Are You Building With Untempered Mortar?

"Because, indeed, because they have seduced My
people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—
and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with
untempered mortar—say to those who plaster
it with untempered mortar, that it will fall.
There will be flooding rain, and you, O great
hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall
tear it down. Surely, when the wall has fallen,
will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the mortar
with which you plastered it?’” Ezekiel 13:10-12.

This warning in the book of Ezekiel reminds us
that there are no shortcuts in what God builds.
God builds with the Truth and nothing else.
His foundations are unshakable because there
is no falsehood in them.

We must be careful to pay heed to this teaching:
do not build with "untempered mortar." Do not build
with that which has not been properly prepared
and treated. Cement has to be mixed properly in
order for it to withstand the onslaught of the
elements. Otherwise, it cracks or disentegrates
back into sand.

Those who would tell us that there is a shortcut
or an easier way to build, those who do not build
according to the correct specifications, those
who would tell us that we can rush the process,
or compromise the process are lying to us.
This is what God had against the false prophets.

We carefully need to judge what we hear against
the Word of God. Something can appear correct
until the winds of God blow against it. Something
can appear correctly built, but what will
happen when hailstones rain down on it?

We must be built on the living Word of God.
Christ is the only mortar that will hold
everything together and not fail. Indeed,
He is the mortar of the universe for
Colossians 1:17 tells us that "by him all
things consist."

So many things sound good, and look good,
but are untempered mortar. Shoddy workmanship
can be whitewashed over and you will not
be able to see what is underneath until it
falls down, and lays wrecked in a pile of bricks.

Using untempered mortar can be attractive.
It may be cheaper, it may get a house built
more quickly, but its long term value is
worthless.

It is quite certain that floods, and winds
and hailstorms will test what we have built
with. Are we foolish enough to think that
this won't happen? that a jerry-built
house will stand against the onslaughts
of the "perfect storm"?

For those whose house appears to be being
built very slowly, painfully slowly, take
heart. It is better to let God temper the
mortar than to buy a cheap imitation just
to get the job done quickly.

There are many false prophets who have
gone out into the world. They will tell
you that you are "just fine" and that the
cracking bulges in your foundation are
nothing to worry about. In your heart
you know they are mistaken but do not
be tempted to listen to them--even if
your whole house has to be torn down
in order for it to be correctly repaired.

Our hearts are being built for eternity.
We dare not allow shoddy workmanship,
or untempered mortar to be used. Let Christ
build you with that which passes the test
of truth, that which forms godly character, and
that which produces holiness. Let Christ build
you with well-tempered mortar--even if it be
the furnace of affliction that tempers it.


Ezekiel 13
untempered mortar