So, it was that Nehemiah began his journey. King Artaxerxes presented him with letters of commendation to assist in his journey and that he might be provided with wood from the king’s forest to assist in the rebuilding of the wall. Despite the king’s assistance, Nehemiah would face great opposition every step of his journey. Willingly, he left the comfort of his prestigious position to face hardship; because, he held fast to God’s truth. He would not compromise or adopt their ideologies to win their favor. His only hope: God was with him, guiding and leading him. Love demanded he take a stand for God as the supreme Lord and King of the universe. He would take a stand for truth; regardless of attacks even upon his own life. Resolved to accomplish God’s plan; because, true love demanded so.
All too often, in our attempts to demonstrate love; the church has been willing to compromise the truth of the gospel message. Believing that by thus, we are moving into a new era of love. However, when in the name of love, we fail to address man’s plight as a sinner, separated from God’s love because of sin: we fail to love at all. If indeed, my greatest treasure is an intimate relationship with God obtained by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ; then, my most unloving act would be to not take a stand for truth. When, I join in the forces of those calling for truth to be relative to our ever-changing society; then, I have failed to love. To truly love, I must in meekness and humility reach out a hand; proclaiming God’s truth as presented in the gospel.
THE DANGERS OF COMPROMISE: THE OUTCRY OF MODERNISM
Societies attempt to declare that the gospel message or that the Bible is outdated. We must compromise to keep pace with our modern society; because of all the advancements. Yet, even as Ecclesiastes points out: “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The fact that God allows mankind to discover more of what he formerly did not know; does not make it new. The rotation of the earth around the sun. The far and distant galaxies before unseen were there from the time of creation. Just because we had not discovered all; did not mean they were not there. There remains one truth: God. The fall of mankind; because, he desired and does still desire to be God.
Mankind continues to search for meaning out of nothingness. Placing their faith in an improbability; they declare everything came about due to evolution, for which we remain evolving. Yet, evolution provides no explanation for consciousness, reasoning, nor the innate desire of men and women for meaning. Only, the scripture supplies a plausible explanation; in that man was created in “the image of God.” Nor, can it explain evil. Evil: the absence of righteousness; because men choose to deny God through declaring themselves as gods or the forger of their own destiny.
SARTRE’S DEATHBED CONFESSION:
Jean Paul Sartre, a staunch atheist well known for his declarations that man is who by his actions he chooses to be. That out of existence, comes ultimately meaning and being. Yet, a few months prior to his death; he began to question his lifelong ideas. After having made such an impact on modern man’s self-determination and promotion of atheism, on his deathbed is quoted as saying, “I do not feel that I am the product of chance, a speck of dust in the universe, but someone who was expected, prepared, prefigured. In short, a being only a Creator could put here; and this idea of a creating hand is God.”1
NEHEMIAH-NO COMPROMISE ON TRUTH
So, it is Nehemiah left all the comforts behind, to go and build the wall. He would face forces who proclaimed: “We believe in the same God as you, join hands with us.” Yet, he knew there was no room to compromise on truth. Those proclaiming this embraced a modernized view of God, embracing idol worship alongside their faith, which in truth was no faith in the God of scripture. What about us?
God’s Hand is Stretched Out Still
Isaiah had spoken of the wall being rebuilt in Isaiah 9: 10. “The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones.” This prophecy was declared in Isaiah long before God commanded Nehemiah to “build that wall.” The prophecy came before the wall was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Yet, three times in Isaiah 9, it is written: “For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still” (verses 12, 17, and 21). God’s hand is stretched out still, bidding all who will come to accept His gift of salvation.
Also in Isaiah 9:6, we are told of Jesus. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a child is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
So, will we compromise in the name of love; or will we truly love, by standing firm upon the truth of the gospel. We face the same opposition today that Nehemiah did. Will we compromise truth for a lie? Or will we hold firm to the truth of Scripture.
CONCLUDING TWEETS
[tweetthis]True love demands we stand on the truth of the gospel, offering hope to all[/tweetthis]
[tweetthis]To compromise the gospel truth in the name of love, is to not love at all[/tweetthis]
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2017
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1Ravi Zacharias, The End of Reason, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 43 see endnotes
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