Scandals, Christian Role Models and You (Me)
Hey guys, so, just as I promised a couple of people two weeks back, here’s another medium post.
“Scandals, Christian Role Models and You (Me)”.
You must be wondering where I’m going with this, some of you may have even guessed right. Kudos!
So, if you know me, you know I’m a Christian. Not just by name, no. I’m actually a bible-believing, God-seeking, Jesus following, Holy Spirit-led Christian. Now that we have that out of the way, I can proceed knowing fully well that you understand what and who forms my thoughts and opinions.
Let’s start by defining what a scandal is. A scandal is…
“an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage.”
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English describes it as
“an event in which someone, especially someone important, behaves in a bad way that shocks people”.
That said, I believe we can all agree that people who are held in high regard by the public are usually those who have scandals, because what makes it a scandal is that you did something bad that a lot of people expected you to be better than, because of the important position you occupy either in the society or in their minds which represents some sort of moral or legal standing.
Alright.
Scandals keep coming up daily. This one did that, that one did this, and it goes on and on. Some people show their disapproval, others defend. It’s sometimes just really interesting to watch, I’ll say why soon, walk with me.
Let’s look at the church for a minute. Can you think of a couple of scandals you’ve heard of, either in your youth fellowship, your local assembly or some other “big” church or ministry? I’m sure you can. So we can all agree that scandals are not something we as a church do not experience, right? Right.
A recent scandal got me thinking, I know you probably know the one I’m talking about 😉 but I won't call any names. The response of a lot of believers got me thinking even harder. As I mentioned earlier, some would show their disapproval and some would defend, both parties probably on two extremes and probably wrong. While some said the said “Man of God” was never in Christ because someone in Christ wouldn’t do something like that, the others said his bad deeds could be excused when you place it side by side to the exploits he had done for the kingdom. I’m sha not here to talk about who’s wrong or right I’m here to talk about you.
Have you ever been in a situation where the person involved in the scandal was someone you really looked up to in the faith? Probably, it was someone close or someone far out of reach. Remember how disappointed you felt? Some of you probably had your faith shaken and you began to think “if [insert Man of God’s name] can fall like this, then who am I?”. I understand, I’ve been there but I know better now. So I’ll ask you the questions that helped me know better.
Why?
Why should someone else’s fall lead to your own faith shaking?
Why should you put it beyond that person to fall and make mistakes?
Did they save you?
Are they not also in their walk of faith just as you are in yours? So why do you think they cannot make mistakes?
Why?
Why are you making excuses for their bad deeds trying to justify them by the “good things” they’ve done?
Why are you defending this brother for the same thing you punished the other brother you didn’t like for?
Now you’re saying you don’t want to hear it, but when it was a Man of God you didn’t like you were the source of the gist. Lol, please.
The recent scandal in the church just revealed the hearts of a lot of us. That we are hypocrites & idolaters. How is it Christ-like that you’d want to throw one brother to the wolves for falling and shield the other because you like one and not the other? I’m not making this post to bring anyone down, no. I’m doing it so I can call you out, in case you’ve been ignoring the Holy Spirit’s voice. If someone does wrong, they are to own up to it and repent. That is between them to God. Our part is to rebuke and correct the wrong and pray that these people come to repentance as we go to God too to receive grace in our time of need.
Your relationship with God should not be tied to anybody. It is God’s exclusive relationship with you. We are all saved as individuals and not as a community. No one is saved by association. Everyone is called individually. If someone else’s fall shakes your faith, the right thing to do is to seek God more for yourself, so that you will know him for yourself. If you’ve been pointing fingers, there’s a plank in your eyes that only God can take out.
I saw everything happening with the body of Christ because of the scandal and it reminded me of 1 Corinthians 3 vs 4…
For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?
I had to check myself. Check those areas of my life where I’d not yielded to the Holy Spirit and then I asked for the grace that I may grow to a point where I’m completely yielded. My desire is to grow deeper and do better with every scandal I hear about or see.
1 Corinthians 3:21–23 (ESV): 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future — all are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
I pray for all who have been affected by any scandal whatsoever it may be, that the Holy Spirit’s conviction will yield great fruit as we yield. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I recommend that you read 1 Corinthians 3, the entire book.
Thanks for reading.
With Love,
Focus Kore.
