Ezra is saying in effect, this sin affects me personally. It has grieved God and it has grieved me. This sin affects me. It affects our lifestyle, it affects our actions, it affects our future, it affects our children. We must be aware of compromise. We must stand for the truth. And the sin affects others around us. And so how do we respond just like Ezra? We need to first of all, realize what is going on; we need to wake up. Secondly, we need to speak up. We need to not fear man but speak the truth in love. But we also see Ezra in sorrow. Thus this compromise must break our hearts as well. As we recite and we glory in the Heidelberg Catechism when it speaks concerning that conversion and repentance, what does it say? The first is step is
Michael Voytekheartfelt sorrow for sin, causing us to hate it and turn from it always more and more[Lord’s Day 33].1
3 As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled.