Fear of Man

Proverbs 17:28 ESV

Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Looking backwards is always a dangerous thing. Yet, it also helps to see some of the great blessings that God has showered upon you, that at the time you might have overlooked. I was given the rare blessing of reading the book of Proverbs at a very young age. In so doing I stumbled upon this bit of advice from the book. This verse and Proverbs 16:32 have shaped my life more than any other bit of biblical verse, for better or worse. They acted as governors on the impious child and setting the framework of my life. I was blessed also in my life to have Mrs. Russel as my 1^st grade teacher, I say that because I was also blessed to have Mrs. Bolliger as my 1^st grade teacher, some of us just don’t learn as quickly as others. So began my battle to not let people know how little I know, after all it is “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” (Unknown author)

John Knox was no such man. At his graveside Regent Morton said “Here lies one who neither flattered nor feared any flesh”. Such a testament is very true of John Knox, as you sift through the various events and trials of his life you find a man who “feared nothing but sin and desired nothing but God” (John Wesley). His first great work shows this lack of fear, The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstruous Regiment of Women, and how headless he was of the dangers of letting his opinion be known, as this work would hinder his ability as a Protestant Queen would come to the thrown of England. Time and again Knox would mince no words as he would call sin out and address it with individuals suffering from the poison, never failing to publicly address the sins of the unrepentant. In so doing he, by God’s grace, was able to draw Scotland out of Catholicism and poverty, to stand as a pinnacle of Protestant and economic vitality.

Over thanksgiving I had a conversation with another pastor. It came to light that I had preached against hunting. I had to explain that I had preached against; tractors, sports, fishing, new cars, and anything else that would keep the people of God from coming to church. Any time that the people of God choose to be absent from the assembly is sin. God can, and does, providentially hinder, but that is not what happens. Men and women choose themselves and their dreams over union with the body of Christ, i.e. union with Christ. For all those that have come to church, or stopped coming to church, this is not news to them. Why then am I bringing this up? It is far easier to call out these things generally than it is to call them out individually.

To often I have chosen to be silent with individuals hoping that the general rebuke will suffice and they will be able to put two and two together. I have learned that some needed to join me in repeating 1^st grade because the math is simply too hard for them. I have also found that others also see the sin around them and have cowered before it not wanting to rock the boat. We as a church must address individual sins with individuals. Giving grace and mercy freely to those we confront, and expecting that they will do the same for us. John Wesley said “Give me 100 preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God; Such alone will shake the gates of hell.” I disagree with him on one small point, they don’t need to all be preachers. If we as a congregation would fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, WE will shake the gates of hell. As we go into 2021 help me rattle the cage.

CORAM DEO