Wisdom of Our Elders "Constructive and Defensive"
by Winford Lee
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning..." (Rom. 15:4)
If this scripture were seriously studied and then applied, it would be the answer to many spiritual problems that confront us. We believe that all that is necessary to find the plan and method to produce a thriving church is found by turning back through the pages of the Old Testament.
When we turn to the book of Nehemiah, we see that when Nehemiah went down to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, he met the same obstacles that confront the church today. It is generally agreed that the people must "have a mind to work" (Neh. 4:6). All too often we overlook the question that should confront us: "What is successful and efficient work?" It is possible for a congregation to diligently and unceasingly labor and still not accomplish their goal, because they fail to labor according to God's plan.
In Neh. 4:17 it states that the builders on the walls of Zion worked in this manner: "Everyone, with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon." Within this verse of Scripture we find two kinds of work--constructive and defensive. Both were absolutely essential. Thus we see these men did not devote all their efforts to construction of the wall, but also used their efforts to defend what was already built. If they had used "both" hands speedily to rebuild the wall, only to have their enemies destroy it because they were not prepared to defend it, what would they have accomplished?
In the task of "rebuilding the walls" of spiritual Zion in this age, we need, above all things, constructive and defensive work as Nehemiah used. The sooner we awaken to that fact the better. Let us never cease laboring on the walls of Zion; but, let us use the "sword of the Spirit" to protect what we have. Every member of the Lord's body should be able to protect themselves from false doctrine. If there was ever a time when the Gospel needs proclaiming, it's now! But let us both convert the alien sinner and educate the believer in the way of righteousness.
Elder of the church at Nixa
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