Common among many christian coteries today, we tend to discuss the men (or women) of God who seemed to have fallen from grace. Most times we are shocked at what they each did, whether within the church walls or without.
Common cases include infidelity, misuse of funds, stealing church money, clubbing, homosexuality, fornication, etc. The harder hits are when someone had reached pulpit level, and maybe something happened driving them back to the drugs they used to do before they met Christ.
The attitude most of us assume is the self-righteous one. We rarely imagine ourselves in those shoes. But if you have (and known) your own weaknesses, maturity constrains you from being quick to judge. Some of us have our struggles beknown only between us and the Lord. And so we are covered. But if those infirmities could leak to the public eye, we would be no different than those who we are judging.
Just because you are not at an altitude everyone can notice doesn’t mean you are not subject to rise soon. And what if you rise and the same plummet befalls you?
Ever since I had that conver with God, Philippians 2:12 made much sense:
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
I always wondered what this ‘fear and trembling’ meant! Until the wisdom about ‘slipping’ came close. Yes you say David didn’t go to war but lounged back at the roof top falling in love with a bathing damsel. But how many times have you intentionally stayed back home when it was church time? You’ve also been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but lucky for you your sins weren’t inked in a Bible where the entire world could read about your frivolity.
We preach about Balaam’s stiff-neckedness; but we are no different. With all high maintenance bills, we too are never far from receiving money in exchange of prophecy! God had told Balaam not to go with the Moabites to curse Israel. But when the money multiplied — being presented by royalty, he backslid.
How about Moses! Ah, yes he was angry and he struck the rock, instead of speaking to it! But how many times have you done the opposite of what God asked you to do! How many times have you done things your own way? Like Sarah, we have suggested lie-with-aHagar strategies, and overlooked God’s word and its integrity.
He without sin should cast the first stone
We mustn’t think we are any better. We could have our own challenges which they could not relate too. And conversely, they too could have had challenges we wouldn’t quite understand!
If we are to compare ourselves with the curtain raiser, we are in a better position to ‘fear and tremble.’ For what those around us are going through could come close to us — for we are in the same setting. If technology has promoted someone’s fornication, it could promote another’s masturbation. It could keep you abyss scrolling for hours, making you unproductive at work, leading to low results and eventually a sacking.
I’ve heard of believers who after gossiping about another’s marriage’s imperfection —faced their own.
I knew one vibrant preacher of the word, who when recognized flaws in the church leadership, and got hurt by some, began to refer to the leaders using condemnable words. I understand church hurt — of course the humans up there are not angels! They too fall short. But that should not come at the expense of our end of the bargain. At first, the Holy Spirit used to cringe in me every time that friend used the vulgar language.
I thought since she was ‘deep’. But the more we met, the more she drowned deeper, using a lot of profanity and vulgarity. Soon, I could no longer see holiness or grace pouring from her lips. Humility slowly exited, and the mantle of pride clad her. Soon, she was no different from the leaders she judged. When I confronted her, she cut me off.
Other christians call out indecency one day, and the next, they wash social media with the attire they wore for a wedding reception, and it turned out no different from what they reproved in a certain conversation whiles ago.
So, fear! Fear and tremble. It takes a lot to stand. And to remain humble.
Of course the Lord has commanded us not to be afraid! But if He allowed Apostle Paul to use such writing choice, we must then be cautious, praying mercy prayers, over ourselves. We must pray that we are never alone near Potiphar’s wife, lest there’ll be no witness to defend us when she claims false allegations.
We must as well recall that God promised to keep us from falling and present us faultless (blameless) before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy (Jude 1:24). Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that the God of peace Himself would sanctify them completely and preserve their whole individual spirits, souls and bodies, ensuring that they are blameless at the coming of the Lord (1 Thess 5:23).
And so pray in the same wise. That God keeps you from falling, and to sanctify you as walk the rest of this life.
Philippians 2:13, follows the earlier mentioned 12th verse and says that it is God who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. We shouldn’t boast therefore that we stand against all these temptations in our own strength. We do not cause shame to the gospel by own ability. It is God working hard in us: to abstain, to walk away, to flee, to live justly, to be content, not to judge, to pray for others, to comfort and lift others, to stand, to resist temptation, to work out our own salvation, to fear and tremble, and to do so much more.
Psalms 23:3 says He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. The leading is His; and not of our own. That His name might stay blotless. That makes Him a sweet sweet Father — does it not? It is like an African father who says ‘don’t cause shame to my name;’ And to ensure you don’t, he gives you an ever present body guard (the Holy Spirit) who not only guards you but guides you … for every ignominy falls back on the father’s head — and not you.
Well then, I implore you, in your walk with the Lord, to be more empathetic to those that are dealing with much, and may you keep holding yourself up in prayer, as you have noticed, that the devil still walks around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
May His Spirit lead you on, helping you to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. And yes, may He present you blameless to Himself, not only in that day, but continually, every day; keeping your conscience pure and clear, and your walk worthy of praise!
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