An inappropriate response to an appeal for support in calling someone to repentance.
After my dad had completely ignored my letter with the six topics and questions, I had in mind that I should have someone go with me to confront my dad with his sins and call him to repentance. Brother Jack came to mind. He was the one who took over the preaching and pastoring at Ashburn Baptist’s original Chicago location after the last large exodus, when most of the congregation left to form another church. He had been in this position for perhaps twenty years.
I called him and asked if we could meet, to which he agreed. On October 3, 2016 we met at his office, my dad’s old study. I poured out my heart to him and he was very receptive, supportive and sympathetic. After telling him the general story of how my dad’s negligence led to my mom’s death and giving him copies of all the communications I had had with my dad since, I asked if he would be willing to go with me to talk to him. He said he needed to pray about it and he would give me an answer in one week.
When we met a week later, he said he was sorry about what happened and he believed what I wrote was true and factual and that what my dad did wasn’t right. Nevertheless, he wasn’t surprised at what my dad did because “that’s how he is.“ But he went on to say, he couldn’t accompany me to talk with him because I'm not a member of Ashburn Baptist, so Matthew 18 doesn’t apply because this is not a local church matter. Furthermore, he believed it would hurt the church if it were brought out. Then he recommended that if I've truly forgiven him I should never bring it up again and all that I wrote should be ripped up. Finally he said he would pray for the Holy Spirit to work in his heart to convict him of sin. Also, I remember him saying as I walked out, “Your Dad has always been good to me.“
I left dumb struck. But a number of weeks later I responded to him with the following text
Dear Brother,
In God's relentless pursuit of His own glory, has He ever covered up evil “for His name's sake?" If so, when? It seems it has been His pattern to expose evil in order to protect the glory of His name! Our frequent shortcomings are used as a continual backdrop for His glorious perfection and potentially as examples of His lavish grace.
Examples:
Noah
Abraham
Moses
Achan
David
Jonah
12 Apostles
Peter
Corinthians
7 Churches of Revelation
How sly the devil is to whisper in our ear... "For the sake of the gospel, wouldn't it be better to keep it to yourself and just pray that he repents of this shameful sin?"
The HOLY Spirit is always working to get us to see our sins and calling us to repentance. Are we open to this sanctifying work in our own lives, as well as cooperating with Him to lovingly "turn a sinner from the error of his ways?"
your loving brother,
Tom