The Noise of Dissidence

So by now I’m guessing you have heard of the John MacArthur YouTube video making its way around Facebook and so many blogs. It’s a recording of an interview, when he was asked for a word association on the name Beth Moore, and responded, “Go home.” He and those on stage with him made some pretty disparaging remarks in those few minutes about women in ministry and even one on minorities doing Bible translation work (“How about people who know Greek or Hebrew?”) Most outrageous of all was the audience response, roaring with laughter and hearty applause.

All in all, it’s just a sad representation of the Church, of committed Christians who disappointingly went for the laugh over speaking in the right spirit over a doctrinal issue.

Deeply offending. But as upsetting as it was, I’m not sorry I watched it, in retrospect, because the Lord spoke to me through that negative example.

You see, I’m working on a book which is a study on all of the Bible passages that deal with women’s role. It’s the result of a journey I have been traveling for quite some time.

About 12 years ago, just as I was graduating from seminary, the elders at New Hope Chapel approached me about becoming a member of our pulpit team. 1 Timothy 2:12 rang in my head at once: “I do not allow a woman to teach.” I knew I needed to get to the bottom of that and other passages that have traditionally been thought to limit women. Because I did not want to assent to something God did not want me to do.

What grew into years of study yielded an absolute conviction that God’s Word has been largely misunderstood on the matter. Now I am finally writing about it.

Early on in this project, the Lord impressed on me that I was not to write in bitterness or anger. I was to simply show from Scripture God’s value and purpose for women. To note what the Bible says…and notice what it does not. I was not to sit as judge on any negative past experiences with brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter what was said or done. I knew in my heart that their actions were a result of their understanding of God’s Word. They were just trying to do what they thought the Bible says. I get it.

Furthermore, while the women’s issue might be controversial for the Church, the Law of Christ is not. No one has to struggle to correctly understand Jesus’ command to His disciples in John 15:12: “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” Earlier, He’d told them that anyone, even the heathen, could love someone who agreed with them. What He wanted from His followers was unity despite differences.

Why was unity such a big deal? Jesus revealed that in a prayer: that His disciples would “all be one…so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”(John 17:21 NASB)

The prime evidence of Jesus’ deity to the unbelieving world would be in how His disciples treated each other.

Because to love in spite of differences takes supernatural power. God’s power.  When employed, this will easily be recognized as something out of the ordinary.

Paul talked about the importance of treating each other with love in 1 Corinthians 13. No matter how correct we might be in our doctrine, if we don’t speak in love, all people will hear is a noisy gong. Dissonant, ear-splitting noise. Not exactly an effective instrument to deliver the truth of God.

I wonder what Paul would have included in 1 Corinthians 13, had he lived in the 21st century. I have a feeling he might have written something like this:

If I have great knowledge of theology and doctrine, gained through many years of formal training and personal study, but do not speak in love, I am nothing but a clanging cymbal.

If my spiritual gift is preaching, and my sermons are nationally broadcast, but have not love, I am nothing.

And if I am admired and greatly respected for my clever writing or persuasive ability, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Every one of those accomplishments will someday be burned away as chaff, because they were missing love.

This week was a strong reminder to all believers: we are members of the same team, playing for same kingdom, representing the same Lord. No matter what our differences, it will never honor God to throw any of our teammates under the bus.

We have been commanded to stand shoulder to shoulder in a united front. We are not to act on our own agenda, but only for the gospel of Christ.

I’ve asked several friends to hold me accountable to that as I write this book. It’s an easy mistake to make, to get caught up in the passion of your subject despite the possible wounding of others. But should I fail to resist, it will render my work unusable for the Kingdom of God.

And for goodness’ sake, what am I writing for?

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same…Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful…and you will be sons of the Most High.  Luke 6: 32-36 NASB