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 A
friend of mine, whom I believe to be a sincere Christian, has
developed the “habit” of saying, “A man would have to he
dishonest” to miss this point, or say that, etc. I call it a
“habit” for my friend loves his neighbor, and has no
tendency to be “little” or self-justifying. While it is true
that one’s fruits may eventually prove him dishonest, such a
charge should not be lightly made.
Some
years back I was asked to review certain arguments made by a man
I highly respected. Careful investigation proved he was misusing
his sources; and I obtained original evidence to prove this (?) deception.
I was reluctant to publish material so damaging to this brother,
so I put my review together. then sent it to him with a letter
stating that I felt this would be unnecessarily harmful to him,
and suggested we “call off” the proposed publication. My
letter was ignored — I received only his rebuttal, for
publication.
Was
the man “dishonest” and did he think he could get away with
his “deception”? Many months later I learned that when he
received my letter he jubilantly read it to a friend, as
evidence that I was whipped, knew I could not answer
his arguments, and was seeking a way to get out of it. I
believe the man is self-deceived —and what do you suppose he
thinks of me?? It might be a revelation indeed if our appraisals
of one-another could be printed side by side —with the TRUTH
as God sees us written between the lines. It is sobering to
remember that in the final judgement it will be God’s record
that “counts.”
The
eye is a lens by which images are
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received, then transmitted to the mind,
and there “seen.” The condition of the mind will affect the
result. Sometimes we “see” what past experience has made us expect
to see. The true image is there — truth is not relative —
but we may be unable, with casual glance, to translate properly.
The problem is laziness, not dishonesty. The solution is in 2
Tim. 2:15.
Or,
we may have taken idols into our heart (Ezek. 14: 1-5) and,
while committed to a different course, be unwilling to “see”
objectively. If we “know better” but, preferring our idols, we
say we can not see, we are being dishonest. But there are
self- deceived people whose basic error is sectarianism, not
dishonesty. They trust “the church” (defined by the elders,
the majority, or “the way we have been doing it) and have not
the fiber or courage to look beyond and put Jesus Christ first.
Such people are not “fit” for the kingdom of God. (Note Lu.
9:62; 14:20-33; Matt. 7: 21-f)
Under
pressure from Judean big-shots, Peter, Barnabas and others
became hypocrites for a time. That is a form of dishonesty; but
apparently it didn’t last long. (Gal. 2:11-13) Our Maker knows
man’s difficulty in “seeing” things objectively — and
made His gospel to fit His creatures. In fact, a man would have
to be a FOOL to continue long in a dishonest way with God. “All
things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we
have to do.” (Heb. 4:13)
If
evidence forces you to think a man dishonest — say a prayer
for him.
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