Iniquity in the Body stains us all

This morning I read the book of Ezra and this evening I shall begin reading Nehemiah.

As I ponder the words of the prophet I was struck by his anguish at the sin of his brethren. Upon hearing that the people have disobeyed the Lord, we read his words as follows, "So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished" (Ezra 9:3). Later, as he stands before the people who have sinned, he writes the following, "At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God. And I said: "O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens..." (Ezra 9:5-6).

The first thing I thought about as I read this portion was how Ezra suffered personal anguish over the sin of those around him. How judgmental of him don't you think? That, at least, is what too many Believers today would have us think. When we express anguish today at the sin of brothers and sisters in the Lord we are immediatly accused of judging or of having a critical spirit. The crowds will surround the unrepentant sinner and envelop him within their protective clutches, all the while sending wounded glares at the one who has dared point out the sin. Trust me, I've seen it happen time and time again. But you know what? There is nothing wrong with being disappointed in the sin of those around us who profess our Lord and Savior as their own. It is not judgmental to do so. We SHOULD be astonished at the sin around us...the sin of the Believers because the sin of the world is to be expected! We do no wrong to approach the one in sin.

Do you know what the key thing is? When we anguish over the sin of another Believer we don't do it because it offends our own sensibilities...no, we feel the anguish...we tear our robes...we pull the hairs from our beard and our hair because it is an offense against the One and True Living God of the universe! We should love God so much that sin against His precious Person drives us to anguish! Like Ezra, we too should be astonished when we witness the sin of brothers and sisters in the Lord....how could such a people, delivered from bondage to sin and now joyfully enslaved to righteousness...how could such a people embrace sin? And have no doubts my brethren...when the Believer sins he does it with eyes wide open.

Ezra says "I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift my face to You, my God..." Ezra is ashamed and humiliated! Why? Brothers and sisters...understand this well: For us to condone sin in our midst is for us to spit in the face of God!! Ponder that thought for a moment. To condone iniquity in the Holy Body of Christ is to take His sacrifice on the cross lightly. We should be ashamed and humiliated when a local body of Believers embraces the unrepentant rather than reprove them. What a terrible witness we bear to the lost when we say to them that they must repent of their sin, yet we elevate sinners in our midst to positions of authority and then protect them at all costs. Shame on us all!!

But note the words of Ezra again..."our iniquities have risen higher than our heads and our guilt has grown up to the heavens..."

"OUR iniquities"..."OUR guilt"

Do you see why there is anguish in Ezra? Do you see why we too need to express remorse, anguish, and humiliation? Brothers and sisters...I say it again, iniquity in the Body stains us all!!!

The sin of one in our midst reflects badly on us all...it stains us all. We must exhort, reprove, and encourage one another because when one of us stumbles it brings a reproach upon the name of God if we don't pick him up as best we can...through exhortation or through reproval. Let us not glare at the one picking up the one who stumbles while we pretend he did not stumble...to do so is a reproach to our God.

Lest any of you think I speak as if I think I am without sin...let me assure you this is not the case. I speak as one who has sinned and sinned and has had at least one person hold me strictly accountable. My life is quite frankly an open book...what you see is what you get. See me in sin? Come to me as you should and confront me with it. Be an Ezra to me. God forbid that I fail to repent.

Be jealous for His glory my brethren.

Amen?