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We Worship God As You Do Ezra 4:1-5. Adversaries Have Always Existed. Satan - “your adversary the devil” (1 Peter 5:8) Opponents and enemies of truth – “there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:9; see also Phil. 1:28) There were adversaries in the days of Ezra (4:1; Zech. 3:1).
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Adversaries Have Always Existed • Satan - “your adversary the devil” (1 Peter 5:8) • Opponents and enemies of truth – “there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:9; see also Phil. 1:28) • There were adversaries in the days of Ezra (4:1; Zech. 3:1)
“We seek your God as you do” • How can good and religious people like this be a hindrance? They just want to help! • Their religion was in fact one of compromise (2 K. 17:24-41) • Any such “inter-faith” project (ecumenism, syncretism) together would have resulted in compromise
“We seek your God as you do” • Promise Keepers, etc. • Inter-denominational (ecumenical) projects • Inter-denominational worship services including churches of Christ (Easter, Christmas, etc.) - “Great communion” on Oct. 4, 2009 - Abilene churches (Methodist, Baptist, Church of Christ) welcome back college students
“We seek your God as you do” • Was the response of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, unnecessarily severe, uncharitable, bigoted, and narrow toward the locals? Did it lack a loving, ecumenical spirit? • Compromise with the locals is what started Israel’s downfall (Judges 2:11ff; 2 Kings 17:7ff) • The leaders used the locals for business, but not for religion (Ezra 3:7) • Why had the locals not rebuilt the temple already?
Compromise is An Adversary • Truth is hindered (Gal. 2:5) • Error is advanced and the faithful are misled (2 Tim. 2:15-18; Rev. 2:20-24) • Error is not converted by compromise (2 K. 17:28-29) • Error continues to develop into a full-blown religious system (Jn. 4:20)
Compromise is An Adversary • What we need today is a spirit of… Discrimination (1 Thess. 5:21-22; Rev. 3:9) Scrutiny in God’s work (1 Cor. 5:9-13) Firmness in God’s work (Jn. 4:22-22) Endurance in God’s work (1 Cor. 16:9) Refusal (2 Cor. 6:14ff)
Compromise is An Adversary • Zerubbabel and Jeshua understood this: “You have nothing to do with us” • But do we?