Vol.VIII No.VI Pg.1
August 1971

Starting With Me!

Robert F. Turner

A member of a certain church told me that the son of an elder there is guilty of an obvious moral wrong. My informant said that because of money, family ties, church politics, etc., nothing would ever be done about it. It was a sordid picture indeed.

Ideally, the father should seek to correct his son; or failing this, ask a friend (of family) to work with the situation. And father, friend, and the whole church should be more concerned with saving the boys soul than with preserving their individual and collective pride. In 1 Cor. 5: the writer spends one verse on the incestuous man, and the rest of the chapter on the pride-filled church that would do nothing about it.

So — I suggested to my concerned informer, that he go to the boy. Acknowledge the weakness of the church; that nothing would likely be done under the prevailing circumstances (and the boy knows this as well or better than anyone else) but plead with the boy on the basis of his obligation to God. This is unchanged, regardless of what others may or may not do. Show the boy that you are concerned, and that you will pray and work with him to make things right with God.

My listener was amazed shocked at my suggestion. ME get involved in a thing like that?? You must be out of your mind!! The family might turn on me. Beside that, I am in business and cant afford to take such chances of losing customers.

He would have said more, but I interrupted. Tell me again — what is wrong with that church of which you are a member??

Why, they wont do anything about the sins of the members. They are so wrapped up in their money — their little cliques and family ties — that they would let the church go to hell before they would move a hand. Why they — and he stopped short in his embarrassment. They ———

Yeahhh!

Well son, whoever, wherever you are, your sin is no less because they are weak. Will you be a MAN about it?