My (lengthy) thoughts on Steve Lawson.
To the best of my memory, I have never spoken with Steve Lawson nor had my picture taken with him. I very rarely was in an audience when he was the speaker. It has been several years, even, since I consulted any of his work in the course of my ministry.
So yesterday’s news about his dismissal from Trinity Bible Church of Dallas due to “an inappropriate relationship” with a woman did not hit me personally in the way that it did many of you.
I briefly debated whether to make this post, but since I think it may help the people of God process the news, I now proceed.
The primary question for which I want to give some perspective is: “How does a prominent Bible teacher DO that? How could he preach the Word, by outward appearances with power, in the midst of such sin and compromise?”
It is a difficult question and one that is not easy to answer to the satisfaction of those who feel betrayed and hurt.
Without much expansion, let me offer you five principles to consider.
1. Exercising a Spiritual Gift is Not the Same as Growing in Sanctification
I’ll stipulate, for the purpose of this discussion anyway, that SL has been a gifted Bible teacher. He wouldn’t have reached the prominence in so many Christian teaching ministries otherwise. But my dear friends, Scripture plainly teaches us not to confuse gifting with sanctification from sin.
You need look no further than the church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 12-14. They had spiritual gifts, including speaking gifts, but Paul had to correct them for the carnal and ungodly way that they exercised them.
2. Exercising a Spiritual Gift Is Not the Same as Fearing God
Yes, this one hurts. But in my opinion the fear of God is largely lost on the modern church with devastating consequences. Scripture plainly says:
“By the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.” (Proverbs 16:6)
Do you see a man—any man—who is walking in sin? No matter the outward appearance, somewhere in his life he has forsaken the fear of the Lord.
3. You Can Fool All of the People Some of the Time
This worldly maxim has a biblical counterpart. Judas was a traitor and a thief in the inner circle of Jesus, but none of the eleven suspected him. When Jesus said, “One of you will betray me,” they didn’t all look at Judas as the culprit. With broken hearts they entertained the possibility, “Lord, is it I?
Only in retrospect did they see Judas for who he was. He had fooled them all.
So I do not fault those who were close to Steve Lawson for not seeing this sooner. Their trust was broken. Rather, I commend them for taking public action when it became known to them.
4. Scripture Must Be Joined with Faith and Obedience
Now I turn from Steve Lawson to the outwardly professing church of God. Rather than speculate about how a man could do this, the biblical perspective is to turn humbly to self-examination:
12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:12-13)
Satan, sin, and even our very selves are deceptive and subject to deception. A man thinks he will never fall, or that he will not be exposed when he does, or that the thrill is worth it. Whatever. Lies, every one of them.
It’s not without reason that Scripture says:
For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. (Hebrews 2:1)
Do you see a fallen leader? Okay. Next question. What unconfessed sin is in your life? There’s your focus going forward.
5. Let the Mockers Be Warned
The usual suspects will chortle over the news. Sinners will be emboldened to dismiss the gospel; others are already smearing other prominent Christians by their association with Steve Lawson. Such is inevitable, but still I must warn them: let you enemies of the truth hold your tongues:
17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18 Or the LORD will see it and be displeased, and turn His anger away from him. (Proverbs 24:17).
It is a true wretch who can gloat over this news when it greatly hurts and hinders so many lives, families, churches, and institutions. Indeed, I’m not unmindful that the mud splashes onto all biblical pastors by casting unfounded suspicion on them.
The Lord sees it all, and it kindles His wrath when you boast over a fallen one.
Conclusion
This is a time of chastening for the church, but not a time for despair. Christ, the Head of the Church, still reigns and will never forsake us. His Word tells us enough to have perspective to go forward in the battle.
I am sad, frustrated, and even angry at this news. Many innocent people are harmed and betrayed. The dear gospel of Christ is exposed to ridicule due to the sin of one who was supposedly one of its champions.
That’s not okay.
But as for me and my house, our faith and hope are in Christ, and were never in any man—certainly not this man. So I plan to keep walking forward with confidence in the risen Lord and make my path to the celestial city to come.
I invite you to do the same.
