In Nehemiah 4:17 we read, “They which builded on the wall, and they that bear burdens, with those that laden, everyone with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand-held a weapon.”

I have met some brethren, that are great and zealous fighters of error and defenders of truth.  Men, who get excited and passionate in this endeavor.  Men, who will speak out boldly against “liberalism” and “anti-ism.”  Men, who are ready to share with you, every time  you speak with them, the latest false doctrine that “brother heretic” is now propagating.  Furthermore, as they’re telling you these things, you can almost see the gleam in their eyes.

Yet, some of those same men I’ve met, never have the same zeal and passion about soul-winning.  Rarely do they teach the lost.  They do not conduct personal Bible studies.  They knock no doors.  They send out no Bible correspondence courses.  They may have a computer, but never use it to reach the non-Christian.  They make no phone calls to invite and urge others to attend.  They are inwardly focused.  In fact, so much so, they cannot see the fields that are “white already to harvest” (John 4:35).  They are so consumed with what they are against, it is most difficult to determine what they are actually for.

But, from looking at Nehemiah 4:17, it becomes clear that those of old weren’t so consumed with being warriors that they ceased to be builders.  Neither, should we be, for if we are, the opposition and the devil wins (cf. Nehemiah 4:11).  There are too many that need to hear the truth, for us to spend all our time upon error.

Do we need to expose error?  Yes! (Ephesians 5:11; 2 Timothy 2:17-18, etc.).  Should we spend all our time on it?  Absolutely not!  Consider Jesus.  Did He expose the errors of the religious leaders of His day?  Yes.  But, is that all that He did?  No.  He came to “seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).  Isn’t that our mission as well? (Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Peter 2:9, 12).  Let us warn brethren; But, let us not spend all our limited time on these “change agents.”

Let us remember that we, as Christians, are to positively stand for The Good News, and not just against the bad.