The internet is aflame with commentary on the recent revelation of the removal of Dr. Steve Lawson as pastor of Trinity Bible Church of Dallas due to an “inappropriate relationship.” The statement from the elders declares in part that they were “informed by Steve Lawson” of the issue. The details are sketchy, and I hope the elders will provide more clarity soon.
The elders’ statement includes the warning that we should all “be mindful of the words of 1 Corinthians 10:12, ‘Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.’” Indeed, a wise warning, particularly to those of us entrusted with the sacred duty of preaching God’s Word to His people.
Let me say in unambiguous terms that the revelation of this situation is heartbreaking. Dr. Lawson has a wide influence in the church at large and this has brought reproach on himself, his family, his church, and most importantly the cause of Christ. Forgiveness is available and can be received on the genuine repentance of the guilty individuals. Prayers for Dr. Lawson and his family are most appropriate. It should be our desire to see him fully restored in his relationship with Christ and with his wife and family. I pray this will be so and that the conviction of the Holy Spirit will be received and properly responded to. Restoration to the ministry is another matter.
Some seem to forget that sexual sin takes two. In the moral morass of the “MeToo” movement, the assumptions made often place the woman in an automatic “not guilty” position. This is unwise. The Lord was clear in his condemnation of sexual sin and left no doubt about the guilt of a woman when she is a willing participant (John 8:1-12). Our prayers should certainly extend to the woman, for her repentance and full restoration to fellowship with the Lord, her family, and her church.
The intent of this piece is not to throw stones but rather to act in the spirit of Galatians 6:1-3, as we must “consider ourselves lest we also be tempted.” It is more of an earnest plea to my fellow pastors and the church at large to guard yourselves against this subtle and dangerous temptation and to take the appropriate steps of church discipline when such events do arise.
The Ease of Repentance When You Are Caught
It seems to me that many of these circumstances, far too frequent in evangelicalism, bring out a crowd that is quick to call for the restoration of one so entangled and ensnared. There are some sins that disqualify one from pastoral ministry. An excellent article on the subject by Dr. John MacArthur speaks clearly to this issue:
Where did we get the idea that a year’s leave of absence and some counseling can restore integrity to someone who has squandered his reputation and destroyed people’s trust? Certainly not from the Bible. Trust forfeited is not so easily regained. Once purity is sacrificed, the ability to lead by example is lost forever. As my friend Chuck Swindoll once commented when referring to this issue—it takes only one pin to burst a balloon.
What about forgiveness? Shouldn’t we be eager to restore our fallen brethren? To fellowship, yes. But not to leadership. It is not an act of love to return a disqualified man to public ministry; it is an act of disobedience. [1]
Repentance is key a component of the doctrine of salvation and a necessary element of the forgiveness being sought in this situation. Repentance should be a continual, daily process for the child of God, in our efforts to keep short accounts with God. But it seems to me that many are quicker to repent when they are caught or about to be exposed. The genuineness of repentance can be more effectively identified when confession precedes exposure. Whether this is the case with Dr. Lawson or not is not the point. It seems to me that in most cases involving sexual sin among ministry leaders it catches up with them and the charade begins to unravel. Honestly, they are left with little option other than saying they are repentant. The problem is that there is no quick way to ascertain the authenticity of that kind of repentance.
The genuineness of repentance must be examined over time. When the sin is egregious, as in the current case, it seems that a significant time frame coupled with submission to biblical authority and counseling is necessary. Godly sorrow is observed over a carefully guarded and long period of time. The evidence will surface in the form of diligence, a cleared conscience, indignation toward sin, the fear of God, a heart for God, a hunger to serve, and no further compromise with sin (cf. 2 Cor. 7:1-12).
Sadly, many in the church today, including far too many in leadership roles, have confused forgiveness and consequence. They are not the same! Forgiveness is readily available in Jesus, but forgiveness does not eradicate consequence. In the realm of sexual immorality, no one would argue that David remains unforgiven for his sin with Bathsheba. Despite that, the consequences of his actions are a matter of biblical record.
Can Dr. Lawson be forgiven? Most decidedly! But disqualification from the pastorate is not a matter of forgiveness, it is a consequence of sexual immorality. I may be accused of many different things for saying so, especially publicly. It is not judgmental. It is not harsh. It is not vindictive. It is not mean-spirited. It is consequential. We are generally good at teaching our children that actions have consequences. We should be no less vigilant here.
The Exhaustive Search for the Illusive “Inappropriate Relationship” in Scripture
I have long believed that the use of biblical terminology serves us best. I have searched in vain for scriptural support for “inappropriate relationships.” While such a thing may exist from a human perspective I find no scriptural support for the term. Using such unbiblical terminology only serves to minimize the reality of the impact of the sinful betrayal of trust on numerous levels. What we do find in Scripture are sinful relationships (David, Samson, Solomon), adulterous relationships (the Woman in John 8, Absalom, Lot’s daughters, the man in 1 Corinthians 5), and certainly the full condemnation of sexual immorality of any kind (Rom. 1; 1 Cor. 6 and others).
Instead of referring to a sexual liaison between consenting adults who are married but not to each other as an “affair” we should call it what God calls it, “adultery.” Instead of saying two unmarried singles had a “fling” or are “just living together” (as if that were not a problem in and of itself) maybe we should call it “fornication,” or at the very least “sexual immorality.” Perhaps we should consider Jesus’ own definition of adultery in the Sermon on the Mount, “whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28). I trust that the point has been made that attempting to lessen the severity of sin by renaming it to be more palatable in modern society is an ill-fated attempt at cultural relevancy.
I want to pause here to add what Jesus did not say. He did not say to the woman taken in adultery, “Well, that was an inappropriate relationship.” Not at all, He said, “Go and sin no more.” He was gracious with her, of course, but He did not excuse her sin or use terminology intended to make it less offensive. To the woman at the well (John 4) Jesus did not say, “You are living in an inappropriate relationship, and you have a history of inappropriate relationships.”
It is more loving for us to call sin what it really is and to encourage people to repent and live for the glory of the Lord, than it is for us to use softer worldly terms which only serve to muddle the issues and make sin seem less odious and deceptive than it is.
It’s Not as Bad as You Think
Yes, it is! It’s worse than most people think. Sexual sin is a serious problem in the modern church. It is worse when committed by those who are entrusted with the spiritual care of God’s flock (1 Tim. 5:17-20; Jam. 3:1). When church leaders or church congregations try to play it down, mitigate it, cover it up, and then as soon as possible move on as if nothing ever happened, a great disservice is done to the Lord and His precious Bride, the Church.
It was distressing to say the least, to hear of Dr. Lawson’s comments in his last message before the revelation of this dire situation of betrayal. Ministry Watch reported the following:
In his last sermon at Trinity on Sunday, Sept. 15, “Defining True Greatness,” Lawson preached: “You should not judge a man by his one weak moment. You need to look at the whole body of his work. You need to look at his whole message. You need to look at his whole ministry and don’t judge him on one hiccup that happens. [2]
The timing is particularly bad in this case. In theory, I agree with Dr. Lawson’s overall point. There are no perfect men in the pastoral calling, and we’ve all made “mistakes,” “hiccups” if you will. But adultery committed several decades deep after a call to public ministry is not a mistake nor a hiccup. It is an egregious sin and a serious betrayal of trust. Pastors are called to higher standards. The only way to live above the fray is to keep short accounts with God.
I have seen some on social media decrying the quoting of things Dr. Lawson said. Whatever he said that was true at the time is still true! Anything he said that was biblically correct will always be correct. But I understand that he has tarnished his widespread and greatly effective ministry by committing this sin. However, we still read the Psalms even though David was guilty of some very serious sins. Let us pray that the warning will save other pastors from this grievous error.
Let us remember the Lord’s promise in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
