How Should the Church Respond to the Ravi Zacharias Scandal?

Episode 614 Show Notes

From the Show

We don’t ever want to minimize the sinful actions of individuals. I have heard a few people say that, “Oh, you know, Ravi was such a great guy and so many godly men throughout the scriptures have failed and fallen,” as a way of minimizing what took place. I think that is an absolute tragedy–it’s wrong, frankly. There are victims here.

——Adriel Sanchez

Questions in this Episode

1. I recently heard a pastor say that for anybody to speak against him would be speaking against The Father. Is speaking against a pastor speaking against God?

2. I have heard some say that the Apostle Paul was still performing Jewish ceremonies and even sacrifices after his conversion to Christianity. For example, in Acts 21:26, it says that “Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them.” What is your take on this?

3. I just learned in Sunday School class about the illicit sexual conduct that Ravi Zacharias had. I don’t keep up with the daily news so I hadn’t heard any of this. It hit me in the gut pretty hard. We’ve been studying Romans and specifically have parked on Romans 5:20 that talks about ‘where sin abounds, grace abounds more’. Last night this played over and over in my mind as I tried to sleep and think about Ravi. How can someone defend the Gospel so well, as he did, and do the things he did? Does he qualify as a false teacher now? What do I do with this information? I have so many questions and deep disheartening emotions. Trust is waning. Do I even trust you? Who do we trust now? I know we all fall and none of us are without sin. I know that grace abounds so that forgiveness covers all sin that also abounds. How does one keep on sinning at the same time they are defending the Gospel?