Crying Against Nineveh
Jonah, a prophet of God, was commanded to go to the city of Nineveh, and cry out against its wickedness, because its wickedness had "come up before the Lord." Brethren, the wickedness of our nation, our state and our city has also "come up before the Lord!" Are we "fleeing to Tarshish," trying to escape our responsibilities, as did Jonah?
We are living in an era when far too many Christians are afraid to get involved in anything — they prefer to walk the middle of the road — straddle the fence, so they can readily shift to the side of popular opinion when evil practices happen to be the subject of conversation. Like the chameleon, which can change its color to blend into every environment, too many want to keep one foot in the world, so they can change sides at a moment's notice, to keep from being "oddballs," afraid to stand up and be counted for fear that they just might offend someone, cause someone to call them "bigots," a "racists," or that they will be accused of trying to run someone's life for them.
In the current ecumenical movement in the religious world, this compromising position and refusal to take a firm stance on the side of right, has resulted in religious bodies, which, before merging with other groups, sincerely stood for high moral principles, but now, after merging with other churches, stand for absolutely nothing. I believe that keeping silent is a virtue upon certain occasions, but I also believe it is a sin when we witness an evil deed; in many cases silence amounts to sanctioning the deed itself. When one witnesses a bank being robbed, a woman attacked, or a public official violating his oath of office, and keeps silent, he is derelict in his duty as a responsible citizen and to his moral obligations — in fact in some instances, when he witnesses a crime and in any way protects the criminal by his silence, he can be indicted an an accessory after the fact. By the same token, because God has said: "He that is not with me is against me...," leaves no room for a middle of the road position, and makes one derelict in his duty as a responsible citizen in God's kingdom, if he doesn't take a vocal stand against evil.
God has proved His contempt for evil, and that He is the champion of all that is good, and on every opportunity our Lord has strongly protested it. His apostles have opposed it with every means they had at their disposal, even at the expense of their lives, and all Christians are commanded to "reprove and rebuke..." it "with all long-suffering and doctrine." Not only do we have the direct command, but we have the examples of the Lord sending the prophet Nathan to censure king David for his adultery, and for the murder of the husband of Bathsheba — the Lord sending Samuel to rebuke king Saul for his disobedience of the command to slay all the Amalekites — Jonah's command to cry out against the evil city of Nineveh — Peter's rebuke by the apostle Paul — Stephen's reproaching the Pharisees at the cost of his life, and of John the Baptist condemning the adulterer Herod. So, not only have we the command to rebuke evil, but we have numerous examples of the Lord's "chosen," whom we are to follow as they followed Christ, who have repeatedly reproved and rebuked it, wherever and whenever they had the opportunity to do so. How, then can we expect the Lord's approval if we merely shrug our shoulders and keep our silence?
In these days we have a pall of unprecedented drug addiction, drunkenness, revolution and moral depravity hanging over our nation, and as Christians we just cannot stand idly by and do nothing about it. While there is little likelihood of our nation, or even of our city repenting as did Nineveh, we must at least try to warn as many people as we can of their immoral condition. There appears to be no black and white distinction between good and evil, so obviously, as Christians, we must try to teach people that there are indeed strict spiritual standards we must all live and practice if we expect to be pleasing to God; and we should be willing to speak as bluntly and as clearly without mincing our words, as were the apostles! In view of this command and all these examples — can a Christian afford NOT to take a stand? Do you really think we can be neutral in this matter? Can we take the easy way out?
"With God all things are possible," but there are many things that man cannot do. Too many think that the only things they cannot do are the prohibitions of the Old Law — "Thou shalt not kill" — "Thou shalt not commit adultery," etc., but the Christian life is not one of just NOT DOING, but one of DOING. As God has made it clear that He is unequivocally opposed to all evil — that He expected His people to speak out against it at every opportunity — make no mistake about it — He expects us to do the same, and we cannot stay neutral. Someone has said "The easiest way for evil to triumph, is for good men to DO NOTHING!" Let's not be guilty of DOING NOTHING!