Nehemiah 6:3 (KJV)
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
Allow an old man his memories for just a bit, will you?
I remember hearing this passage preached at a combined fellowship meeting of the independent Baptist pastors of Washington and Oregon. The pastor delivering the message was one of the best-known and most respected men among us. An early pioneer of independent Baptist churches in the Pacific Northwest, he had been led to Christ by one of the first men to bring the gospel to this region. You could say he was among the “firstfruits."
I met him shortly after I was converted. I viewed him as a hero. (I say viewed because he has since gone home to be with the Lord.)
I can't say I always agreed with him. At one point, he and I were on opposite sides of an issue. But we worked through it. He preached for me, and I preached for him, right up until his passing.
I have never forgotten that message—him standing tall in the pulpit, preaching, "I cannot come down."
- I cannot be distracted from the work God gave me to do.
- I cannot be frightened into retreat or quitting.
- I cannot compromise the message or the ministry to suit others.
While I may not have agreed with everything he did in his ministry, I can say he was tested, challenged, and yet remained faithful.
He did not come down.
But, you know, some of his children did.
As far as I know, both he and his wife did everything they could to teach, encourage, and raise their children to remain faithful in the work alongside them.
- But some of their children quit the work.
- Some compromised.
- Some even sullied the work.
What I'd like to say is this: Though we raise our children to the best of our ability, they are still free moral agents. They possess the same soul liberty that we do.
We cannot—and must not—force them to adopt our expression of faith. We are commanded to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We train them in the way they should go. But when they reach maturity, they must choose for themselves.
So here's my point.
Don't judge a man for the choices his adult children make.
And don't judge him too harshly for how he responds to those choices.
#ICannotComeDown #FaithfulToTheWork #StandFirmInFaith #Nehemiah6v3 #FinishTheWork
He Never Came Down: A Fair Measure.
Have you ever seen a faithful Christian unfairly judged because of someone else's choices? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d enjoy hearing your perspective.
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