Business is good; nations thrive under a well organised commerce. Industries entrepreneurship is the hub of every prosperous society. God created man to make progress. Business like every other sector established by God through man has its requirements and boundaries. Excessiveness is the bane of dwindling morality and increased decadence.

The word merchandise simply means: “Goods to be bought and sold.” Religious merchandise could also mean: “Making merchandise of the gospel,” which refers to the exploitation of religious faith, services or sacred items for financial gain, a recurring issue throughout church history that contrasts with the biblical mandate of freely you received, freely you should give. This ranges from historical abuses like the sale of indulgences in the early Roman Church to contemporary practices such as “prosperity preaching,” selling blessed items (oil, water, stickers) and turning ministry into a commercialised enterprise.

The gospel points to the Saviour’s disapproval for such occurrence; in Mark 11:15-17; the Lord drove out from the temple those selling in it. He condemned them for turning “His Father’s house” to “dens of robbers.” Today, we must ask ourselves: are we making commerce of our spiritual gifts, skill and talents?

The apostles warned against teachers who would “exploit you” (2 Peter 2:3) or use godliness for financial gain.

During the medieval period the Roman Catholic Church faced serious lashing and criticism over the sales of indulgences; one of the major reasons to the reformation. The Church initially frowned at anything that would mean exploitation of the “sheep of the Lord” for whom he died for; she resisted and condemned the practice of usury, the act of high interest loan, but today, trading within the Christian community and money making as the central thing in ministry has become a matter to worry.

Man is desirous of progress; our quest for prosperity must not be at the expense of true religion and sound faith. God gives power to make wealth and whom God has blessed no man can curse. God’s pattern for progress is dedication, honesty, faithfulness and truthfulness. Most likely, people are enslaved through laziness and idleness.

Nehemiah in his time showed true faithfulness, honesty, dedication to responsibility and development. He had the ability to ascertain between what is right or wrong. A time comes in life when it looks like everyone is celebrating “wrong;” the celebration of wrong does not make it right. What is wrong will remain wrong despite its christening.

People fear the Church and respect its creed, but when evil creeps into her; she becomes open to abuse of faith and disregard to sacredness of the sanctity to doctrines and true confession.

The book of Nehemiah is a lesson in prayer, sacrifice and tenacity. Its records can help today’s church to stand against compromise. As juicy as it can be, compromise is the cankerworm eating the spine of true holiness in today’s church. Nehemiah the main figure in the book of Nehemiah had a “lucrative” business; but he gave up a responsible and wealthy position with the King of Persia in 445 B.C. to answer a divine call of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. How many people, today, can give up political appointments when it is in variance with true faith and holiness. He existed in a time of direct attack to Judaism, the true faith of the Jews at the time, which is a shadow of the apostolic Christianity.

His Time Was Characterised With:
Apostacy, disunity of God’s people, false accusation of faithful believers, lack of true worship, scarcity of reading the word of God, saturation of inordinate affection and idol worship with insatiable desire to making wealth, even if it means breaking God’s law to achieve that.

The book of Nehemiah, Chapter 13, showed that as the years went by, the people kept declining from God’s ideal, and Nehemiah was saddled with the task of reformation even in the teeth of opposition; he had to wrestle with opposition within his people and strangers. The book of Nehemiah provokes Christians to the need for prayers and firmness in God’s work, despite glaring challenges.

• Venerable Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector, The Ibru Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor (08035413812)