There is an active thread right now that brought up leadership training in the wake of the Jerry Falwell, Jr. scandal. I was going to post this in that thread but thought this issue deserves its own treatment.
The first thing we need to do before commenting on any moral failure by Christian leaders is to look in the mirror. There is biblical warrant for this.
Romans 2:17-24 17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24 For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written.
We know that Christian message boards are full of amateur theologians and moral crusaders. They are also full of hypocrites who are quick to condemn others while having a closet full of their own skeletons. Indeed, or Lord said in Matthew 7:1-5, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye."
Jerry Falwell, Jr. used the excuse that he was not called to be a preacher, as though that somehow relieves him of responsibility for his actions. The fact is that it doesn't matter whether we are called to be a preacher or not. Are we to think that the moral requirements of a pastor do not apply to us? Are we exempt from not being addicted to much wine or to manage our households well? Does the Bible teach the bifurcation of Christians? Actually, it teaches quite the opposite. Galatians 3:28 states, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." The ground is level at the cross. There is no such thing as Christian nobility. There is also no such thing as just a run-of-the-mill Christian. This is the Christian who hides in his anonymity and behind the veil of false humility. The fact is that we are all under the same command to "be holy as I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).
Christians are not be silent. We are to repent of our sins, to forsake them. We have a responsibility to hold each other accountable, but not before we have examined ourselves and taken the log out of our own eye. A dear brother in the Lord who is now in glory used to say to me, "Keep short accounts with God." I have been thinking more about that as of late. I think we all should.
The first thing we need to do before commenting on any moral failure by Christian leaders is to look in the mirror. There is biblical warrant for this.
Romans 2:17-24 17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? 24 For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written.
We know that Christian message boards are full of amateur theologians and moral crusaders. They are also full of hypocrites who are quick to condemn others while having a closet full of their own skeletons. Indeed, or Lord said in Matthew 7:1-5, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye."
Jerry Falwell, Jr. used the excuse that he was not called to be a preacher, as though that somehow relieves him of responsibility for his actions. The fact is that it doesn't matter whether we are called to be a preacher or not. Are we to think that the moral requirements of a pastor do not apply to us? Are we exempt from not being addicted to much wine or to manage our households well? Does the Bible teach the bifurcation of Christians? Actually, it teaches quite the opposite. Galatians 3:28 states, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." The ground is level at the cross. There is no such thing as Christian nobility. There is also no such thing as just a run-of-the-mill Christian. This is the Christian who hides in his anonymity and behind the veil of false humility. The fact is that we are all under the same command to "be holy as I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).
Christians are not be silent. We are to repent of our sins, to forsake them. We have a responsibility to hold each other accountable, but not before we have examined ourselves and taken the log out of our own eye. A dear brother in the Lord who is now in glory used to say to me, "Keep short accounts with God." I have been thinking more about that as of late. I think we all should.
