Doug Van Pelt

"Oh yeah?! I bet you're addicted to porn, buddy!"

That's the kind of attitude I want to shoot back at some legalistic/judgmental people I come across. You might know the kind of person I'm talking about: the kind of "Christian" that seems to stake their identity in the things that they are against (as opposed to staking their identity in the things that they are for ... or better yet, in the simplicity of Christ).

A dear friend of mine sent me a link to an anti-rock guy. A "minister" that is telling parents to "clean house" and get rid of all forms of rock music. Puh-leeze! This guy bases his arguments upon his interpretation of Scripture. He is fine to have his own conclusions, and he's even allowed to teach and preach this stuff. But I wonder how helpful he is to the body of Christ. Is he really edifying people? I guess it's good to focus on what we're putting into our heads via music, entertainment, media, etc. Whether it's gossipy friends, over-indulging in sports or entertainment trivia, or steamy movies or music with a "pro-sin" message -- it's healthy to ask this question every now and then. But to base your entire focus -- day in and day out -- I think that's way out of balance. Loving God and others can surely keep us busy enough to keep us growing in Christ. Our "personal holiness" is likely to fall into place as we walk forward in this kind of lifestyle. A healthy diet of reading the Word, prayer, and fellowship will offer inner strength and a purity of heart that's probably a lot more real and long-lasting than the energy of focusing on feeding yourself with the right entertainment and not the wrong. The best believer in Christ, in my opinion, is the one that is constantly growing and learning to make decisions on his or her own -- not having to lean on a trusted preacher/teacher or friend. I think that's part of maturing.

I think it's kind of immature in a false security / crutch sort of way when we rely on someone else's "list" of what's good and what's bad. I believe our conscience can be our guide ... and this conscience can both get seared and get trained in "right thinking" or "correct decision-making." Our conscience gets submitted to the Lord and our decisions become based on wisdom, biblical principles, and our own convictions on "grey areas" become easy to make. We're not bothered so much by someone raising a fuss over this and that.

It kind of sickens me to see a so-called "minister" put a big message that says "Boycott so & so's Teen Mania..." The people behind Teen Mania spend time fasting and in prayer, walking around a facility before meetings, asking God to use the upcoming event, soften people's hearts, change lives, do miracles, expand His kingdom. And here's a hothead asking other believers to boycott these events. Doesn't that seem silly to you? I get mad at people like this.

I think I'm justified in my anger, because Paul the apostle clearly called out some damaging so-called ministers in his day. He called them "dogs" and he let his anger as a shepherd over the people he was trying to disciple and lead towards Christ ... he got defensive when someone else came in and damaged the "flock" under his care. I think maybe it's right to stand up and "call a spade a spade," so to speak. Pointing out a false teacher probably should be done forcefully and without apology.

But I may be wrong. What if Paul the apostle responded to these people in a way that wasn't God's will? What if the attitude of Jesus, which might possibly be explained in saying: "Never respond back to someone in the same (negative) spirit/attitude, but instead respond back to hate/anger/judgment in the opposite spirit/attitude ... of love." Paul certainly wasn't sinless. He wasn't our Savior. He was a sinful man like we are. His letters to various churches and men he discpled, like Timothy, are considered Scripture, though. I definitely believe that his letters are God-breathed and inspired by the Holy Spirit, but could his attitude have been wrong? Could his mistakes (like the mistakes the people of Israel made in the Old Testament, which Scripture says are there for "our instruction") be written in his letters for "our instruction?" Hmmm. Maybe so. Maybe Jesus would have wanted Paul to keep a gentle approach to this situation (of Judiazers coming in and stirring up young believers to get circumcized and follow the law after coming to faith in Christ).

It's good to stop and ponder this, perhaps. I think the conclusion to the question is probably "No," though. Even Jesus responded in fierce anger like Paul did. It was both aimed at pretty much the same group of people: religious leaders that beat their people up and try to get them to carry unnecessary loads.

Maybe if I take my anger too far and try to throw suspicion on these teachers by implying that they may be perverts or porn addicts or worse themselves. Sometimes people preach loudly and fiercely as a way to compensate for some bondage in their own life. That's not always true, though. I stood up and proclaimed some pretty bold stuff with my band Lust Control and I wasn't secretly in bondage to sexual sin. By the grace of God I was living above those sins and in freedom from them. If I had to correctly judge my sermons on stage as that band leader, though, I am happy to realize that our messages were steeped in grace. Maybe that's the difference: Addressing sin can be a raving rant, where one might question the vehemence with which it is being delivered; and/or it can also be delivered with bold humility and grace. I hope (and am pretty confident that, by His grace), that's how I did it.

I went on a tangent there, but my attitude of anger might be justified; but I bet you that I'm stepping over the line if I accuse such and such a person -- even with just the bold question/implication I hinted at. That's probably wrong. I don't have to agree with a teaching. I can oppose a teaching. I can even get angry about a teaching, but I can also stay grounded in grace and humility at the same time. I don't need to use a license to be angry as a license to "step over the line..."

What do you think?

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at September 11, 2007 01:18 PM