“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or fails. And he will stand for the Lord is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4).
With the advent of technological advances in internet-based communication on websites, blogs, streaming media, social media, and podcasts, it’s common to hear ministers, churches, and para-church organizations habitually ripping other ministers and churches. Arrogantly, these self-appointed watchdogs and policemen in the body of Christ, attack with impunity anyone they disagree with on pet doctrines, methods, or culture. While the world longs and thirsts for the gospel, the pulpits and platforms are being perverted and corrupted using that influence to tear down others in the body of Christ instead of preaching the life-changing Word of God.
We expect this type of communication and behavior in slanderous grocery store tabloid rags and in the behavior of sleazy politicians, but it should not be heard of in the pulpits of Christian churches or religious platforms. Politicians rarely run on their own merits, policies, experience, or accomplishments, but by bashing the other candidate. Conversely, restaurants don’t become successful by tearing down the restaurant across town, but by providing consistently good service and food in a friendly and welcoming environment. Banks don’t grow their holdings by telling the public how horrible the other banks are in town, but by providing the financial services they want and need. Car dealerships do not increase their repeat sales by publicly denigrating other dealerships, but by building a clientele based on trust, reliable products, and service. It seems that only in political races and perverted pulpits do we find the strategy that to advance we must pull others down.
Some will argue that Paul called out people by name. Actually, Paul called out people in his ministry circle (Galatians 2:11), those who were accountable to him (Philippians 4:2-3), and those who were damaging his ministry efforts (Titus 4:14-15). Paul exhorted Timothy to correct those under his care and rebuke elders in his church (not other churches or other leaders) who persisted in sin but to receive no accusation against an elder but by two or three witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19-20). We do not see Paul on a high horse criticizing and tearing down all the other apostles and ministries in the early church and he certainly does not provide license for us to do so. There simply is no call or anointing to use a God-given platform, to tear down, criticize, expose, and correct everyone else in the body of Christ. The Lord spoke once to a loving man of God that the biggest problem in the Church today is our dogged determination to correct one another. He said, “I’m the Father. I’ll do the correcting.”
The Scriptures make plain what the spirit of correction should look like. First, we must remove the log from our own eye before attempting to remove the speck from the eyes of others (Matthew 7:5). Second, we who have received such great mercy must faithfully show that same mercy to others or risk having our own sin debt and its consequences reinstated (Matthew 18:32-34). Third, if we are to confront someone over a sin (not a matter of opinion), we should make sure we follow the prescribed Scriptural mandate to first go to them privately (Matthew 18:15-20). It’s truly amazing how many ministers exempt themselves from this command. Rarely, if ever, do these individuals actually go to the person they have chosen to publicly bash or expose. Fourth, we would do well to remember the example of Shem and Japheth who covered their father’s nakedness rather than exposing it like Ham (Genesis 9:18-28). As Peter said, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Finally, the spirit of correction is singularly concerned with restoring and not exposing. We are told in Scripture that spiritual people restore those caught in sin with gentleness and humility considering the potential for they themselves to be tempted and compromised (Galatians 6:1-2). Publicly exposing and humiliating others reveals our own insecurity, jealousy, and hidden agendas rather than the godly desire to restore those we have perceived to have fallen.
From time to time we all may be called to correct others in our circle, but let’s not follow the example of or expose ourselves to the streaming sleaze of the perverted pulpits and platforms criticizing, tearing down, and humiliating those we believe are in error. Instead, let’s focus on our own hearts first, practicing mercy, respectfully and privately going to our brothers or sisters in error, covering the failings of others with love, and working in grace to restore those in need of restoration. We all need to remember that the greatest of these is still love, rather than complete conformity of religious thought, church methodology, or institutional culture.
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