Standing In The Gate

Amos 5:10
They hate him who rebukes in the gate, and they despise him who speaks uprightly.

It is commonly heard that God needs those who are willing to stand in the gap. While this is true to an extent; as long as compromising God's holy standard is not at stake (Jude 1:23); in the days that are now upon us, God is calling those who name the name of Christ to "stand in the gate."
The gate of a city was one of the most important locations. A high volume of traffic passed through the gates on a daily basis; so if someone wanted to get a message out, the gate of the city would be the best place to go as those coming in would spread the word within the walls and those going out would spread the word abroad.
Today, God's Word is not popular, especially among those of a "progressive" mentality. People do not want to hear that there is a God who has set the standard for living above their own opinions of what that standard should be. God says that standard is holiness. "You shall be holy for I am holy..." says the Lord (Lev 11:45).
Knowing that we, as fallen creatures, cannot keep that standard perfectly, God became man and lived out that standard, suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, and resurrected; not so that we wouldn't have to live up to the standard, but so we could be forgiven when we fail.
1 John 2:1 says that we are not to sin, but if we do sin we have an advocate with the Father... Jesus Christ the righteous. The context indicates that a Christian will not sin willfully. Hebrews continues this thought in Hebrews 10:26 which says that for him who sins willfully, after learning the truth, the sacrifice of Jesus is of no effect. Jesus did not die so we could continue to sin.
While this is unpopular, it is nonetheless truth. This is the message God wants us to give especially to the church, for Scripture indicates that judgment will first begin with the House of God (1 Peter 4:16).
There is far too much compromise and wholesale sin within the church. It is time to examine ourselves to see if we are living an example of faith (2 Cor 13:5). 1 John 2:3-6 is our blueprint for that examination. We are to imitate Jesus. Our life should be like a piece of trace paper over the original... transparent so that the Savior can be seen through us.
If this does not describe your life walk, then confess your failure in genuine repentance before God and show your repentfulness through your behavior (Acts 26:20). Then stand in the gate and tell others what a genuine walk with God looks like. Reprove, rebuke and exhort with longsuffering and all the authority of Scripture (2 Tim 4:2).
Ezekial 3:18-21
18 When I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; and you do not give him warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked one shall die in his iniquity; but I will require his blood at your hand.
19 Yet if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
20 And when the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and when I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.
21 But if you warn the righteous so that the righteous does not sin, and if he does not sin, he shall surely live because he is warned; also you have delivered your soul.