by
Voyle A. Glover
I’ve lived long enough to have seen it all, so I’m not shocked anymore when I hear of men who are revered as “men of God” suddenly being accused of ungodly acts that even those without Christ abhor.
But it still troubles me. Perhaps more troubling is the underlying causes that I see which are very formula-like and being repeated, indeed, being replicated as though they were a formula for success. There is a definite pattern in virtually all of the instances of moral failure amongst men who stood in an elevated position amongst us, and fell into deep sin.
I’ve not looked too closely at those outside the Baptist circles, other than a few of the more prominent failures, i.e., Swaggart and Baker (who fit the “formula” perfectly). But in Baptist circles, particularly Independent Fundamental Baptists, there is a definite pattern that exists. I see the following in virtually every case where a pastor or leader has fallen into immorality and subsequent disgrace:
1. Failure to understand Leadership
Again and again, these leaders fail to understand the role of leadership and even if they do grasp some elements of it, they misapply the principles of leadership within their role as pastor. Almost all of those leaders who succumbed to moral temptations perceived themselves as being in a role akin to the Chairman of the Board, or CEO of a large corporation. Men in such secular positions wield enormous power, and subordinates are typically unable to question the motives or the decisions of the CEO of a large corporation. In some corporations, the CEO becomes powerful enough to control the Board of Directors, and exercises almost total control which only diminishes when the corporation hits bad times as a result of poor decisions.
As a result of such a perception held by these pastors, they become lifted up within, feeling that because of their role as a leader, God has surely chosen them over their brethren, which, translated, comes out something like this: “I’m pretty special in God’s eyes, else I wouldn’t be here, and I must be better than those folk who sit under me, else they would be here.”
Now, this is not something that would ever be articulated by any one of them, but that’s the gist of the pride that swells the heart of such men.
Sadly, the people often cooperate in elevating and promoting this CEO role and this “he’s more special” notion. They misunderstand and misapply (as do many pastors) the admonition to give honor, even “double” honor to the servants of God.
2. Failure to understand Servant-hood
None of these men truly comprehend that their role is that of a servant, not a leader. Their ideas of leadership do not encompass the principles laid down by Jesus in his actions and words. God took the role of a servant. We are to emulate Christ, ergo, we’re to assume the role of a servant.“But Jesus called them, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. (26) But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; (27) And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: (28) Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Matt. 20:25-28 .
Men who get lifted up with pride will always stumble because they have moved themselves into a state of being which God hates and which they also should hate. “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Prov. 8:13). Their shame comes as a result of their pride (Prov. 11:2) and their fall and destruction follows in the wake of that pride (Prov. 16:18). Like Samson of old, they wist not that the Lord has distanced Himself from them (Psa. 138:6).
Men who’ve grown in fame and have position are often tempted by pride and many speak proud, boastful words in their effort to flatter God with their lips and show the people how they have aligned themselves with God. They are oblivious to the bright sheen of pride upon their face which is so visible to the humble, and being ignorant of their sin, they fail to see the position in which they have placed themselves. “The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:” (Psa 12:3).
3. Failure to understand the nature and duration of their depravity
Every one of these men who have fallen into immorality failed to appreciate their true nature, and came to believe, in time, that because they were working for God in such a high-prestige position, they were not possessed of the same grotesque flesh they had when they were first brought into the family of God as children of God (John 3:6.). Flesh does not suddenly become different upon salvation, but is corrupt, and is so until our death, and is unprofitable (John 6:63). “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Rom 7:18). Paul says very clearly that there is simply no way he can, by the flesh, make the flesh behave in a good fashion. It is beyond his ability. The flesh is bound to the law of sin and thus, bound to sin. (Rom. 7:23-25).
Men who fall into immorality never learned to fear their flesh, never learned that its corruption never leaves, and their "sanctified flesh," does not respect the power, position nor office of pastor. Pastors who feel that because of their position and long years with God, they have gotten rid of the flesh, or have somehow conquered the flesh, are in a very dangerous state of mind.
4. Failure to comprehend the power of God
None of these men ever came to grasp the truth that Paul learned as he expressed in 2 Cor. 7:12-10. Paul learned that God can weaken the grasp of the flesh upon a servant, and that in weakness, the strength and power of God is manifested. He learned that the key to being strong was found in the weakness God permitted to come to his flesh. As he said so aptly, “...for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (1 Cor. 7:10(b)). It is when men properly view their flesh as a weakness, not a strength, that they will begin to understand that it is only through the power of Christ that they can overcome that weakness and be strong. When these leaders understand that at their best, they are weakness personified, then they can learn reliance on God's strength to keep them from falling, and not their "magnificent" will power, or "super holiness" developed from years of living for Jesus.
5. Failure to walk in the Spirit
Every moral failure is caused by a failure to walk by the power of God, or as the Scripture says, to “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16). Pastors and leaders who molest children, commit adultery, watch pornography, and engage in other immoral acts, have reverted to walking in the flesh. And it is axiomatic that those who walk in the flesh will do the deeds of the flesh, or put more simply: flesh produces flesh. It cannot produce a spiritual product. When you see the deeds of flesh, know that the man who did those deeds was not only being ungodly, he was not walking with God, and was trusting in his flesh and not Christ.
Conclusion
Men who ascend to position and power must comprehend that they are not somehow better than any other man. They still have flesh that will betray them. They still can be slain by pride and lust. Unless they come to understand the five principles discussed in here, they will eventually stumble and fall. Some of them will fall spectacularly. Some will fail so miserably that their lives and ministries will be a shambles to the day they die.
When we hear of such failures, know that these are the underlying causes for those failures. There is no excuse of a “poor childhood,” or “being abused as a child,” or any other excuse. It really does boil down to those five things. God has given us the power to defeat the flesh, through His Spirit.
Christ is our only hope of escape from the betrayal of the flesh.
Would God pastors would learn these lessons before they veer off into the shoals of life and become the proverbial “castaway” Paul was concerned about becoming himself in wrote about 1 Cor. 9:27: “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (1 Cor. 9:27).
I fear though, we will continue to see men swept overboard and marooned all of their lives on a fruitless isle somewhere, lamenting their fate as a castaway, probably not even comprehending how it all happened, blaming it on Satan, circumstances, and perhaps even blaming God.
But God is not in the business of ruining good works and destroying fruitful ministries.
He is, however, in the business of granting sufficient grace to perform good works (2 Cor. 9:8) and to provide grace to help protect and preserve those good works, for is there not a need to protect and preserve good works?. (Heb. 4:16).
May we fervently petition the throne of grace for the protection and preservation of those good works and ministries that find themselves foundering because of the failure of a leader.
The End
Readers of this piece also were interested in the following:
Silence of the Lambs
Why Do Fools Fall in Lust?Copyright 2006 - Voyle A. Glover
