Steve Lawson's Sin and Yours

Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Cor. 10:12)

Recently it has come out that a prominent longtime pastor and author Dr. Steven Lawson had to be removed from his position due to an inappropriate relationship. I have not dug into the details but the church he served the last few years made an announcement about it. It is very sad for many of us who have been very blessed by Lawson's books and sermons (I certainly did not listen to all or most of his stuff but I did hear him at a few conferences and was blessed by a handful of his books). Lawson did his doctorate of ministry work under R.C. Sproul and he had written some excellent truly edifying works. Let's be praying for Lawson and his family and the local church family he formerly served. I do not know details on if he has repented of his sins but I pray God's Spirit has convicted and humbled him and he will walk on the path of repentance. I appreciated what Pastor D. Kofi Adu-Boahen wrote publicly here on the matter. My counsel to you brothers and sisters is that I would avoid getting caught up in the gossip of what happened and just take the time pray and engage in sober-minded self-reflection. Years ago when another pastor sinned and disqualified himself I recall reading this helpful article by Nick Batzig. In it he notes Bernard of Clairvaux who said of a man who fell into sin, "He fell today, I may fall tomorrow." May it not be so. To this end of fighting the good fight of faith and pressing on in holiness, integrity truth and wisdom to God's glory below are reflections for us all. May we pray on and seriously consider them:

Reflection # 1: United to Christ you are His so think and live like it non-stop every day

We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. 7For anyone who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:6-7)

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

Let me ask you honestly--did you skip past or skim those verses? Go back and read them. Twice slowly and pray them into your soul. Do you really believe them? Every time you read Scripture consider re-reading it--it is God's Holy, written, revealed and precious Word and has far more power than the words or supposed wisdom or eloquence of mere men.

God desires for us to have it etched on every Christians soul and heart that we are under His grace in Christ and we are united to Christ. That means we are no longer our own but we are those bought with a price--the high price of the precious and priceless blood of Jesus Christ. The redeemer who is our sinless savior and our elder brother is ours and we are his.   Every day we are to constantly say: "I count myself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." I am part of God's new creation. Forgiven, cleansed, set apart for God, one who is being made holy. I am in a fight and the battle is raging all around me and within me. Many have fallen including many stronger than me. 

Reflection # 2: Understand you almost certainly don't hate and war against sin enough-- including and especially your sin

 Voddie Baucham noted, "for me to think I'm above falling into this sin is to think I am wiser than Solomon, stronger than Samson, and godlier than King David." (I have seen others say something similar as well but mostly recently saw it attributed to him). We may think we are fighting but is it against all sin or some sin? Is it the sins of other or our own that we most hate and revile and seek to choke out, starve and put to death? Our lives ought to be marked by striving for the things above where Christ is because of our lives are there and at the same time connected to this is putting to earth what is earthly in us--sexualy immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, greed/covetousness which is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. (Colossians 3:5-6). You almost certainly don't hate sin enough

Years ago J.I. Packer shared what he called a grook (my understanding is this is simply a harder word of saying a memorable rhyme) and I adapted it to this:

The sweet bright fire

Of sinful sexual desire

Is a dreadful liar

Memorize this. 

Sin is after your all (more on this below). It sends people to the grave and to eternal hell. 

Reflection #3: Burn sin's earthly and eternal consequences in your mind (and don't ever stop)

My father and one of our elders passed along this excellent short, punchy and sobering list from 1988 by Randy Alcorn titled "Consequences of a Moral Tumble". Read and reread it. (disclaimer: we do not endorse Christianity Today at all as they misrepresent faithful Christianity. This was a different time and the article was written decades ago)

In his classic and excellent book The Mortification of Sin John Owen wrote:

“Spiritual wisdom consists in finding out the subtleties, policies, and depths of any indwelling sin… to trace this serpent in all its turnings and windings; be able to say, at its most secret actings, ‘This is your old way and course; I know what you aim at.’” -John Owen

What does sin aim at? Owen goes on to say, "left alone, it [sin] produces soul-destroying sins...if it is not continually mortified, it will produce great, cursed, scandalous, soul-destroying sins...sin always aims at the extreme. If it had its way, every time it rises up to tempt or entice, it would go out to the most extreme sin of that could. If it could, every unclean thought or glance would become adultery. Every covetous desire would become oppression. If it were allowed its own reign, every thought of unbelief would become atheism....sin is like the grave that is never satisfied. This is part of the deceitfulness of sin, which hardens men's hearts and leads to their ruin. It is subtle in its initial approach, and so we succumb to it."

He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will never be erased. (Proverbs 6:32-33)

Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death. (Proverbs 7:27)

Because of these [sins] the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. (Col. 3:6)

Reflection # 4:  Brothers-Prioritize and protect your heart & marriage far more than you are now (and sisters same to you)

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways (Proverbs 23:26)

If we as your pastors and our wives asked your spouse how is your marriage what would she or he say? Honestly. How is it going? Are you living together as glorified roommates or merely tolerating one another? Or are you lovers whose relationship depicts not perfectly but faithfully Ephesians 5:25-33--how Christ loved the church and gave himself up for us? When you read Song of Solomon that kind of love is passionate not passionless. There is a need for us as husbands to be the leaders who pursue and love our wives with a kind of single-minded devotion and priority that is so often missing after a few years of marriage (here is a review of a book on it I did years ago). But men we must take the lead in this way. Some people have mocked the idea of dating your wife as if there is no time to do this with children. I understand we need to be careful not to prescribe some legalistic extra biblical constraints on one another but we as husbands should not stop in our pursuit of our wives. You have found a good thing in your wife--even favor from the Lord by her (Prov. 18:22).  Paul Washer rightly said, "Treat your wife better than you treat anything or anyone. That's your covenant with God. That's your first ministry. To love her the way Christ loves the church is a high calling. If you fail at that, you've failed at everything". We primarily do this work by the ministry of the Word and prayer and in accord with this being faithful doers of the Word. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and on His lawe he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:2); Your testimonies are indeed by my delight; they are my counselors (Ps. 119:24).

Drink water from your own cistern And fresh water from your own well. (Proverbs 5:15)

As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated always with her love. (Proverbs 5:19)

Reflection # 5: Do not isolate yourself or be lazy--give sin no quarter or upper hand 

Our sinful old selves are so deceitful still. We cannot isolate ourselves for we will seek our own desire and break out against all sound judgment (Proverbs 18:1). We cannot give quarter to sin. Rather as Owen said, "be willing sin or sin will be killing you." Our lives are incessant warfare but there are great resources God has given us in His Holy Word. Sin and falling into into sin is not inevitable. There is an expiration date on it and you are part of God's new creation in Christ so live like it and let us do this together brothers and sisters! Soli deo Gloria