04/11/26

I was a 15-year-old listening to the radio with my dad when I heard my boyhood hero, General Douglas MacArthur, deliver the keynote address on Monday, July 7, 1952, at the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. I don’t remember much of the speech, but there was one line that has stayed with me through all these years. He said, “It is fatal to enter a war without the will to win it.” During my ministry, I have often tried to understand why someone quit early, ending any chance they had to win by finishing the course. With everything that is happening around us, I decided to look at the psychological aspects involved in such a fatal decision.

Psychologists generally view people who enter contests without a strong “will to win” as being driven by some inner desire to belong without being required to go all in. This behavior often indicates that the individual values the companionship and pure enjoyment of participating on a part-time basis. Also, psychological research suggests several reasons why individuals might participate without a primary focus on victory. First, many enter contests to show that they qualify.  According to Self-Determination Theory, humans have a basic need for competence—the satisfaction that comes from working on tasks. In today’s society, they are only looking for a Participation Trophy. Second, some participants are motivated by relatedness—the desire to connect with like-minded people or be part of a community, but without any responsibilities. For these individuals, the “prize” is the shared experience and camaraderie rather than a trophy. Third, psychologists have also observed that motivation to win often decreases as the number of competitors increases. In very large contests, people may enter with lower competitive drive because it is harder to assess their standing, or they feel their personal effort is less likely to result in a win. Fourth, for them, entering a contest can provide a “light motivating force” of hope. The act of participation itself can create anticipation and a sense of possibility, thereby improving emotional resilience even without a win. It all boils down to one word, “uncommitted” – uncommitted to be an overcomer.

But that wasn’t enough. I wanted to see what the Bible had to say about such people. The Bible uses strong language to describe those who are uncommitted or half-hearted in their devotion to a holy Christian Life. They are often labeled as “lukewarm.” While it teaches that salvation is a gift of grace rather than something earned through “measuring up” by personal effort, it emphasizes that true faith naturally produces a life of commitment, obedience, and spiritual fruit. The primary biblical warning for the uncommitted is found in the message to the Church in Laodicea. Jesus states that because these believers are “lukewarm”—neither hot (passionate) nor cold (completely against Him)—He is about to “spit [them] out” of His mouth. (Revelation 3:14-22). Not only that, but the uncommitted often believe they are spiritually secure even though they don’t have any spiritual gifts or special calling on their lives. Those who claim to know God but “deny Him lordship over their works” are described as detestable and unfit for any good work. The Bible calls believers to live a life “that becometh the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27 KJV). The NKJV has, “be worthy of the gospel of the Christ.” The Greek word behind “becometh” and “worthy,” axios, suggests a life that “weighs the same” as the Gospel message, meaning one’s lifestyle should match their profession of faith.

That’s why Jesus taught that anyone who does not “take up his cross” and follow Him—valuing Him above all else—cannot be His disciple. (Matthew 16:24). Therefore, commitment involves using all resources, including time and possessions, for God’s purposes rather than self-gratification. As such, not being committed is often viewed as evidence of a lack of genuine, saving faith, which is a sure foundation. That implies that those who hear the Gospel but do not act on it are compared to a man building a house on sand; when life’s trials come, the “ruin of that house was great.” (Matthew 7:24-27). In addition, the writer of Hebrews says that repeatedly neglecting or rejecting God’s grace can lead to a hardened heart and a “fearful expectation of judgment” (Hebrews 10:27). In other words, there will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible punishment of God’s awful anger. And the final blow to those who pretend to be Christians but never yield their body, soul, and spirit to His control, is in danger of hearing the warning on judgment day, after claiming to have served Jesus, “Not everyone who calls me Lord will enter God’s kingdom. The only people who will enter are those who do what my Father in heaven wants. On that last Day, many will call me Lord. They will say, ‘Lord, Lord, by the power of your name we spoke for God. And by your name we forced out demons and did many miracles.’ Then I will tell those people clearly, ‘Get away from me, you people who do wrong. I never knew you.’”