Stand Firm

 Sin is destroying families, the church, and this nation. Sin runs rampant in the streets and underneath the steeples. Velvet mouthed preachers refuse to preach against it. Lukewarm pew sitters refuse to listen to hard truth preferring to have their ears tickled. 

One by one Satan takes aim on his targets and takes another one down. Preachers, youth ministers, worship pastors, principals, coaches, teachers, business people, housewives, doctors, and the list could go on are all vulnerable. All easily susceptible to temptation. 

In the Southern Baptist Convention alone a list of over 700 sex offenders was kept secret by top convention leadership. Many on the list were still serving in ministry positions. The scandal scathed the convention who had thrown many stones at priests in the Catholic church. He who is without sin throw the first stone. [Jn 8:7]

We are producing lukewarm, hypocritical, weak, and failing people in the church. Many have fallen to sin and brought shame on Jesus and His bride. The effects of sin are devastating. Sin does not just affect the sinner. It impacts a far broader scope than just the offender. 

What does the church do? Shames. Scorns. Judges. Ostracizes. I wonder what all the rock chunkers are hiding in their own personal lives. We are willing to scrutinize sin in others while turning a blind eye to our own sin. As long as we shine the spotlight on others sins we can divert attention from our own transgressions. 

I take sin seriously. I have seen several of my heroes fall. Beloved pastors and authors. Chrisitan musical artists. Worship leaders. Youth pastors. Deacons. Sins like drug addiction, sexual abuse, fraud, greed, and adultery are far too common. We are desensitized to it. It happens so frequently that we barely even take notice anymore. 

Not me. I see it. I grieve over it. Sometimes I get nauseated over sins in my own life as well as the lives of others. After three decades as a pastor nothing surprises me anymore. I know anyone is capable of sinning and shaming Jesus and His church. I know far more than I ever wanted to know over the years. There are many secrets I will take to my grave. Confessions of sin that were gut wrenching to hear from repentant people. 

It is time to take sin seriously. Truthfully it is past time. It is time to take a stand. To stand firm against the constant assault on children, teens, and adults. How? Many will justify that our churches are doing enough. Sermons are preached. Bible studies are offered. I am telling you it is not enough. If it were, we would not see so many fall. We need to do more to stand firm. 

I often hear a word thrown around casually in church circles. It is the word accountability. Who really holds you accountable to live right? Parents. Siblings. Friends. Church members. 

I got a call from a 72 year old friend I had not talked to in years this week. He is everything that I am not. He has a doctorate. He has served in large churches, is well connected, is a great leader, and diplomatic. The fact that our paths crossed two decades ago is amazing. We both had a common friend. That friend initiated the three of us meet weekly for an accountability group. Trust had to be earned. Overtime no sin was off limits. We asked each other hard questions week after week. We wept together. Prayed together. Consoled and counseled one another. We also confessed sins to one another. I knew weekly that on Wednesday mornings I would meet with these two friends, and they would stare me in the eye and ask me if I had lustful thoughts, if I had put myself in a compromising situation with another woman, if I had sinned in other ways like not being diligent in my devotions, and if I had lied about my answers to those questions. Sometimes those meetings got heated. Sometimes we came with our pity parties. That was not tolerated very often. I still remember a day when one of us was whining and another said emphatically, "In light of the cross so what? Compared to what Jesus suffered so what about what you are suffering?" That was a sobering moment. 

In time each of us moved to different ministries. One lives in Richardson, TX. Another lives in Hammond, LA. I am in Weatherford. I have not experienced anything like that since 2009. I need it. I crave that closeness with people you can bare your soul to without fear of condemnation.  I still talk to others on the phone, but it is not the same as sitting in the same room with them. I need people who will tell me the hard things that I don't always want to hear. I think we all do. 

That is one practical way for the church to stand firm. To truly connect with other people who really know you. In many churches we do not know one another. We do not know the condition of other people's souls. We know about people. On rare occasions do we really know people. Who makes sure you are standing firm in resisting sin? I know God does. Who else? Who do you really let inside your protective wall to keep up your image? Who can you really talk to about your struggle with sin? Pride goes before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction. Take heed lest you fall. God is opposed to the proud. 

Because so many refuse to be held accountable, I am convinced the church does not take sin that seriously. I can show you verses in the Bible very few people practice. There is a reason. We want to keep up the charade. Pretend we are better than we really are. While we do this, another one falls. 

James 5:16 (NASB)
¹⁶  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

 Ephesians 6:13 (NASB)

¹³  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.