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The Little Voice in the Ear
Years ago, @CNN invited me to debate a liberal Bible scholar regarding the truthfulness of the Gospels in light of the recent rediscovery of a Gnostic gospel. After reviewing the basic content of the Gnostic piece, we began to discuss its merits.
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Years ago, @CNN invited me to debate a liberal Bible scholar regarding the truthfulness of the Gospels in light of the recent rediscovery of a Gnostic gospel. After reviewing the basic content of the Gnostic piece, we began to discuss its merits.
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The liberal scholar from one of the Ivy League schools all of the sudden jumped out and exclaimed that this proved the New Testament Gospels were false. He went on for a few seconds, then a voice in my ear, from the earpiece they had placed in it, excitedly told me to respond.
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But, I thought to myself, that would be rude. So, I let the other scholar explain his idea.
After a time, I felt the Spirit say, “Now.” So I explained the lateness of the Gnostic gospel. As I was moving toward the next point, the other scholar interrupted me mid-sentence.
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After a time, I felt the Spirit say, “Now.” So I explained the lateness of the Gnostic gospel. As I was moving toward the next point, the other scholar interrupted me mid-sentence.
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The other scholar hurriedly tried to continue, but while he caught his breath, I kindly continued to explain that the NT Gospels were not contradictory but provided a harmony and a melody of true witness, just as witnesses do today, who see the same thing from different views.
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The liberal scholar’s response was to guffaw and inform us that my view was outdated and not widely accepted. I then responded regarding the self-referential nature of liberal scholarship. The liberal scholar himself seemed frazzled and out of energy, emotionally spent.
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I also felt emotionally on edge but at peace. We both told the host thanks.
Before the debate, CNN conducted a poll of its viewers. After the debate, CNN conducted the same poll. A sharp increase in the number of those accepting the truth of the NT Gospels was noted.
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Before the debate, CNN conducted a poll of its viewers. After the debate, CNN conducted the same poll. A sharp increase in the number of those accepting the truth of the NT Gospels was noted.
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But I was never invited back.
Why? I think it was because the network didn’t want us to calmly explain our positions. Rather, they wanted a sharp and heated, highly emotional, argument.
And I refused to be ugly. Yes, I argued for my position. But I honored my opponent.
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Why? I think it was because the network didn’t want us to calmly explain our positions. Rather, they wanted a sharp and heated, highly emotional, argument.
And I refused to be ugly. Yes, I argued for my position. But I honored my opponent.
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The little voice in the earpiece repeatedly jibed me to interrupt and jump in on the other speaker. And although my opponent interrupted me, I refused to do that.
Why? Because the voice of God’s Word told me to be at peace with all men, as far as it was in me.
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Why? Because the voice of God’s Word told me to be at peace with all men, as far as it was in me.
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The mass media, then and now, and social media today thrive on sharp words, harsh attitudes, controversy. These events garner ratings for the medium and fame for its combatants. The more outlandish, the more volatile, the better to feed the bile.
But God calls us another way.
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But God calls us another way.
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The world and your own flesh demand in one ear that you treat others without grace, without respect. Interrupt, blast.
But the Word and the Spirit of God demand in your heart, Christian, that you choose a different attitude, a different way of addressing God’s image-bearers.
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But the Word and the Spirit of God demand in your heart, Christian, that you choose a different attitude, a different way of addressing God’s image-bearers.
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The call to Christian Apologetics is a holy one that requires us to argue in a different way from the world. We are indeed called to be ready to give an account for the faith in us and to defend the faith once for all delivered to the saints. But we do so in the way of Jesus.
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Too many of us have been led to believe that the measure of our success is in how big our name gets, how many people adore us, how many folk notice us when we come into the room, what money we can get under the control of our “ministries.” These things, however, are trivial.
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The real measure of Christian success is in the glory we bring to Jesus Christ. God calls us to glorify Him communally in worship and individually in our own distinct vocations of service and witness. And we do such not in our power and in carnal ways but by Word and Spirit.
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CNN never invited me back. Why? I don’t know. But I imagine that, in their mind, I just wasn’t combative enough, controversial enough.
But in my mind, I still don’t think I am quite Christlike enough to represent Him well. And I constantly pray the Lord will calm my soul.
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But in my mind, I still don’t think I am quite Christlike enough to represent Him well. And I constantly pray the Lord will calm my soul.
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As I mourn the awful exposure of yet another “minister” as a callous abuser of women. As I expect yet others will now climb to fame in the way of the flesh so as to gain his celebrity, my prayer is that I will learn to discern the voices.
I will choose the “outdated” way.
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I will choose the “outdated” way.
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I will choose the way of the God who became a poor man 2,000 years ago. I will choose the way of self-sacrificial service in life, of controversy only when thrust upon me, of the mortification of my flesh, and of anonymity in my death.
May God give me the grace to be like Jesus.
May God give me the grace to be like Jesus.
I love you, Jesus.
