How we react to sin

We saw that in chapter nine, Ezra's reaction to the sin of the people was pretty significant. He didn't chuckle or excuse it. He didn't make excuses.
Why did he react the way he did?
I'm glad you asked that! (Grin)
Let's look in our Bibles and talk about this today . . .

How DO we know what is right, and what is wrong? As believers, we need to be able, as my grandma used to say, "to call a spade a spade."
Is it what "feels right"?
Feelings are not a solid basis for determining what's wrong and what's right!
As fallible human beings, we can feel "good" about doing something wrong, simply because we've convinced ourselves that it's the right thing to do. Or the only thing to do. Or that we have no choice. The "peace" we may feel is not based on scripture, but on our own relief that we've finally made a decision and don't have to think about it any more!

Many people will say that we should follow our consciences -- but our conscience is only reliable if we have allowed it to be molded by the Word of God. Our sense of right and wrong, moral and immoral, must be formed by the Bible, not by our culture!

The first thing a godly person must do is to recognize sin -- from Scripture. It's the Bible, the Word of God, that reveals to us what is sin.
Ezra was stunned when he heard about the Jews who had married pagans - because he knew that God's Word condemns it. He cries out to God, "For we have forsaken Your commandments." He goes on to state God's instructions against intermarriage with pagans in the land. He doesn't quote it word for word, but you can see his words are based on Exodus 34 and also Deuteronomy 7.

 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— 2 and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. 3 Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. (Deuteronomy 7:1-4)

Ezra and the leaders who reported this sin to him were well aware that this was sin - because God's word declared it to be sin.
Now, let's make a distinction here: when the princes (leaders) reported that the Jewish seed had been intermingled with the peoples living in the land, they were not concerned about racial issues. Their concern was about moral corruption. See the fourth verse up there? God knew the tendency of fallen hearts. Rather than influencing their mates from the land to abandon their idols, and to worship YAHWEH, the Israelites would be prone to mingle pagan idolatry with their worship of God.

This has always been a major problem for God's people, and one of Satan's most effective tools, too. We don't blatantly deny Christianity. We don't turn completely and walk away. Instead, we add to our faith some of the beliefs and practices of the world, and in very short order there's no difference in the way we think and live, compared to the world. Because of this tendency in humans, God forbade intermarriage -- there had to be a clear line of separation of God's people from the pagans.....or the people of God would be drawn into the practices of the pagans.

This doesn't mean that we should be hermits and draw away from the world. It doesn't mean that we need to submit to the monasticism of convents and monasteries. The problem with that concept is that Jesus wants His followers to be in the world as light and salt, but not to be OF the world.

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. (John 17:14-18)

He has given us a mission: to reach the world with His gospel. To do that effectively, we must remain unsullied by the world. The way that we think, and the way that we act must be shaped by scripture, not by the world we live in.  James puts it quite bluntly, that friendship with the world is hostility toward God (James 4:4). And John reminds us:

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. I John 2:15)

Even today, it's wise to avoid marriage with unbelievers. Many Christians fall in love with non-believers and then fall away from their faith, or have their zeal for the things of the Lord greatly diminished.  If we know and love the Lord Jesus, the most important thing to look for in a mate is not a winning smile, a kind heart, polite manners, or sparkling eyes. The most important thing is a person must love Christ and be devoted to following Him.  Why is this so important? Well, looking at it logically, a believer and an unbeliever will have totally different worldviews, values, and goals. An unbeliever is living for pleasure, for the things the world offers. A believer is living to seek first the kingdom of God and righteousness. There's going to be a lot of bumping of heads in the home where these two goals are competing! So, we must be on our guard; if we are already married, we must counsel others -- check out II Corinthians 6:14 for the low down on it!

We can see that scripture helps us to recognize sin; it can also reveal to us what sin DOES to people. The devil is always going to sugarcoat this -- he wants sin to look as appealing as it can be. We will assume that sin will get us just what we want, but in actuality, it will always lead to bondage and ruin. Look at some of the things that Ezra said in his prayer:

From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. (Ezra 9:7)

In four of the next few verses (8, 13, 14, and 15) he refers to the people as an escaped remnant -- he is pointing to how a formerly strong nation had been subjugated. He uses words like "slaves," and "bondage" to describe the situation of the people, and he acknowledges that if they don't "straighten up and fly right" they will incur terrible wrath. If they don't repent, God may destroy them (verse 14).
God's Word plainly warns us that sin will enslave us. It can destroy us. It also takes quite a toll on those around us. If we blend into the world, people won't hear or see our witness. They will not know of the gospel. Our children and our friends will think that Christianity has nothing to do with how we live. They may even reject the faith altogether.

What's the solution?
To immerse ourselves in the Word of God, so that we recognize sin in ourselves and immediately turn away from it.

I seek you with all my heart;    do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart    that I might not sin against you.Your word is a lamp for my feet,    a light on my path.My heart is set on keeping your decrees    to the very end. (Psalm 119: 10, 11, 105, 112)

The first reaction to sin is to recognize it. We'll talk more about this tomorrow . . .