Separating the Wheat From the Tares

Read Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

We recently had a scandal breakout here in West Michigan regarding one of our most popular Christian radio hosts who was convicted on CSC charges with a minor. I am not going to dwell on the specifics; it’s gotten enough media attention already. Instead, I am going to use this small amount of space to address some key points in this case, as well as all of the “Christian bashing” that has accompanied this tragedy.

 

No One is Immune

The Bible tells us that we all fall of God’s standards (Rom 3:10, 23). Whether or not someone proclaims to be a “Christian” or works in a Christian atmosphere does not automatically exempt them from the enemy’s plan. In fact, anyone who is a true believer is actually considered to be more accountable than those who are not (Phil 3:16, James 3:1). It’s one thing to occasionally fall into random sin; it’s another to be consumed in a lifestyle that denies God and His holiness. The former is natural for all of us; the latter is when we let go of God’s hand and authority in our own life.

Life or Death

Paul tells us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. This man made choices and played a deadly game that ultimately led to not only his demise, but the destruction of countless other lives─ including his victim’s childhood innocence. Let’s be straight up on this one: Evil comes in all forms─ sometimes it's directly head on, but usually in subtle disguise. It is not the result of random chance, but is precisely and specifically orchestrated by a much darker force (Eph 6:12, John 10:10a). As James points out, our fleshy desires will lead us down a path that ultimately will destroy us, either physically, spiritually, or both (James 1:14-15). The only way to avoid the destruction of sin is to be FULLY and CONTINUALLY embedded in God’s will and to live a life that fears Him, is built on His Word, and grounded in faith in Christ.

 

One Day It Will All Be Sorted Out

The comments and shear hatred that follow every time this story has been posted online are absolutely disgusting. I am by no mean’s justifying this man’s actions, but I am seeing a virtual war of slashing and bashing being traded back and forth between believers and non-believers like a Wimbledon match. Jesus makes it very clear in the passage from Matthew 13: the good have been sown into this world with the bad, and often they are indistinguishable from each other right now. Someone who appears to live a godly life and put on the greatest of fronts may fool us down here, but one day God will reap through our world in His final and sovereign judgment and only those who are truly His will escape eternal punishment. There will be no exceptions.

 

Our One True Hope

The non-believers in this case cannot understand how a good God would allow an innocent child to be taken advantage of by an adult; and why forgiveness is still an option. I even saw one commenter who could not understand how his sin of cussing regularly could even be compared to something as offensive as this case. Or, how can someone who lives a sinful life but (truly) repents at the end of life make it to Heaven but a “good” overall and unrepentant person not? Genesis 18:25 asks, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The Bible also tells us that God has done all He needs to for our eternity with Him to be secured (Rom 5:8). Big or little, our sin is repulsive to God. Our finite minds also cannot grasp the magnitude of His ways (Isaiah 55:9); and what we must understand is that absolutely NOTHING that hasn’t been cleansed by the blood of Christ will enter His Kingdom. So instead of keeping score and trying to make up our own “judgment scale” along the way, perhaps we should turn our hearts and eyes to the only One qualified to not only judge us correctly, but more importantly…love us unconditionally.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. -2Cor 5:10

Celebrating Father's Day as a Single Dad

Okay, so I know the title may sound a little contradictory…why would we actually celebrate anything as a single parent?! I agree, because I know single parenting brings in brokenness of some form. There may have been the brokenness of a marriage or a relationship, the loss of a loved one, or in my case─ brokenness from having a child out of wedlock. (Any time we are outside of God’s statutes we are broken…FYI).

But, as followers of Jesus, we have both the ability and the responsibility to lay our hurts and faults at His feet so that He can begin the restoration process.

My daughter’s mom and I were never married, so I cannot say that I completely understand the emotional destruction a divorce or death of a loved one can bring; but I am engaged with single dads of divorce every week. Yes, there is a time to mourn and grieve, but God never expects us to wallow in our pain for the rest of our life either. Jesus didn’t die to simply release us from sin’s grip; but to RECONCILE us back to our original relationship with our Father!
Look at it this way: If you are involved in some capacity in your children’s physical and spiritual upbringing, then you are WAY ahead of a good portion of today’s dads! According to an article on usatoday.com, dads (including married ones) spend an average of about 1 hour a day with their kids. One advantage to single parenting is we usually get more undivided time with our kids than married parents often do. AND, when Dad attends church with his kids, the probability of the kids growing up to be church attenders themselves jumps from 2% if Dad doesn’t attend at all to 50-75% when he does! So to say that your presence doesn’t matter is completely false─ because single dad or not, you DO matter in your son’s or daughter’s life! Perhaps you are new to this whole single parent thing and this is your first Father’s Day in your new role. Please know that even then you are by no means exempt from God’s calling to raise your children in Christ and prepare them for adulthood! (We may just have to work a little harder at it, that’s all)

So go ahead and celebrate Father’s Day, Dad.

You deserve it. Just be sure to celebrate your Heavenly Father first…and then thank Him for the amazing gift of fatherhood!

As a single father, how will you celebrate God’s goodness in your life this Father’s Day?

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

Originally published at www.1Corinthians13Parenting.com on June 9, 2014

"The Daddy Gap" podcast

Here is the podcast I just recorded with my coauthor Dawn Walker of Single Parent Missions for our soon to be released book "The Daddy Gap". Look for it this summer!

http://www.woodradio.com/media/podcast-a-fathers-walk-single-dads-podcast-AFathersWalkPodcast/a-fathers-walk-6214-24847043/