Building and Defending

The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon.

— Nehemiah 4:16–17

When God called Nehemiah, the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes, to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah was living in the lap of luxury. He was in a position of power and prestige.

But Nehemiah was stirred in his heart, because he knew that while he lived in comfort, his fellow Jews were basically living in ruin. The once-high walls of Jerusalem lay in rubble, burned-out and charred. God told Nehemiah to use his position of influence for Him. Nehemiah prayed and then went to the king and asked for permission to rebuild the walls. Permission was granted, and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and went about the task of getting the people to rebuild the wall.

At first, they weren't all that interested, but eventually Nehemiah rallied the troops. Everyone began to work together. And as soon as the Israelites began to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, there was opposition.

It is a reminder to us that whenever God's people say, "Let's rise up and build," the devil and his cohorts are going to say, "Let's rise up and oppose." One of the greatest challenges when we go into a community to hold a Harvest Crusade is not booking the venue or printing the materials or doing the other things that are so visible. The hardest thing is getting the churches to wake up to the need of getting the gospel out in their own community.

That is what Nehemiah had to do, and that is what we need to do. On one hand, we are to be building ourselves up in the faith. And on the other hand, we are to be contending for the faith. We build and defend, and it all goes togeth

Contend for the Faith

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

— Jude 3

Without question, the gospel is under attack today. And I believe that most Americans, not to mention the rest of the world, have not really heard the gospel message. The fact is that when a lot of people are supposedly preaching the gospel, they are not really preaching it at all.

That is why Jude 3 says that we need to contend for the faith. We need to do this in the proper way. We don't want to do it in a sloppy manner. We want to make sure that we know what the essential gospel is, because there are certain elements that must be in place for the gospel to be the gospel.

I often hear people oversimplify or overcomplicate the gospel. Either they load it down with a bunch of rules and regulations that have nothing to do with the essential gospel, or they strip it of its essential meaning by offering forgiveness without mentioning repentance or by telling people about a wonderful place called heaven without mentioning a very real place called hell. We need to find that balance and do it properly.

What would you think of a surgeon who just opened you up and started cutting away? It would be frightening for him or her to say, "I don't know where to start." We want to make sure that what we do, we do properly, because what we are up to in sharing the gospel has far greater, eternal ramifications.

So let's contend for the faith. Let's live it. Let's defend it. And let's proclaim the essential gospel.

Destruction by Deception

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

— Jude 4

Is it possible to preach and not be a true believer, or to even do miracles and not necessarily be saved? Absolutely.

Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' " (Matthew 7:21–22).

Notice that Jesus said, "Many will come in that day" (emphasis mine). This reminds us there will be an abundance of false miracles in the last days. Many will say they have been doing miracles. Many will say they have been casting out demons, allegedly. But Jesus will say, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (Matthew 7:23). The worst thing imaginable is to spread wickedness under the veneer of true faith. Tragically, this does happen in the church today.

I wish that we could spot these people more easily. But Jude pointed out that they come in unnoticed (see Jude 4). That is the whole idea. Satan is a deceiver. And that is why on more than one occasion, the Bible compares him to a snake. Having been an avid collector of snakes as a kid, I know how easily they can get out of the tightest little spots and escape. In the same way, Satan sneaks into the church unnoticed.

False teachers come into the church secretly. And their numbers grow by preying on unsuspecting believers. Beware of false teachers. And be careful of those who say they have a message you won't hear anywhere else.

Be a Watchman!

In Acts 20, the apostle Paul gives his final words to the leaders in the church of Ephesus. In doing so, he describes the Christian life in a number of ways: a runner in a race, a steward, a witness, and a herald.

Let's look at one final picture: the watchman.

Paul says, "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men" (Acts 20:26 NKJV).

What does it mean when Paul says he is "innocent of the blood of all men?"

In the book of Ezekiel, the Lord impresses on His servant the importance of his role:

Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, pass it on to the people immediately. If I warn the wicked, saying, "You are under the penalty of death," but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible, demanding your blood for theirs. (Ezekiel 3:17-18 NLT)

In ancient times, cities would have large walls around them to offer much-needed protection. On those walls would be towers that would be even taller.

There, the watchman would position himself to keep an eye out for any potential dangers. For instance, if an enemy army was approaching, the watchmen would have the trumpet sounded to warn the people.

What a serious calling it was to have this role. The watchman had to stay awake and alert, paying careful attention. He had to be faithful, not fearful, because the safety of many people rested with him.

This is the most sobering of the terms Paul uses here in Acts 20, showing that the sharing of the gospel is not something we are to do in a casual manner, or when we are "in the mood." This is something of extreme importance.

In the same way, we are to be watchmen too. We as Christians are all called to lovingly warn our friends if we see them in any spiritual danger. This would not only be those who do not yet know the Lord, but also Christian friends who might be misled or overtaken by a sin.

The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in the church of Galatia and said, "Dear friends, if a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself" (Galatians 6:1 NLT).

Let's all seek to be faithful watchmen in our world today.

Let It Change You

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

— Psalm 119:105

People today are trying to change God's Word to fit their lifestyle or the things they have decided they want to do. But it doesn't work that way. Psalm 19:8 says, "The statutes of the Lord are right . . . " (emphasis added). In the original language, this verse means that God's Word has set out the right path for us to follow. We don't have to lose our bearings in the fog of human opinion or let our fickle emotions lead us astray. Instead, we have a sure guide: the Word of God.

That is why it is important to read through books of the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter. And if you come to a verse in the Bible that you don't agree with, then change your opinion. It is that simple. The objective is to conform your thinking to what the Bible teaches and not the other way around. Romans 12:2 tells us that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

So as you read God's Word, ask yourself questions like, "Is there any sin identified here for me to avoid?" "Is there a promise here that I might claim?" "Is there a victory to gain?" "Is there a blessing to enjoy?" Understand the verse contextually, because sometimes people will take verses out of context. Understand the verse in its original language. Make sure the translation you are reading is accurate. Make sure that you have understood what the verse is actually saying.

And having established that, if what you believe is different than what the passage teaches, then you need to change your thinking. The Word of God is right. And if you are not in alignment with it, then you are wrong. So allow God's Word to change you.