…let me never be put to shame… Ps. 31:1 ESV

“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads…” Ezra 9:6

We are not ashamed of Christ or the gospel, but any sin, whether our own, of the church, or of our nations, should shame us. I’ve said it before: Revival comes after repentance. God’s people need confession of sin.

Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? “…Purge the evil person from among you” (1 Cor. 5:12-13).

The remnant makes the decision not to intermarry (Ezra 9:12) and to put away those of the land they have joined themselves to.

We are called to be separate, with hearts devoted to Christ alone. As individuals and as the church, we need to separate ourselves from self, sin, and the world. “Intermarriage” dilutes the church and blurs out the image of Christ. I like to say that God’s got to get the world out of us before He can get us out of the world.