Slippery slope - permissiveness

You've heard the expression, right? "That's a slippery slope!"  Usually someone is talking about a situation that may not look all that bad, but can get worse as time goes on. Or an action that might not seem bad, but leads to other actions that are stupendously bad. (Grin)
Believers usually hear this in regards to a thought, an attitude, or an action that can lead to immorality or sin of any sort. Even when we are trying to fight against it, we tend to become more and more like the world around us. We live in a spiritually and morally permissive society -- anyone watched any fifties' television shows lately on re-runs? Notice that back then, even married couples slept in separate beds on the shows? (Grin) Cultural morals have changed so much that statistics show eight of ten shows today have explicit language about sex and seven of ten will show sexual content.

If we add these changes in our culture to the recent emphasis on "tolerance" (which is just leading more and more to the attitude that "anything goes") and throw in our sinful human nature, then we really have a fight on our hands!
Is it any wonder that even in the body of Christ, we have many who are experiencing marital struggles, divorce, sexual sin, spiritual burnout, and depression?
But I digress . . . we are studying the slide into immorality that Nehemiah found when he returned to Jerusalem.
And that brings up a point -- why hadn't others in Israel dealt with these problems while Nehemiah was gone? Did they not think these issues were important? Did they not notice at all?
I'm glad you asked that. Because in order to deal with spiritual compromise, we must be aware; we must know that the compromise is there! We can't solve problems if we are not aware of them.

The scholars tell us that Ezra may have died by this point, since in verse thirteen, another scribe is mentioned:

I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites. (v. 13)

They say this may indicate that Ezra no longer held that position. Perhaps the priest and the Levites mentioned here just didn't "see" the problems because they were looking at them so closely. Every.  Single. Day. What do I mean?
Well, have you ever heard the old saying of the frog in the kettle? The old adage says that if a frog is placed into a kettle of boiling water, it will jump out right away in order to escape the danger. The adage goes on to say that if that same frog is placed into a kettle of pleasantly warm water, and then gradually the heat is increased, the frog will not be aware of the danger until it's too late.
Don't care for that analogy? Well, how about this anecdote: often when people return to a church that they've attended in the past, they are shocked at changes that have taken place in the years that have passed. The church members that have been there all along can't see the problem because it has happened so gradually. . . .

Some Christians are very strong in their faith but still remain immersed in churches that are not true to Biblical doctrines and eventually slide into false kinds of faith. Many would never, ever agree with someone who said, "The Bible is not the Word of God! Get with the times! How can you still think it's inspired and inerrant and infallible?"  BUT let someone come along with new "insights" as to how the books and letters came to be written, translated, and gathered into one book, and these same "careful" believers will be amazed. And start to wonder, "DID they copy it each time correctly?" or, "DID they translate it correctly?" or even, "DID all the books that should have been included get in?"  And they accept some small change in their way of thinking. And start down that slippery slope.

Another teaching that has deceived many millions of believers all around the world is one that we have touched on in the past: the good health and great wealth "gospel" that is popular on television and podcasts. Many believers are horrified when they first hear these, shall we call them "teachers," because they have studied the Word and know better than to believe this heresy. But there is a human desire for an easier way, and sometimes they slide into this "claim what's yours" concept. Others who start out concerned for their churches, stay put as the churches slip down, whether for convenience, friendship, or money -- or maybe they keep telling themselves that soon the church will realize what is wrong and repent . . . .
Do we believe and take to heart the first three verses of the Psalms?

Blessed is the one    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take    or sit in the company of mockers,  but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,    and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,    which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—    whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3)

Notice the progression on the slope?
We begin with walking with wicked people. We are "tolerant" and permissive at first. We want to include everyone and not have any conflict, right? Later, we stand on the road, waiting and looking around for sinners so that we can participate in their sin. Then, when we've slid down the slope, we sit down with the scoffers, and we mock the righteous people, and we may even plot evil against those who would follow God. 

To deal with spiritual permissiveness, we must be aware of the problems when they pop up. To be able to detect compromise, we must be immersed in God's Word. See up there in verse two? When our delight is in the Word of God, and when we meditate in it day and night, we will be well-prepared to discern that slippery slope - instead of sliding down it!

We'll talk some more about the folks in Jerusalem and about our world today, as well, when we study tomorrow.