-Pastor Robbie Cheuvront
In the last few weeks, I’ve come across several articles or blogs centered on chastising Christians for standing up for what we know is right. Just recently, I read a post by someone who listed six things that Christians should stop saying. The number one thing on that list was that we should stop saying the Bible is inerrant. Are you kidding me! As if that weren’t bad enough, (and this author claims to be a Christian) he proposes that we stop saying Christ is the only way to salvation. He offers up some seriously demented exposition of the Gospel of John, twisting Christ’s words around in an effort to justify his statement.
Then, there’s Tebow. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Tim just as much as the next football junkie. But I believe the boy wonder missed it when he turned down the opportunity to speak at a church (after already committing), because he caught flack from the mainstream media, stating the church was overly conservative and held a narrow-minded view of Christianity. For those of you who do not know what that translates to, let me explain: quite simply (typically) it means that the church is probably sound in its doctrine and doesn’t back down from calling out sin. Now I must give a disclaimer to this point I’ve made. I am NOT intimately familiar with this particular church. But what I read, concerning Tebow’s commitment, and the basics of the church where he was to speak, this was the case.
Regardless, the point is this: we have slowly become a society that diminishes the authority of God’s Word. And here’s what’s funny about that statement. We cannot diminish the authority of God’s Word. It is (whether we choose to acknowledge it or not) the supreme authority over the universe. Period! Paul warns us that there will be those who accumulate for themselves teachers who will speak what their itching ears want to hear. We should be warned, friends. This is happening in our midst even now. When professed Christians stand in public and proclaim that Jesus was not saying He was the only way to the Father, or when we dismiss sin because it is no longer socially acceptable to do so, we become cowards, not enlightened. Dr. John Piper stated it best when he said (and I’m summarizing here) that to claim that we cannot hold God’s word as inerrant and fully authoritative, because it makes us arrogant to say that, actually does the opposite. It makes us arrogant to assume that we have a right to diminish God’s Word and propose that, to submit to it, is being narrow minded. Rather, we are being truly humble when we place God’s Word above us and submit ourselves under His authority, saying, You, oh God, are the righteous one. I am subservient to Your authority, not my own.
Now, I’m not niave. I know that God has determined all things, and all things work according to His perfect plan and will. And I know that He is bringing all things to their rightful end. But that doesn’t excuse us from just sitting idly by, while there are those who would seek to undermine the radical grace that has saved those who are found in Christ. We have been given a charge by our Savior. GO! Make disciples, teaching them ALL He has commanded. This means that we are to be BOLD in our faith. That we are to stand up to the heresy being brought against our God in this time.
We would do well to heed the words of our brother Paul and take up our armor. He has warned us that this war we wage is not just against the rulers of this world, but of the principalities of the darkness. We are more than conquerors in Christ.
Let it not be said of us that we were Cowards for Christ!
-Robbie Cheuvront