However, after so many requests by individuals that I've worked with over the years, I was praying about commenting on the situation concerning Ravi Zacharias. The last request was from a brother I discipled that wrote this to me: "Truly, I must say you were like a father figure to me.” As an elder (old) man I believe it is important to enter a discussion if asked and if it is beneficial to the Body, especially the young men and women desiring to walk in wisdom with the Lord.
Being that I knew Ravi, sat under his teaching and recommended many to watch and learn from him as a master communicator, now reading comments from my brothers in Christ that cast judgment not only on who Ravi was but even where he now is, I feel compelled to challenge their conclusions.
I am not interested in defending Ravi, but in defending God's sovereignty and His grace; while also trying to educate some ignorance concerning the struggle that many have with sin.
That's why I began with the question I did because the answer is quite simple. If, you truly are a student of the Word and view God from His perspective of Himself the answer is simple: “What does God think about Ravi Zacharias?”…“I don't know!”
Only our Sovereign God knows who Ravi truly was and where he now is eternally. My main concern is that by focusing on an issue that no finite human can answer we completely miss the big picture. There is no doubt that what Ravi did was a terrible sin, very damaging and very disheartening for those that loved and admired him.
Our focus should be on mourning and ministering to the victims of Ravi's actions. Starting with any person that he victimized, the hurt he has caused his family, the disappointment and discouragement he has caused his followers and co-laborers, and lastly the pain he has inflicted on the Lord that unconditionally loves him. Why do I put the Lord last? Because our God is a very big person and can take care of Himself, but we fallen humans need each other's help.
It is not wrong to call out the sin and damage that Ravi caused, but it is overstepping your place (Finite and servant) and your authority (We all will answer to our Creator, not to each other...David understood that! Ps 51) to claim knowledge of whether or not he was really in the Body of Christ and where he is eternally. Even on small liberty issues, Paul warns concerning what this arrogance and self-righteousness produces. Rom 14
The statements from those that have elevated themselves to an authority that only God possesses, some are well known, are causing harm to the family of God. Some I know, and I admire and respect their “outward” life of holiness because I am a “feeler”, with very strong emotions and my weakness has always been in the area of senses. Those believers that do not struggle with the "sensual" sins, but instead wrestle with the "intellectual" ones often "don't get it." They live a more disciplined life and most issues are "black & white." I admire so many qualities they possess.
However, this attitude also exposes a serious ignorance concerning God's grace. David...a murderer, an adulterer, a terrible parent, yet praised by God as a "man after God's heart." That is beyond me...yet does not take away the Truth that I do not see as God sees...nor do they!
Objectively, we can say by the authority of Scriptures that the double life Ravi lived was sin! However, unless our hearts are hard, and we are spiritually arrogant, prideful, and delusional enough to think we have the mind and authority of God, we cannot go further, and perhaps should seek the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit on what we should gain from this tragic situation.
I cannot say "who" Ravi was in reality. His hidden actions do not match the depth of his knowledge of Who God is. I spent almost an hour alone with him one time and I had no doubt this person had experienced God! Most "fake" believers are exposed by their lack of knowledge of Who God is, i.e. health wealth teachers, Judas Iscariot. Jn. 12:3-6 Only God knows...but for those of the "intellectual" bent, please consider that if Ravi was a believer, his time here was a tortured one. I am not trying to get anyone to feel "sorry" for him...his victims deserve that! I am appealing to all to understand the Grace of our loving God that extends even to those that deal with addictions. I understand that many don't understand, that is because they do not struggle with that quality. It is also why they miss so badly the weight of Romans 7 and how many in addiction grasp onto its Truth! I can speak with authority on this because as a believer I struggle with this quality. I have also lived with those that do, believers and unbelievers. Every one of them that were believers lived in great spiritual and emotional pain when actively dealing with the addiction. I know...because I have gone through this, and there were it realities that kept me from drowning in it.
God's unbelievable Grace and discipleship. God refused to let go of me, tenaciously embraced me, and NEVER gave up on me. The other was refusing to quit my life of discipleship. I shared with every man I discipled my struggle and offered to cease meeting with them. Only one walked away - all the others remained and we still meet. That accountability kept me in the fight. The nights and mornings I wept before my Lord, dealing with the shame that the adversary loved to pile on. I hated myself and came close to believing that I was not useful to the Lord anymore, and shockingly, some that I believed I could count on, those with an "intellectual" bent..."Thinkers" threw me under the bus. I hurt for them and wish they would learn the warning C.S. Lewis so eloquently wrote in "The Great Divorce."
If Ravi was in the Family, he may have enjoyed the light and the moments he was right with his God, but his ongoing time in the darkness must have tortured his soul. No excuse for the damage he caused, or lessen the hurt he caused all those women, and his wife and children, just hoping to challenge our shallow conclusions that miss God's perspective.
So this is Nathan: Chapter 1 verse 1: (Nate 1:1) I choose to believe Ravi knew the Lord and is finally delivered from his personal hell and constant torture due to his continued surrender to addiction and sin, instead of repentance and joyful deliverance from his God. I pray for those he put through a hell that they will learn how healing the Love of Christ can be. For the rest of us, I pray that we gain wisdom from this. No one is above sinful living, the battle is never over until Jesus comes, victorious living should humble us, not make us arrogant because it is based on God's grace and our willingness to follow Him. Also, a Warning...All, including the Mega Leaders in the Family of God, should be committed to personal discipleship and accountability. That keeps us in the light! God bless all, especially those directly affected by this sad reality…the great thing is that it does not matter what I think…or you…Only what God thinks matters…and He is not saying! Another chance for growth in Faith. Do we trust God to do what is right…I do!
