Keep Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Nearly 25 years ago, the ARP church sponsored a minister's retreat at Bonclarken. Dr. Harry Reeder was brought in to speak, and he drew on the lives of great Christian soldiers, such as Thomas Jackson and Joshua Chamberlain. He made an important statement that has stuck with me through the years. He said, “Make sure that your heroes are dead, that way they will not disappoint you.” His point was to make sure that these men and women had finished the race and done so well. Of course, even then, new historical research could expose some previously unknown issues.
I think, in general, we must be careful when looking to people as examples and heroes of the faith. I wonder how many lives have been shipwrecked because they focused on a theologian, pastor, leader, or friend as their great example of a Christian, only to see that person fall into grievous sin. The Bible is clear that we are not to put our hope in men. Isaiah 2:22 states: “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he? In Jeremiah 17, the prophet says that the man who trusts in man is cursed, but the man who trusts in the Lord is blessed.
In recent years, we have seen many prominent men fall into great and public sin. Most recently, Phillip Yancy, a popular Christian writer, admitted to an 8-year affair. But it is not just the popular and famous. In the church of my youth, there was a man who was held up as an example of a fine Christian, but it was discovered that he had been having an affair for years and had left his sick wife for his mistress.
For me, this reminds me that the anchor of our faith must not be rooted in our heroes, our mentors, or friends in the faith. It should not be based on men, even if they are historical or contemporary figures of significance. No, we should always be looking to Christ. Here is the one person who will never fail you or betray you.
In our world of rock-and-roll theologians, the church has developed a culture of fame that can mirror the world’s culture too closely. I think about how disappointed I have been with the people I have watched and followed in the world, from politicians to cooking show personalities. Even in the church, we have seen too many famous and not-so-famous men fall into sexual sin. We have seen men abandon their vows and embrace schism to protect predators. Sometimes it is even the inaction of some in the face of sin. This is why it is important that we keep our focus on Jesus. Knowing that even great men can and too often do fail us, but that Jesus never will. Jesus is faithful even when many men stumble and fall. So do not be surprised when people fall, pray for your leaders who are out front in the faith that they will not fall. But know that the one man who is perfectly faithful is Jesus, keep your eyes upon Him and do not let any man have the place He should have in your life.
