What Principle Guides You? (Part 2)

Are we prone to judge people who we discover have some sin in their past or current lives? I think all to often as Christians, we want to live for Jesus in a sincere and honorable way, but when we discover some sin or fault in others we are quick to pass judgement because in some way these faulty people reflect poorly on our values and morals. The question is, are these principles we claim to hold real reflections of how we treat others, or just how we want to be treated?

We live in a time where the “Cancel Culture” mentality demands we remove statues or writings of famous people like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and others because they were not perfect humans, even though they accomplished great things during their lifetime. The principles that these individuals and groups champion, that drive such zeal, I believe are driven by hatred and anger in their own lives for the failures and sins they themselves possess. After all, when was the last time you or I ran into a perfect person? As Christians we are called to judge fairly and not with malice or prejudice. We are called to be different than the world in how we examine people’s lives.

The church all too often is right behind the world on being judgmental with its leaders who have failed in some area. I have said it before, and it’s worth saying again, that Christians often “Shoot Their Own” rather than desire the offender’s healing and restoration. What ever happened to having the heart of God like Jesus had when he was challenged by religious leaders who wanted to stone a woman caught in the act of adultery. Jesus didn’t excuse her sin but he was looking for healing and restoration from her sin. The pharisees and elders only wanted to condemn the woman and Jesus knew their motives. He used their own professed principles of hating sin against them. In fact, Jesus gave them a way to admit that they struggled with sin, but were too embarrassed to reveal them or turn from them.

John 8:3-5

As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

The most recent “Christian Cancel Culture” is happening with the Ravi Zacharias Ministry revelation of potential sexual sin by Ravi. The board of directors have started to remove and purge all his pictures, teaching, CDs, books and photographs from their ministry and even gone so far as to take down his vision and statement for the ministry he started. A ministry which has impacted the world in apologetics in ways most Christians can’t even articulate. Even though Ravi passed away recently and has no way of defending himself, the board of directors are doing this purge, I believe, out of fear of the loss of revenue. These directors are doing this outrageous move mostly for the sake of profit and reputation, rather than for the purpose for which Ravi started this ministry — to reach the unconvinced and lost. The directors have reported partners and givers are drying up due to the sexual allegations that came forth after his death.

If and when the allegations are proven, most of which can not be since he is dead and he could not defend himself, there could be statements and procedures put in place to help the ministry overcome any impropriety in the present and future staff or ministry. To purge all comments, teaching and pictures of probably the greatest apologist of our time, as if Ravi never existed, is a travesty.

If God had the same attitude about flawed people in the Bible, and had purged any reference to them because of their sin, there would be little to no reference of what living for God honestly looked like. All the great lessons and examples showing how to live or not live would be lost. Great men and women like Noah, Moses and King David, who loved God from the heart; would be lost and then how would we learn from their examples? I am so grateful God is not afraid to write their whole story so we would not get the wrong idea of what real believers look like.

We should live with the principle of mercy and the desire to examine our lives with regards to sin, but we should also desire to examine others with that same mercy. Consider that in the tabernacle, the arc of the covenant with Israel was covered with a lid called “The Mercy Seat” so that the priest would recognize God’s desire to show mercy.

Exodus 25:21

“You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you.” 

Numbers 7:89

Now when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim, so He spoke to him.

Jesus demonstrated all through his ministry the heart of God to show mercy when it is supported by the principle of repentance. Both these principles work hand in hand, but when one or the other is sacrificed for selfish ambition, profit or reputation, then God himself and his word are discredited and maligned. Peter asks Jesus one day how many times should he forgive, and Jesus told him a parable to illustrate God’s heart. Read the whole story in Matthew 18:21-35 but at the end of the story look what Jesus says about mercy:

Matthew 18:33-35

Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

It is so easy to claim to be a follower of Jesus and yet not be changed by the principles he taught. Real disciples of Christ learn and follow these principles and thus are called Christ’s disciples. Are you a follower and a disciple of Jesus or just a curious bystander?

Questions:

1) Are you still embracing the world’s actions of judging people wrongly? Only the scriptures and the Holy Spirit can change your heart if you are willing and submissive.

2) Is the principle of Mercy your principle? Only by reading the gospels will you discover them.

May the principles of God’s Word change our lives so that we count these principles as our own.

Pastor Dale