Who is “qualified” to tell others about the hole in the ground?
Posted by: PastorYou hear a lot about hypocrisy. People act like Jesus talked about hypocrisy all of the time, but He didn’t except when He dealt with religious Pharisees. Today, Christians are afraid to be bold and to biblically counsel or tell others about Jesus because of the “hypocrisy” or “sin” in their own lives, but we don’t preach ourselves!
Can a divorced person counsel someone about marriage? Think about that for a second before you answer and read this verse from 2 Cor. 4:5: “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”**
Let’s look at an illustration. Pretend there’s a hole in the ground that you stepped in and fell. Would you be “qualified” to warn someone walking near that hole not to step there since you just fell in?
What about the person who was standing nearby and saw you fall down after stepping in the hole? Would they be “qualified” to tell others about the hole?
What about a person who heard about the hole in the ground from others and then warned others about stepping in it? Would that person be “qualified” to warn others about the hole?
Who’s “qualified” to tell others about the hole in the ground? Does it matter? Not really because the PERSON is inconsequential. It’s the message that is vital. It’s the message that one must avoid the hole because they could fall, break an ankle, or whatever – that’s what is important.
Now, look at 2 Cor. 4:5 again: “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”**
So can a divorced person counsel others? Are they “disqualified” from helping others since they’ve been divorced? It depends upon their message. If they are preaching themselves, then “yes” they are disqualified. However, if they are preaching Christ, then the message is right and they can “preach” it. They can warn others not to fall into the pit of divorce and to look to the forgiveness and power of Christ to bring change into their marriage.
Change gears now and reverse it. It’s ironic to me that people say all of the time that “it takes an addict to help another addict” but is that true? If the message is Christ, then anyone can preach it because it’s not the vessel that is important but the message and the Person of Christ. So anyone can help an “addict” if and when they get the message right!
I hate hypocrisy as much as anyone. I hate it in me first. But I can’t let my sin stop me or “disqualify” me from public speaking, preaching, teaching, or biblical counseling because the message is not MARK SHAW but knowing the Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:3).
I hope this encourages you to place your faith in the message of Christ and to fulfill the ministry that He has called you to do!
Are you inadequate? Yes, but He is not! If He’s called you, He’ll be faithful to work through you by His Spirit to share His message of hope with others.
-Mark (proclaiming Christ alone)
** – The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (2 Co 4:5). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
Tags: gospel, hypocrisy, message
Filed under: Pastor Mark, biblical counseling
This message really spoke volumes to me!!!! There have been countless times when I didn’t feel qualified because of being guilty of the same thing. And then I would read about getting the speck out of your own eye and think that maybe i should keep my mouth shut. I read that verse so different now and have something to grow on. Thanks.
Hey Sally! Thanks for your comment!
So glad you are reading the blog!!!!
And I’m so glad it helped you read the verse differently now. God is so good!!
I love Mark’s “hole in the ground” analogy too. It’s such a vivid reminder that “all of us have fallen short of the glory of God” and so we can all “spur one another on” — striving harder to live our lives for the glory of God – whether we’ve committed that same exact sin or not.
None of us would be “qualified” to tell anybody ANYTHING if it were not for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s all about our heart motive isn’t it.
Oh, I’m so glad you mentioned that verse about the speck in your own eye. Lots of people have said that to me. Here is the verse:
Matthew 7:5 says
“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
Notice that it DOESN’T say just because you have had a speck in your eye that you are a hypocrite and that you can’t ever help anyone again. It says, get that speck taken care of (in other words, repent) ask for forgiveness from the Lord Jesus Christ, the only one who can pay your punishment you deserve for that sin, and THEN GO and take the speck out of your brother’s eye. It DOESN’T say, wait until you have it all together and are living a perfect sinless life, and then you are qualified to talk about Jesus and sin.
So, who removes the speck? Well, it’s removed once someone sees clearly that “I too am a sinner deserving of all of God’s wrath as well.”
And then when we ask forgiveness and turn away from our sin, we will see that much more clearly and with humility will be able to help our brother — our fellow Christian — not out of self-righteousness, but out of love for them and for Christ.
That’s what “speaking the truth in love” Ephesians 4:15 is all about. And that’s how the body of Christ grows.
One more point — wow, you’ve really spurred me on to thought today by your post….. and I hope a lot of people are reading this blog all over the world —
is that true humility is needed in the church by and large today isn’t it….today, it seems that it’s hard to find people who are able to RECEIVE loving truth being spoken from someone who is trying to help you ya know… even though they are not living a perfect life.
I know this is an area in which I need to grow. God can use anyone to speak HIS truth in love to me, so I need to be ready to hear it when it comes, because HE means it for good, whether I can see that or not.
Sally, you have brightened my day by your comment on the blog
Love and blessings,
-Mary [Mark's wife for life and a daughter of the King forever!]