As a pastor, I pay close attention when I hear the news of another pastor dealing with depression, struggling with addiction, or falling into moral failure.
Unfortunately, the stories happen way too often.
The latest involves one of my spiritual “heros,” Ravi Zacharias.
Ravi passed away from cancer about eight months ago so it is particularly sad to hear about the increasing scandal that is being uncovered after his death. From all the mounting evidence, it seems that Ravi engaged in sexual misconduct at a level beyond a one-time mistake or questionable impropriety. It seems to have been an ongoing pattern…at least in the later stages of his life.
It is sobering…unsettling…disturbing.
How can a man who impacted so many thousands of lives for Christ…who seemed to have such a strong, solid faith…who appeared to have a vibrant, loving family…be caught up in such a sordid tale of sexual sin?
For those who know the stories of Scripture, you actually realize that it is not only a possibility but also a reality for many who otherwise lead a godly, moral life. Abraham and Hagar. Judah and Tamar. David and Bathsheba. Solomon and all of his concubines.
Many of the “heros” of the faith have their own skeletons in the closet.
So how do we process this as believers? Is it excusable? Is it proof that all of our moral codes are simply a scam? Is it a slight on the name of Christ?
No. No. And yes. To the last three questions.
Now on to how to process it.
1. No one is immune from sin.
If the stories of Scripture teach us nothing else, it is that everyone is a sinner…everyone is capable of moral failure…everyone needs grace. Being a pastor…or a Christian counselor…or an apologist…or a spiritual “hero”…does not give someone some kind of spiritual immunity from the battles of sin. Every day is a challenge to walk with Christ. Every day confronts us with temptations to engage in sin. Any day can be the day of a spiritual downfall. Scripture makes it clear:
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12)
The person most vulnerable to sin is not the broken man in the support group but the confident man sitting in the church pew thinking that he is okay.
As long as churches keep focusing on image and promoting a superficial spiritual veneer of self-sufficient righteousness, then these “shocking” stories of moral failure will continue to crop up.
2. No one is beyond the need of daily accountability.
Since any day can be the day of our spiritual downfall, then every day we need the mutual support, encouragement, and accountability of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)
Bottom line: We need one another.
No believer was designed to live the Christian life alone. No believer is strong enough to battle temptation alone. No believer will grow in character apart from the body of Christ.
I don’t know the details of Ravi’s personal walk with Christ but, from what I can tell, it seems like he operated in an insulated world of his own making. His international ministry became his “church” and his accountability was apparently limited. When you become a Christian “star,” you often operate in an orbit all your own. No one asks you the tough questions because it appears that you are impenetrable and beyond accountability.
How else can you explain how the leader of a worldwide ministry is apparently never confronted about his shared ownership of two massage parlors? Or questioned about his frequent visits there two or three times a week?
Sure. These things could be legitimate in certain circumstances, particularly when dealing with chronic physical pain as Ravi apparently did. But the optics don’t look good…and certainly someone in Ravi’s position should do everything possible to be above reproach.
Someone should have challenged him.
More importantly, Ravi should have asked to be challenged.
Apparently no one did…and apparently Ravi never asked.
3. Sexual sin is exponentially increasing in our sex-saturated society.
Sexual sin has always been around. It is nothing new. Scripture warns about it frequently.
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18)
In some sense, it is not surprising that Ravi…or any other person for that matter…falls into sexual sin. Our society practically encourages it. Advertises it. Expects it. Facilitates it. Flaunts it.
Sex is our culture’s drug of choice…and sex addiction is perhaps one of the most difficult to conquer.
That is why Scripture encourages us to “flee.” Sexual temptation is not something that can be dealt with lightly or with half-hearted resolve. Its tentacles reach far and wide and any lingering stare…additional click…late-night channel surfing…or smartphone app…has the potential to lead to a lifelong slide into deeper and deeper sin.
I don’t know when Ravi’s slide began but it is apparent that he gave in at some point, compromised his convictions, rationalized his choices, kept his battle a secret, fed his growing addiction, and found himself further down the road than he could have ever imagined.
It is a warning to us all.
To all who value sexual purity.
To all who strive to live above reproach.
To all who desire to remain faithful to their spouse.
To all who want the best of God’s design for sexual intimacy.
To all who long to glorify God and magnify the name of Christ.
4. It is time for the church to face its failures and live lives of vulnerable authenticity.
More than anything, Ravi’s story reminds me again that the church has to own its own failures. We are far too often guilty of self-righteousness, hypocrisy, moral superiority, and pride. We cannot expect to be messengers of good news when our own lives are a mess in the news…or when our own actions betray our words…or when our own sins blaspheme the name of Christ.
Scripture encourages us to judge ourselves not everyone else in the world.
For what business is it of mine to judge outsiders? Don’t you judge those who are inside?But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves. (1 Corinthians 5:12-13)
It seems that we often have this backwards. We often spend our time talking about how bad the world is and excusing our own failures and sins…rather than confronting our own sins and failures and seeking to love and give grace to those in the world.
It’s a sad commentary on the American church.
And I am not excusing myself.
I am part of this church.
Vulnerability begins with me.
Integrity begins with me.
Purity begins with me.
And honesty, humility, and accountability are essential for all of us.
And Lord willing, such an aroma of grace and truth spreads outward to those around us…who no longer smell the stench of scandal in our midst but catch a whiff of the life-giving fragrance of Christ.
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)
Well said!!!!! And none to soon. No church body anywhere escapes this issue.
Thank you Steve, for confronting this issue, speaking transparently and boldly about it.
I pray our church elders and every teacher/leader listen closely to your words of wisdom.
I am sorry to hear about Ravi’s passing and his spiritual battle. Although I haven’t heard him on the radio in a long time, his program was one I listened to often. No one is safe from Satan, who knows our weaknesses. We must remain on guard always and not assume we can’t be lured into sin.
Maybe we should memorize the following verses:
“And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.”
Romans 6:18-19 (NKJV)
Pastor Steve, I use to listen to Pastor Ravi on American Family Radio all the time and I knew that he had passed away, but I didn’t know about his covert sin until you wrote this posting. I am so shocked at this news. My heart breaks for him, that he was caught up in this, doing what he knew was wrong. How he must have struggled spiritually with this. My heart breaks for all of us who listened to his sermons and for American Family Radio.
Thank you for sharing. Great wisdom, as always. I was a follower of Ravi’s and I remember how my heart sank when I received the first email from RZIM about this. My first thoughts were the devastation for his wife and family and the heartache for our Lord. If I linger on the number of people in ministry who have succumbed to sexual sin, it becomes totally overwhelming. Much prayer and accountability needed for believers everywhere in this.