Christ; "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness..." (John 8:12)  Saint, if your confused and your way is unclear, I challenge you to, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates." (II Corinthians 13:5)

The double-minded man is unstable in all of his ways!

—  Randy Munter

Attached To Worldy Things
by John Newton

"He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD." (Psalm 112:7)

A spiritual taste, and a disposition to account all things mean and vain, in comparison of the knowledge and love of God in Christ, are essential to a true Christian. The world can never be his prevailing choice; I John 2:15. Yet we are renewed but in part, and are prone to an undone attachment to worldly things. Our spirits cleave to the dust, in defiance to the dictates of our better judgments; and I believe the Lord seldom gives his people a considerable victory over this evil principle, until he has let them feel how deeply it is rooted in their hearts. We may often see persons entangled and clogged in this respect, of whose sincerity in the main we cannot justly doubt; especially upon some sudden and unexpected turn in life, which brings them into a situation they have not been accustomed to.