Controversy and Faithfulness: Why I don’t Speak on every issue

In my early twenties I was often asked to give my opinion on a variety of topics. Most of the time I, humbly submit, I had no idea what I was even talking about. From my teens till the present I’ve been a leader both in the church and outside the Church which has afforded me the opportunity to be asked many times about controversial topics and to offer my opinion and thoughts on them. It has also afforded me the opportunity to think through how to respond to those issues and perhaps equally important, how not to respond.

When I graduated high school, I got a letter from my dad that stated it was his prayer that I would be slow to speak and quick to listen. I took that advice to heart because not only is it sage advice, it is also biblical. That advice from my dad and the truth of God’s Word has often constrained me from speaking on a variety of issues, not because I don’t have thoughts on them, but rather because my thoughts would not be helpful or edifying regarding a variety of issues that arise.

Recent years have seen an explosion of controversy in the Church. It seems every time I go on social media or look at blogs there is some firestorm that rages. Meanwhile, I keep my head down and keep writing and working away. Many people gain notoriety because they make clear stands for certain issues. In the past, I would have likely been one of those people. I was outspoken, opinionated, stubborn, and knowledgeable about a lot of issues. As I’ve matured I’ve learned that it is the better course of valor to shut my mouth, remain silent, put my sin to death, and keep quiet. That isn’t to say I still don’t have thoughts on a variety of issues, but what it does mean is I’ve hopefully matured and gained a degree of wisdom by the grace of God.

What I see in the “blogosphere” today both concerns and saddens me. I get many people who ask what I think about this or that situation and how they should handle it. I typically tell them to read and obey what God says in the Bible. Rather than being fascinated with the latest controversy, a better approach is submitting to your pastor, becoming a member and getting involved in a local church, finding a hobby, hanging out with your family or reading a good godly book. There are a plethora of other things to do besides engaging in the constant cycle of controversy.  With that said, a balance must be struck as there are important issues worthy of taking a stand for or against.

Recent years have seen attacks on Adam being a real person who lived in real history, along with renewed attacks on the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible, hell as a place of unending and unrelenting conscious punishment, the evils of abortion and a host of other issues that touch at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. While many issues and controversies in the church do not touch on these issues, the one’s I just described should be focused on by Christians and written about on blogs, articles, magazines, and in all forms of media. In other words, when biblical truth is on the line, Christians must stand up for and defend the faith once and for all delivered to the saints, a task known as apologetics. Christians must know what they believe and why they believe it in order to properly engage these controversial type issues. If we have not read our Bibles and have not studied church history to learn how men and women from the early church to the present day have engaged in controversy, how will we be knowledgeable enough to handle such situations in a godly way and grow in the grace of God?

Controversy has provided the church moments of great clarity about what it believes and why it matters. One can think of the Council of Nicaea as an excellent example or the stand Athanasius took or the many, many saints who have offered up their lives as an offering to the Lord Jesus as martyrs.  You don’t have to go very far in church history to learn that those saints were made of sturdier stuff than most believers today. They died for the faith and yet today, we want to argue and fight about everything. Every day it seems there is some new issue in the blogosphere that cries out for attention. People decry one another’s faults and foibles all the while proclaiming that they believe in the God of all grace and in the commands to “one another” each other as outlined in the New Testament. Furthermore, we wonder why many non-Christians scoff at Christians today and call us hypocrites? It is any surprise why they describe us that way when we can’t even take seriously what we believe or live according to what we say we believe? Yes there are some issues worth fighting for and worth speaking up clearly and loudly about. Then again, there are those issues that might as well just die and go away along with the voices perpetuating the fervor.

My opinion on a variety of matters doesn’t matter. What matters to me is God’s Word, the Gospel and building up of the body of Christ. Those are three things I’ve given my life to studying, writing, and speaking about and will till the day I die. I may not be “Mr. Popular” because I do that, but popularity is not the goal of the Christian life, faithfulness is. Everyone has foibles and sins. Rather than seeing a person’s picture on a screen and seeing them as your enemy, instead see them the way God does, namely through the lens of His grace. Whenever I want to rail against the latest controversy, I first ask myself, “Is this an issue that directly attacks and threatens biblical Christianity?” Secondly, I ask myself, “What is my motivation for speaking to this issue?” Finally, I ask myself, “Will what I say be helpful and edifying to others or will it tear down others?”

Most of the time as I think through those questions the answer is no to those answers which means I don’t write or speak about those issues. Again, not every issue is worth speaking about. Many blogs and other voices may say what I think about a certain topic. Yet if I don’t have anything edifying to say or if it isn’t an issue that directly threatens biblical Christianity and my motivation is all wrong for speaking to the issue, then I simply won’t speak. As my dad told me and as the Bible says it is best to be slow to speak and quick to listen.

The next time you think you need to write a blog post or speak about an issue stop first and think about it. Do you really need to speak to that particular issue or does your flesh want to speak out about it? Most of the time if we are honest, our desire is to be recognized as someone who pointed out the latest flaw in another person. Rather than operating in the flesh, Christians are called to manifest the fruits of the Spirit because they have been redeemed by Jesus. Rather than engaging in controversy, Christians are called to be ambassadors of reconciliation. Yes, sometimes Christians must stand up and speak out about issues so don’t get me wrong. I just don’t think we need to speak to every issue all the time as many are doing.

The Gospel calls God’s people to be a particular people who love Jesus and know and serve Him. If even Jesus didn’t speak to every issue but rather addressed the big issues of life and our greatest need is to know and serve Him, then I don’t think He will be upset if we don’t participate in the rancor about every issue. Part of Christian maturity is knowing when to speak and how to speak. The Bible speaks loudly to both issues. Christians are to speak truth in a world that rejects truth. Christians are to tame their tongues and speak the truth seasoned with grace. If Christians took more seriously what the New Testament said about how we are to speak, I think we would see less controversies and more genuine dialogue and discussion with one another about important matters that we can all agree on such as marriage, abortion, reaching the youth just to name a few.

While I doubt I’ll stop getting asked about my opinion about the latest controversy, I pray we can learn to speak to one another as the people of God because of the great work Jesus has accomplished for His people. I long for the day when Jesus will return at His second coming, speak His Word and slay all His enemies. Until that day, I pray that we as His people can speak the truth in love to one another and have serious conversation and dialogue all with a view to grow in understanding God’s Word and in the Gospel. Rather than all the fighting, what we need is to pause, take a deep breathe, deflate our egos by laying them at the foot of the Cross, take up the Cross, and follow Jesus. Then and only then will we be slow to speak and quick to listen because only then have we truly put to death our sinful desires.

Jesus is the great sin killer who empowers God’s people through the Holy Spirit to know and serve the Lord. It is for this reason I don’t need to speak about the latest controversy. Rather than speaking, I need to be silent, I need to be still before God, I need to put my sin to death so I can love my brother and sister in Christ and show him or her the love of Jesus Christ. That is my goal, and I pray it is yours, to be killing sin rather than coddling it and growing in knowledge of God and of His grace for the purpose of the strengthening of His church and advancing His gospel. Those are issues worth talking about, worth defending, and even worth dying for.

Weekly Roundup 12/3/2013-12/7/2013

This is our weekly roundup of posts for 12/3/2013-12/7/2013. If you have any feedback on how we can serve you our readers better, I would appreciate it.  Thank you for reading and allowing us to minister to you throughout this past week through these posts.

Monday 12/2/2013-

Podcast: William Boekestein – Why Christ Came by Shaun Tabatt http://servantsofgrace.org/92-william-boekestein-why-christ-camepodcast/

God wants to use you for His glory by Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/god-wants-use-glory/

Tuesday 12/3/2013

Podcast: Pam Farrel – 10 Questions Kids Ask About Sex by Shaun Tabatt http://servantsofgrace.org/93-pam-farrel-10-questions-kids-ask-sexpodcast/

Doctrine and Discipleship by Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/doctrine-discipleship/

Wed 12/4/2013-

Podcast: The Importance of Apologetics by Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/94-the-importance-of-apologeticspodcast/

In All Your Work Tell The Truth by J.C. Ryle shared by Aaron Armstrong http://servantsofgrace.org/in-all-your-work-tell-the-truth/

Thursday 12/5/2013

The Necessity of Apologetics by Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/95-necessity-apologeticspodcast/

12 Truths to Help Us Grow In Our Hatred of Sin by Mike Leake http://servantsofgrace.org/12-truths-help-us-grow-hatred-sin/

Friday 12/6/2013-

Apologetics and the Church by Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/96-apologetics-churchpodcast/

Life After the Fires of Affliction by Mike Leake http://servantsofgrace.org/life-after-the-fires-of-affliction/

Saturday 12/7/2013-

Why Going to Church on Sunday is An Act of War by Dan Darling http://servantsofgrace.org/why-going-to-church-on-sunday-is-an-act-of-war/

Sermon: Divine Love, Divine Discipline from Hebrews 12:4-11 by Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/45-divine-love-divine-disciplinesermon/

#45: Divine Love, Divine Discipline[Sermon]

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This is sermon #45 in the Hebrews series. In this sermon on Hebrews 12:4-11 I preach on divine discipline, the love of God, being in God’s waiting room and growing through affliction.

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#96: Apologetics and the Church[Podcast]

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In today’s podcast, I talk about the Role of Apologetics in the Church, the importance of Christians and the Church declaring the Word of God to a relativistic and pluralistic culture.

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#95: The Necessity of Apologetics[Podcast]

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In today’s podcast, I talk about the necessity of Apologetics, the importance of Christians standing firm in the Word of God and speaking clearly the truth of the Word of God in the public square.

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#94: The Importance of Apologetics[Podcast]

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In today’s podcast, I talk about the need to understanding Apologetics as a lifeview, the importance of not just defending and commending the faith but growing in the grace of God, and the relationship of Apologetics to the Great Commission.

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Book Giveaway– B&H 12/3-12/10/2013

Doctrine and Discipleship

I recently wrote an article that noted how doctrine is the lifeblood of the Christian life. In that article, I defined doctrine using the Greek word “didaskolos” which means “teaching”. Furthermore, I explained that “doctrine explains the ‘who’ and ‘what’ of Christianity”. Since doctrine provides the lifeblood of the Christian life, it follows that doctrine also provides the fuel for discipleship. Many people might ask why doctrine matters in relation to discipleship? The question at first may sound pious, even correct. You might say, I just want to be a disciple, but my response would be how can you be a disciple of Jesus without doctrine? After all, it is a doctrinal statement to say you are a Christian because with that statement comes the biblical truth that you believe Jesus Christ is the only way to God (John 14:6) and only through Him can you be saved by believing in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-10).

Since we’ve established that doctrine is essential to discipleship, the question now is, “How does doctrine inform discipleship?” To ask this question is to venture into the nitty gritty of the Christian life where the proverbial rubber meets the road. Before we go there, we must understand that even the Apostles struggled before Christ bled, died, rose and ascended to know who He was and what He would do for them. Many Christians today struggle to understand that when they live their Christian lives as if what they believe doesn’t matter, they will be prone to being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine as Paul talks about in Ephesians 4:14.

What we believe must inform how we live. When we view the Christian life in terms of how we live rather than from what we believe, we encounter a massive problem. How will I live when severe trials come? When trials and difficulty come and they always do, they reveal the strength or often lack thereof of our doctrinal understanding. Many people struggle at this point because rather than being grounded in solid biblical doctrine, they focus more on how they should live. When difficulty comes to those who focus on “How will I live”, the response isn’t to lean in to God and trust His promises but rather to grumble against Him. Those who understand that sound biblical doctrine comes from God’s Word live the opposite way.  They root their lives in sound doctrine for the purpose of weathering trials and hard times. Only when we have a high view of God and a high view of God’s Word can we persevere in Christ. Otherwise, we will be tossed by every wind of the latest and greatest fads to hit Christian bookstores, the Christian conference circuit, music scene, or what the most recent popular television preacher declares is truth.

While the problems with the attitude of living the Christian life through the lens of “how I feel” are many, at the heart of that approach is the idea that whatever I think about a certain issue is okay. When Christians take this approach, what happens is whatever I hear on Christian television, radio, in a book, or at a conference becomes the equivalent of “Christian truth” because someone says it is. Rather than being Bereans to see if what was said lines up with the Bible, we instead accept whatever we hear as Gospel truth. This approach is both dangerous and unfortunately far too common.

The “how I live” approach is one I’ve seen over and over in my Christian life and ministry. It often starts innocently with an emphasis on “What am I getting out of this sermon, book, conference, TV show, etc?” There is nothing inherently wrong with asking, “What am I getting out of this teaching?” In fact, that is a good biblical question to ask.  Problems arise when that idea is matched with the approach of “How should I live” rather than being rooted in and then having our experience conform to sound biblical doctrine. The problem is the Christian life was never meant to be lived as a life of feelings and experiences. Our feelings and experiences are to be reprogrammed by the renewing of our mind that comes from the Word of God (Romans 12:1-2). In other words, the Christian life is not ultimately how I feel or my experience and it is not even concerned with what I’m getting out of this teaching. Rather the Christian life is grounded in the objective Word of God that exposes our need for Jesus. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit uses the Word to convict us of our sin and point us towards Jesus.

The approach of “how I live” has disastrous consequences for local churches and the global Body of Christ. Local churches are affected by the approach of “how I live” when they emphasize experience with God above the truth of Scripture. This approach is leaving generation after generation tossing in the wind instead of being nourished in the firm foundation of God’s Word. Since doctrine is the lifeblood of the Christian life, it is also the fuel for the Christian’s discipleship.

Doctrine and discipleship give shape to what Christianity is all about. They are the twin engines that propel the Christian and their ministry in the local church and beyond to strengthen the Church and advance the Gospel. When we emphasize discipleship above doctrine, we encounter the problems I’ve described in this article. When we emphasize doctrine to the exclusion of discipleship, we are teaching people to have a head full of knowledge without having their experience increasingly seen through a biblical worldview. Doctrine and discipleship provide the fuel for the Christian’s life in Christ. Doctrine and discipleship give shape to the local church’s mission of seeking the lost and making disciples to the glory of God. Doctrine and discipleship fuel all ministry efforts because they propel biblical Christianity forward in a culture that is increasingly only interested in how it feels.

God wants to use you for His glory

The Lord wants to use you for His glory. At this point you may think, “I know that”, but in this article I want to press home the point that God desires to use you for His glory in spite of yourself. Many Christians never get into witnessing to the message of the Gospel because they think they first need to clean themselves up or they need to have a Bible College or seminary degree. Other Christians think they need to be “super saints” before they can be used by God. Not only do I disagree with those ideas, I want to do permanent injury to them and by the grace of God see those lies from the enemy expelled into the abyss forever.

Unfortunately, many Christians place ministry or church involvement on the back burner under the guise that there is a difference between their secular vocation and those in an official ministry capacity. Those who are in ministry are the “holy ones” and those who work 9-5 jobs are in the minds of some believers, somehow “lesser” than those who minister day in and day out as their vocation. Not only is that the wrong idea, it also is not found anywhere in the Bible.

It seems to me at the heart of why far too many Christians aren’t involved in reaching the lost and building up one another is a laundry list of excuses. Many people think we need to be “radical” for Jesus and to “risk all” and “abandon” ourselves in the life of God. I appreciate those calls because many are infatuated with what they want to do such as their accomplishments, achievements, and so on rather than being God-centered and seeking to bring glory to God in and through their lives. Yet I fear what resides at the heart of the idea that “I need to clean myself up” and “I need to be a super saint” or “I need a Bible college or seminary degree”, is ignorance or apathy to the Gospel.

Recent years have seen a huge surge in conversation about the Gospel and this is a good thing. While understanding and being able to answer the question, “What is the Gospel?” and “What does the Gospel demand?” are essential elements to being a Christian and growing in the Christian life, so is having those truths massaged deep into our hearts and lives. While conversation about the Gospel is fantastic, if we are not careful we will treat the Gospel as just another thing to discuss rather than as the central message that defines and gives shape to biblical orthodoxy.

The reality is that the Gospel defines and gives shape to biblical orthodoxy, a point Paul communicates in 1 Corinthians 15:1-10. The Gospel that Paul received and proclaimed is the same one that has been passed on to the Church and Christians today. As Dr. Timothy Keller has said, the Gospel is the A to Z of Christianity. We never outgrow our need for the Gospel as we continually must see our need and find the cure for our need in the finished and sufficient work of Jesus Christ. Jesus saves His people for the explicit purpose of using them for His glory (Eph. 2:10). Good works do not save us; rather our works demonstrate that the grace of God has saved us. This distinction provides the reason for why James said that faith without works is dead (James 2). A faith that is dead, never manifests itself in good works. Conversely, saving faith demonstrates itself in the manifestation of good works because of the work of grace present in the Christian’s life. This also provides the reason why God wants to use you for His glory. After all, He has saved you, is sanctifying you, and will one day glorify you. He has empowered you with His Holy Spirit to make much of Jesus. Since all of those statements are true, the real question is do you still believe that you need to be a “super saint”, super knowledgeable, or that you must clean yourself up before God can use you for His glory?

To suggest as some have that you need to clean yourself up before God can use you is to undermine the power of the Gospel. We were not saved by our own power and we will not be sanctified by our own power. Rather, we are saved by the power of God who raises the dead to new life. Furthermore, we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit who convicts His people of their sin and leads them to repentance which in turn, causes them to grow in the grace of God. This is why the idea that we need to clean ourselves up before God can use us undermines the Gospel.

The other idea that we need a Bible College or seminary degree also undermines the Gospel because if even a child can understand the faith once and for all delivered to the saints, then a child can be used by God. This doesn’t mean knowledge is unimportant or that education when it is used in service to the Gospel is not a blessing.  What it does mean is that knowledge for knowledge sake as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13 puffs people up. Lastly, the idea that you need to be a “super saint” also undermines the Gospel because the Gospel that saves you calls you to be humble as noted in 1 Peter 5:5, namely the need to “clothe yourselves all of you in humility”.

The truth is God has saved you and now wants to use you for His glory. Those twin truths provide the impetus and give energy to the Christian life and ministry.

Go therefore, and do battle against the idea that God can’t use you or your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ for His glory. Go out and proclaim that the grace that has saved you, now calls God’s people to serve King Jesus.  No matter your platform, no matter your influence, serve Jesus because of His great grace by using your gifts, talents, and abilities as a testimony of the grace you’ve received from your heavenly Father.

Weekly Roundup 11/25/2013-11/30/2013

This is our weekly roundup of posts for 11/25/2013-11/30/2013. If you have any feedback on how we can serve you our readers better, I would appreciate it.  Thank you for reading and allowing us to minister to you throughout this past week through these posts.

Monday 11/25/2013-

A Gospel cure for weary hearts by Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/gospel-cure-weary-hearts/

4 Reasons the Trinity Should Be Part Of Your Preaching by Jared Moore http://servantsofgrace.org/4-reasons-trinity-part-preaching/

Tuesday 11/26/2013

Spurgeon, Inerrancy, and What We Still Need Today by Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/spurgeon-inerrancy-still-need-today/

Why the Prosperity Gospel Shouldn’t Appeal to Believers by Mike Leake http://servantsofgrace.org/prosperity-gospel-shouldnt-appeal-believers/

Wed 11/27/2013-

Spurgeon: “Shall the Eternal fail thee?” shared by Chris Poblete http://servantsofgrace.org/spurgeon-shall-eternal-fail-thee/

Doctrine: The lifeblood of the Christian life by  Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/doctrine-the-lifeblood-of-the-christian-life/

Thursday 11/28/2013

Giving Thanks by Dave Jenkins http://servantsofgrace.org/giving-thanks/

Friday 11/29/2013-

How We Do Family Worship  by Dan Darling http://servantsofgrace.org/why-we-do-family-worship/

“Finding Joy In Deep Distress” by Charles Spurgeon shared by Chris Poblete http://servantsofgrace.org/finding-joy-in-deep-distress-by-charles-spurgeon/

Saturday 11/30/2013-

The Prodigal Son: Amazing Grace by C. Walter http://servantsofgrace.org/prodigal-son-amazing-grace/

Why You Need Your Local Church Every Week by Dan Darling http://servantsofgrace.org/why-you-need-your-local-church-every-week/