The Cost of Discernment
A Quote From An Interview With Dr. Robert A. Morey
QUESTION:
Dr. Morey, what advice do you have to give to those of us who believe in asking questions; to those of us who believe that the life of the mind is important, who believe that we must defend the faith and witness for Christ at all costs. What can you share with future generations of the Church? How can we fight for truths survival?
DR. MOREY:
After Walter Martin died, I was asked to speak in his place at a major apologetic conference in Rockford, IL. The title of my lecture was, “The Cost of Discernment.” It has proven to be very popular for those who have been attacked for asking questions and defending the Faith.
1. There is a personal cost. Truth becomes all consuming, and the most important thing in your life. You cannot simply accept what people say without checking it out.
2. There is a family cost. Your wife, husband, parents or children will attack you. They will tell you that you need to be more “positive” and “accepting.”
3. There is a financial cost. You will spend countless thousands of dollars on books, references works, DVDs, CDs, etc. in your pursuit of the truth. [1]
4. There is a friendship cost. Friends will desert you because you are too “negative.”
5. There is a church cost. You will find it hard if not impossible to find a church that shares your love of apologetics. Many pastors will not like you and may view you as a troublemaker. They will pray and hope that you will move on to another church. They value money, buildings, and numbers while you value truth, justice, and righteousness.
6. There is a reputation cost. You will be maligned, slandered, and put down as mean, nasty, unloving, unkind, etc. You get tired of fighting the good fight.
7. There is a professional cost. Since you will not compromise; call good evil and evil good; are bold to condemn heresy; name names; and warn people against false popular false teachers, you will not be hired at most seminaries or called to pastor big churches.
8. There is a spiritual cost. Your spirit will be grieved over all the heresy being taught today. You are tempted to become depressed and discouraged. You live in an age where truth is not valued. No one seems to understand why you care about truth and holiness. Thankfully, the godly have always faced this same situation:
We are, “Afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Cor. 4:8-9)
We must keep in mind 1 Corinthians 15:58:
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”
The smile of God is all you need to endure the frown of man.
SOURCE: www.faithdefenders.com/articles/apologetics/interview_bkcampbell.html
FOOTNOTES
1. I am not sure I would say that a truth seeker will necessarily spend thousands on resources to pursue truth, but I believe a true Christian may have to forfeit certain jobs or careers and financial success in life if he or she is desperate to share God’s truth with others and to live an uncompromising life obeying God’s truth as it applies to themselves and their interactions with others. Also, a true Christian is apt to financially support like-minded ministries that the majority of professing Christians would want nothing to do with.