At one time Steven J. Lawson was one of my favourite preachers, I would still argue that the second best sermon I have ever heard preached in person was from Steven Lawson. However over time I grew to appreciate him less and less, like Justin Peters, he seemed ever ready to condemn a fallen brother, or even to condemn a perceived error in another. Indeed he acknowledges this on P.113, where he says, 'I was part of the body of Christ that contended so earnestly for the faith that we often shot our own soldiers if they stumbled and fell, they were fair game for our target practice. Worse, they were ostracized as our enemies.'
Around this time three years ago I heard him speak at Ligonier's London Conference and heard bullets aimed at people confused about gender with no tenderness. I may not have noticed but he was followed by Sinclair Ferguson who said this, "In a world that seems to be confused about identity we have no need to be confused about our identity for our identity is in Christ." A different heart, I noticed that Steven Lawson, along with Justin Peters were first out the stiles to condemn Alistair Begg, when Alistair Begg advised a granny to go to her grandchild's gay wedding, because the grandchild knew where granny stood and Begg advised take a gift and make it a Bible. First out the stiles, ready to throw the first stone.
This
was even more alarming when I realised, as Steven Lawson was exposed for his
sin, that he was first out even when his sinful relationship was going on, that
is hypocrisy.
I
perversely wanted to read this book, I was never interested in reading Peter
Mandleson's Third Man until he was exposed, I ordered it the next day. I
ordered it as soon as I knew it existed, I saw that Justin Peter's was there
again ready to condemn, he was the number 1 review on amazon.com, despite
having not read it. I think that is terribly judgemental.
I
have read it, it says there will be no excuses, there are several, the main one
being, I was too busy ministering to have a relationship with God. Our job is
first to let the word minister to us, I take this as a warning to myself but I
did find it to be an excuse and a poor one.
Another
worry I have about the book is that the book came about because he was invited
to speak on his fall, on several occasions at his old church in Mobile,
Alabama. He should not be giving talks, he also sits in the elders prayer
meetings at the church he attends, I am not sure this is wise, this is not
because he is a sinner who is repentant but because he is Steven Lawson.
My
main thing however is encouragement, in chapter 'Sinners in the Hands of an
Angry Preacher' he recognises his lack of mercy and compassion. 'I had become a
high justice, low mercy' preacher. God has humbled him and he recognises this
weakness. It is easy I think to fall into this when we preach to the crowd, to
the choir. It is why we need to be among our people as a fellow sinner,
pointing away from ourselves and to the Saviour. This would be an issue for the
"celebrity pastor" or the pastor of a large church that knows nothing
of the congregation. This is not a picture of the pastor from the Bible who
cares for the sheep, or as people say now, "smells like sheep."
It
is also why we need to be outward looking moving among the lost to point them
to a Saviour who saves. Otherwise we create our own echo chamber, we need to
use our ears and listen as well as our mouths to speak.
Again in the chapter; The Mercy
I Found, he writes, 'I had neglected that He draws near to the
broken-hearted-until I was broken-hearted. I had overlooked that He is the
Comforter of those crushed in spirit until I was crushed. I had forgotten that
He is afflicted with our afflictions-until I was afflicted.' You know that is a
bold admission, he points out that he understood the majestic holiness of God
but had missed this, it is the centre of the Gospel isn't it? That this holy,
holy, holy God because of His great mercy transfers us from the kingdom of
darkness into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. But I am thankful that Steven
Lawson is honest enough to the read to admit this error. It seems to me that
the LORD has been at work in Him.
As
well as the Justin Peter's review I have seen an article from Evangelical Times
condemning Lawson for writing it, without reading it again. I am not sure he
should have written it, I am glad to have read it. It is my hope that he stays
away from the pulpit or the lectern and enjoys his retirement, is active in his
local church, reconciled with God, with his wife and with his friends.
I
don't want to have a knee jerk reaction to a fellow sinner, I see he has been
restored, he is repentant and God is at work.
I
pray that I would offer mercy and to be gracious to one who has fallen,
especially in such a public way. We are sinners, we are not to cast the first
stone but as those who have been shown mercy, we should show mercy. As those
who have been loved despite our sin, we are called to love in spite of the sin
of others.
It
is my prayer that the reformed community would also learn not to be, 'High bar
justice and low mercy' in our dealing with others. That we would extend the
hand of fellowship, that we would walk with those who have been humbled by God,
humbly.
Shalom <><
Stephen
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