This is a follow up episode addressing the half-and-half strategy of Nehemiah, in which builders are called to carry a sword while they build. In like manner, believers in the body of Christ should actively engage in ministry but also adopt a defensive posture against their own residual evil. But the struggle against the flesh should never be waged alone. Just as the trumpeter along the wall of Nehemiah alerted other builders to come to "hot spots" on the wall, so every believer should avail himself of the assistance of other Christians in their struggles with sin. The alternative strategy of maverick Christianity, where builders struggle against sin alone, is often based on presumptuous self-confidence and leads to a "sifting." A half-and-half strategy is ultimately more effective in building the kingdom.
