Here are some very helpful words from one of
my favorite preachers and mentors, Pastor Bob Gray Sr. ...
Judging The
Appearance Of Evil
We
are to abstain from the appearance of evil as Christians. However,
if someone does not abstain from the appearance of evil, we are not
to make a judgment on that appearance. We may warn if we are the
authority, but we must not judge. We are never to judge according to
the appearance. John 7:24, “Judge not according to the
appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
We are to judge according to the facts. Never convict people because
it appears that they have done something wrong. This is what causes
much of the trouble in churches.
May I introduce you to the word “mercy,” which in Scripture always
comes before the word “truth.” Mercy is “not judging without truth.”
Truth is what you judge. Justice is when you, if the authority,
punish for what you KNOW has been done not what you suspect has been
done. Mercy never judges by appearance. Proverbs 20:28, “Mercy
and truth preserve the king and his throne is upholden by mercy.”
Let me give you five statements that relate to this truth.
- We must have
righteous judgment.
- None is righteous,
as we read in Romans 3:10, “As it is written, there is none
righteous, no not one.”
- So we cannot judge
the inside. I Samuel 16:7 says that God looks on the heart. Man
cannot look upon the heart, so man cannot judge the heart. That
means that man cannot judge motives. It is time for us too quit
judging people’s motives
- God is the final
judge.
- We can judge only
what we KNOW, and that is not the inside or the unknown.
SOURCE: Dr. Bob Gray
Sr., “Judging
The Appearance of Evil.”
Amen! We are living in a generation of sinful
critics, who unjustly usurp the roles of judge, jury and executioner! As
Brother Gray rightly said, “mercy is not judging without truth.” Mercy
is withholding judgment in the absence of truth. If we don't know the
truth, we ought keep our mouths shut and not judge anyone! I have read
horrible accusations online against faithful men of God, based merely
upon speculation and unfounded rumors. That is very sinful to do! The
allegations may in fact be true, but we don't know, do we?
Admittedly in some cases, where allegations
have been made against a certain preacher, I tend to think the
accusations are true; but since I don't KNOW FOR SURE, I am commanded by
God in the Scripture to assume the person's innocence. What saith
the Scripture? Deuteronomy 19:15, “One witness
shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin,
in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the
mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” In the
Bible one person was not allowed to accuse another person, to protect
the innocent. Think about what would happen if just one person could
accuse anyone of anything, and the authorities punished the accused
accordingly? Sadly, this is where America is at today.
Boxer Mike Tyson Never Should Have Been Convicted
In
1992, Boxer Mike Tyson was unjustly sentenced to 6-years in prison for
rape, merely because a woman (who voluntarily went up to Tyson's hotel
room) was able to cry real good in front of a jury. Hollywood actors cry
on cue for a paycheck every day, and boy can they cry, can't they? Is
Mike Tyson innocent or guilty? We don't know and that is the most
truthful answer you'll ever get from anyone! It was injustice for Mike
to be found guilty and go to prison, because it was the word of one
person against another person. For all we know she seduced Mike and was
the perpetrator, planning the whole thing, and just wanted his money.
Read for yourself...
Tyson Is Sued for Damages by Rape Victim :
Jurisprudence: Attorney says she files lawsuit because boxer has
shown a glib attitude and lack of remorse for crime.
INDIANAPOLIS — The woman Mike Tyson is convicted of raping filed a
civil lawsuit against him Monday because of what her attorney said
was the boxer’s glib attitude and lack of remorse.
The suit filed by attorneys for Desiree Washington, 19, of
Coventry, R.I., seeks unspecified damages for assault, battery,
false imprisonment and intentional and negligent infliction of
emotional distress.
“Ms. Washington decided to bring this case only after much
soul-searching,” said Deval L. Patrick, a Boston attorney
representing Washington. “She wants to put this sordid episode
behind her and move on with her life.”
Alan Dershowitz, the Harvard University law professor
handling Tyson’s appeal, said the lawsuit filed in U.S. District
Court demonstrated Washington’s greed and ambition.
“We couldn’t be happier because it finally gives us a vehicle
for bringing out the whole truth, for deposing Desiree Washington
and for exposing her for what she is: a money-grubbing phony who has
done this—as we suspected right from the beginning—for the money,”
he said. ...
SOURCE:
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-06-23-sp-1000-story.html
She wants his money!
If the legal system doesn't prosecute an
accused person for lack of enough evidence to convict them (which may
very well mean THEY ARE INNOCENT), the ungodly newsmedia will instead
destroy the person's name, reputation and life. That is evil beyond
description!!!
People are people are people. In the Bible, Zacchaeus admitted to
falsely accusing people to take away their money...
Luke 19:8, “And Zacchaeus stood, and
said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the
poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false
accusation, I restore him fourfold.
Accused Pastors Ought to Be Deemed Innocent Until Proven
Guilty
Don't
you tell me that a pastor is guilty of voyeurism because someone found a
camera in his office! Unless there is evidence of the pastor himself
planting the camera, I am going to assume he is innocent until PROVEN
guilty! That is Biblical. That is justice. That is what you would want
if were you in the same difficult situation. We are living in “perilous
times,” as foretold in 2nd Timothy 3:1-7. Please notice 2nd Timothy
3:3, “Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false
accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are
good.” Did you read that dear reader—FALSE ACCUSERS! There is an
attack like never before against independent fundamental Baptist
churches today, simply because the
Luciferians behind the
social engineering of America need to discredit, amputate, destroy
and kill the churches!
But thanks be to God, not even the Devil himself can destroy the CHURCH!
Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and
upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it.” If you are a good Bible student, then you know
that Jesus is the Rock (Petra), and Peter is the pebble (petros). The
Church is built upon Jesus and not Peter. The ungodly Roman Catholic
cult get it wrong, claiming that the Church is built upon Peter.
Catholics are wrong, as usual. We know Biblically that Jesus is the
foundation of the Church. 1st Corinthians 3:11, “For
other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
The Church is built upon the cornerstone, Jesus Christ!
When a person is publicly indicted for a
crime, and then the charges are dropped, that person is condemned for
the rest of their life because the ungodly court system publicized the
indictment. So even though you were found not guilty in a court of law,
you are condemned for the rest of your life by ungodly critics, ungodly
media and ungodly slanderers. That is the foolish wisdom of the world.
...
Deuteronomy 19:16-19, “If a false witness rise up against any man to
testify against him that which is wrong; Then both the men, between
whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the
priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; And the judges
shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if
the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against
his brother; Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have
done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among
you.”
In America, Canada, Europe, Australia and other ungodly nations today,
if you are proven to be a false accuser, you get a slap on the wrist.
The Holy Bible says the false accuser must get the SAME
punishment that would have been inflicted upon the accused innocent
person, if they had been wrongly found guilty. So if you falsely accuse
someone of rape, and it is proven that you lied, like Potiphar's wife
falsely accused Joseph, then you should get the death penalty! That is
God's way, to protect the innocent. The wisdom of the world
is foolishness, stupidity!
Dear reader, people who walk with God tend to
give others the benefit of the doubt. Folks, just because a newspaper
prints someone's allegations, which then becomes a citable source,
doesn't mean that those accusations are true! It is very wicked to
assume that something bad said about someone is true without solid
evidence to back it up! It is normal to have a question mark placed into
your mind, when you hear an accusation against a Christian leader. What
saith the Scripture? 1st Timothy 5:19, “Against an
elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.”
The word “receive” simply means not to assume an accusation against
someone is TRUE, just because one person says so. Now if there is
additional evidence, then guilt may be able to be established; but we
must never assume someone is guilty based upon the accusation of just
one person, because they could be lying. This verse is not saying not to
listen to someone if they claim to have been a victim. Each person is
important, and their claims should be investigated and taken seriously.
The Bible is simply saying not to assume guilt until proof can be
substantiated. If there is nothing more in the way of evidence than the
verbal word of one person, then there is no basis to establish guilt!
How can you? You've got the testimony of one person against another.
The ungodly world will nearly always assume
that a minister is guilty, even if one person makes allegations, which
is evil to the core. If proof cannot be obtained, then the ungodly media
will publish the allegations to destroy the preacher's name, life and
ministry, if they can. When a pastor is accused of a sin or crime that
would disqualify him from the position of pastor, and he knows he is
innocent, and there is no proof to substantiate the allegations against
him, he ought to continue laboring in the ministry and let the heathen
rage! If a preacher is accused, and is guilty, since there is no qualification
to preach the Bible, he should humbly resign his position, repent and continue preaching
the Gospel in some other capacity. That man may not
be able to hold the position of a deacon or a pastor, but he can still
preach in a prison ministry or rescue mission! Pastor Jack Hyles teaches this great truth in his sermon titled:
You Can Still Do What You Always Could Do. So if you are a saved
man, but your life has been marred by sin and crime, God can still use you to
preach the Gospel to win souls and change lives for Christ!
God's Army Only Uses Wounded Soldiers
(Dr. Jack Hyles).
If you dear friend are prone to believing someone is guilty until proven
innocent, then you need to get right with God.
2nd Corinthians 10:5, “Casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
Morally, ethically and humanely, a person has a right to be deemed
innocent until PROVEN guilty. Finding a camera is not guilt. One person
making allegations is not guilt. An article printed in a newspaper is
not guilt. People who walk with God tend to give others the benefit of
the doubt. Folks, just because a newspaper prints someone's allegations,
which then becomes a citable source, doesn't mean that those accusations
are true! It is very wicked to assume that something bad said about
someone is true without solid evidence to back it up! I don't care how
guilty a person may look, seem and act, it is sinful to assume guilt
without facts.
Jesus Was Falsely Accused And Assumed Guilty
The
ungodly Pharisees hated the Lord and conspired against Him. They were
continually looking for ways to trap Him, to accuse Him, but could not
find anything to do so. So ultimately the Pharisees falsely accused
our innocent Savior, having Him crucified on a cross...
Luke 6:7, “And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he
would heal on the sabbath day; that they might
find an accusation against him.”
John 18:29-30, “Pilate then went out unto them, and said,
What accusation bring ye against this man? They
answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would
not have delivered him up unto thee.”
As we just read, the Pharisees couldn't give Pilate a legitimate reason
to want Jesus killed, so they made excuses and remained vague in their
words. Pilate interrogated the Lord and found no fault in Him, declaring
Him innocent for the sake of conscience...
John 19:4, “Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them,
Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that
I find no fault in him.”
The Pharisees persisted to falsely accuse the Lord. There was no law
of which they spoke, that condemned the Messiah to die. There were laws
against idolatry, but Jesus was telling the truth as the Son of God. ...
John 19:7-8, “The Jews answered him, We have a
law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made
himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he
was the more afraid.”
So the ungodly Pharisees stooped low and falsely accused the Lord of
political sedition, as being a threat to Caesar their emperor...
John 19:12, “And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but
the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not
Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king
speaketh against Caesar.”
And so their evil false accusations succeeded, and the innocent
Savior was crucified for a guilty human race. The Lamb of God was slain
for the sins of the whole world, and the sins of those wicked Pharisees
who lied about Him.
I am not defending anyone who sins or commits a crime, God forbid. There
have been many accusations of “cover-ups” in Baptist churches today. May
I truthfully say:
-
Fundamentalism has a problem with cover-ups
-
Catholicism has a problem with cover-ups
-
Evangelicalism has a problem with cover-ups
-
Politics has a problem with cover-ups
-
Hollywood has a problem with cover-ups
-
Business world has a problem with cover-ups
-
News media has a problem with cover-ups
-
Professional Athletics has a problem with cover-ups
-
Higher Education has a problem with cover-ups
-
Medical profession has a problem with cover-ups
Wouldn't it just be easier to say, depraved mankind has a problem
with cover-ups?
I did not write this article to defend the guilty, but to teach you dear
reader the Biblical truth that we ought never ASSUME guilt for any
reason, until the FACT OF GUILT has been established by the proper
authority. And then, unless it is our place of jurisdiction to do
something about it, we ought not condemn that person, lest we invoke the
wrath of God against our self, for we are all woeful sinners. We are not
the jury. We are not the judge. We are not the executioner. We are
vulnerable, susceptible, guilty sinners just like the fallen. 1st
Timothy 5:24, “Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to
judgment; and some men they follow after.”
Matthew 7:1-3, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what
judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye
mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the
mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that
is in thine own eye?”
Don't judge others because they sin differently than you do! And may I
say, I really hate the Fighting Fundamental Forum website, I
would not want to be that ungodly website owner when I stand before God,
for hosting a cesspool of iniquity—a sewer hole of hate-mongers and
unjust critics, an online tavern of hatred, a casino of slander, and a
whorehouse of condemnation! Shame on any idle pastor who posts gossip,
wastes his time, and hangs out in that hellhole! Revelation 12:10 calls
Satan “the accuser of the brethren.” Slandering others, assuming
guilt, being unjustly critical, gossiping with good intentions, and
spreading hurtful rumors—are all part of the carnal flesh, which is at
enmity against the Lord's Holy Spirit. Carnal people love to instigate.
They love to get that hot information to someone to upset them, to cause
fireworks between people, and ruin friendships, to create distrust and
resentment and hatred of others. They use the foolish reasoning, “This
person has a right to know,” when in reality they truly don't need to
know anything.
One of my favorite preachers, Pastor J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988), tells an
intriguing story in his commentary on the book of Zephaniah. The MP3 is
titled:
Zephaniah: The Dark Side Of God's Love—a story
that at first seems surely dark, creepy and horrifying, which turns out
to be a wonderful story of love. I think this is an excellent
illustration of how oftentimes we can prematurely draw the wrong
conclusions, and make faulty assumptions, simply because of our human
frailties and lack of omniscience (as possesses our great God). Therefore,
the only safe rule to live by is to always give the benefit of the doubt
to others, especially when accused of a sin or crime. Let him that hath
ears to hear, hear. (By the way,
here is a
webpage I made for the book of Zephaniah, featuring the audio
commentary of Pastor J. Vernon McGee.)
What saith the Scripture? ...
Ephesians 4:30-32, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby
ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and
wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from
you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you.”
There are many evil allegations today floating around on the internet,
and in the churches, and in the Bible colleges, about preachers. The
accusations are horrifying to say the least! However, I do not believe
rumors, allegations or slander without solid proof to substantiate it.
Much of the slander on the internet is mere speculation. It is sinful to
assume that a report is true without solid proof to back it up. It
doesn't matter how circumstantial the evidence may be, that does not
establish guilt of a wrongdoing or a crime. We live in an ungodly
culture of gossip and criticism in America, where people automatically
believe what
they hear, without proof. 
