The Gospel and the Way We Respond to Correction
Nehemiah 5:6–13
Nehemiah’s response to the crisis in chapter 5 is striking. He is angry — deeply so — but he does not react impulsively. He pauses. He reflects. He “ponders it in his heart.” Only then does he confront the nobles and officials with clarity and courage.
Here we learn a vital gospel lesson: the gospel does not make us passive toward sin, but it does shape how we confront it and how we respond to it. The real test in Nehemiah 5 is not Nehemiah’s leadership, but the people’s response to being exposed.
And what happens next is extraordinary. When confronted with their sin, the nobles do not argue, minimise, delay, or deflect. They say simply, “We will give it back.” Confession leads to repentance. Repentance leads to restitution.
This is one of the clearest evidences of grace at work. The gospel does not produce defensiveness; it produces humility. It does not excuse sin; it empowers obedience. Grace does not eliminate accountability — it enables repentance.
Nehemiah 5 shows us the full gospel pattern at work: conviction, confession, repentance, and restoration. Forgiveness is not cheap. Real repentance bears fruit, even when it costs us something.
For many of us, this is where faith becomes real. How do we respond when our sin is exposed — by God’s Word, by the Spirit, or by others? Do we defend ourselves, or do we submit to grace? One of the clearest evidences of the gospel at work is our willingness to repent.