Other heavy accusations made by this one popular, high profile preacher, John Macarthur, against Ravi Zacharias is that he only got into ministry for the money, that he was unrepentant of his sins and that for a high profile preacher to sin in one area means he is sinning in many others.
I’d like to touch on these and end my response, which I began in a previous post, to Macarthur.
Dear John Macarthur,
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 1:3.
Unsubstantiated Claims
I write again to you because I felt that one letter hardly satisfied the multiple accusations you made regarding Ravi Zacharias. The rumours against him are heavy and, if true, horrific. However, you have shown that you don’t seem to care much about those rumours as you went off on a tangent and made wild, unsubstantiated, unrelated claims.
Filthy Lucre, Money
In calling Ravi Zacharias a False Teacher, despite everything he ever spoke in public being true and biblical — unless of course you care to point me to any false teaching in particular — you went further to say that he only got into the ministry for one reason — “filthy lucre, money”.
This is slander (the bible considers this a heavy sin, does it not?) and absolutely not true. I don’t want to get into this any deeper but I am appalled at this claim. If Ravi did this for the money, why was his wife kicked out of their home (Read Email from My Mom published originally on DefendingRavi.com)? RZIM owned the house. Where are his multi-million dollar homes?
Julie Roys uncovers horrible money-related habits from someone more familiar to you and I in her article The Prosperous Lifestyle of America’s Anti-Prosperity Gospel Preacher.
Unrepentant
This claim baffles me too. His phones and private life were investigated in order for some evidence to come to light that Ravi is indeed guilty of the sins he is accused of. No such hard proof evidence was shown, only hearsay. That doesn’t mean he isn’t guilty but that even an investigation couldn’t unearth much if anything.
Nevertheless, no one cared to investigate and see whether Ravi was repentant of these sins, if indeed he is guilty of them. While we’re on the topic, we may as well ask, to whom must Ravi have been repentant? To you? To me?
The thief on the cross sinned against many in his life. At the last, he simply asked, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42).
What was Jesus’ response? “You never ever ever quoted scripture”, No? Maybe, “All you ever did was for filthy lucre, money.” Also no?
Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
If Ravi Zacharias were guilty of all the rumours raised against him, if he even weren’t a Christian at all, he only needed to recognise the Lord Jesus for who He truly is and that he is a sinner and unworthy of that salvation. Ravi Zacharias did that at many stages of his life, publicly and privately.
Enough is Enough
Having reached this point in my letter, I don’t even want to get into that final claim I meant to tackle. For a Christian pastor to go up on stage and spread gossip, slander and rumours against anyone let alone a brother in Christ is sickening.
The book of Romans has plenty to say about these sorts of sins, grouping slander and gossip with murder and wicked, evil, debauched lifestyles.
May we look to our calling and focus on our own lives. There is plenty in us that is in dire need of moulding still. May the Lord have mercy on us when we choose pride over humility, judgement over mercy, hatred over love.
– Your brother in Christ.
Thanks for saying some things I have thought. How quick to fully condemn a dead man who is not cited for any heresy. What disregard for his family and the relationship many claimed they had with Ravi. Where was sorrow over this? And where are the comments concerning what his son has found? I noted flaws in that report at first read? Do they not want to know if there is foul play? The coverage has been horrible.
Very good points. In all of this, where was the sympathy for those who suffered through this? There was none. In fact, the family was dealt with very poorly and harshly. We need to ask the question, “Why?” Why was this the case? Why the animosity toward those who weren’t even accused of anything? It has been a very sad and very revealing series of events.
“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone….” (John 8:7)
The report has lot of flaws. Why isn’t the evidence of all that is mentioned in the report brought to light?
Ravi’s son Nathan mentioned that Ravi was not technology savvy and his phones were with Nathan during the last months of Ravi’s life. Check out https://defendingravi.com/
Nathan – if you are reading this, I will support you always. You are a good son.
The sinner will never own up to his own sin but is quick to point at any trace of someone else’s sin. It has been very revealing seeing so many preachers jump at the opportunity to point the finger at Ravi. In situations like this, I often think to myself regarding those who revel in shaming others, “What sin in your life are you trying so desperately to hide?”
I’ve noted the points you’ve raised in your publication. But how does one explain Romans 6:1-2?. The passage reads: “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?” In those two verses, Paul emphasizes the fact that true repentance always results in either the cessation of sin or at least the hindering of the full expression of sin. The pattern the New Testament holds before us is one of progressive righteousness in the life of the true believer, not unrelenting “living” in sin.
If Ravi did repent, as you say, “… at many stages of his life, publicly and privately”, then why did the pattern of sin go on unabated throughout his life? Ravi not only persisted in his sin but went to great lengths to finance it and hide it from those he should have been accountable. Bearing that in mind isn’t the best description of Ravi Zacharias found in Jude 1:4 – “For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed – ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality…”?
Hi Gabriel, thank you for your thoughts. My response is going to be too long to put in a comment and also since the subject matter doesn’t exactly respond to this article, it may be better for me to respond in an article about the points you’ve raised. Keep in touch, I will try to respond very soon.
John MacArthur, like many others who feel compelled to offer their knowledge of Scripture selectively without personal experience or application, set a perverted example of a straw man who claim to be righteous. I submit that when the Greeks first defined and applied meaning as “sin” to missing the simple bullseye of the archery target, there were no other qualifiers. The Bible is very clear that there are no exceptions, no one hits the bullseye in this life. That includes those who uncovered and crafted this story, John MacArthur, or the RZIM Board, or the Law firm charged with an “honest” investigation or any of the supposed victims or me or you. So, beginning with a presupposition of guilt is no starting position for an objective investigator seeking truth at all. All those who have presented their comments as upholding the integrity of Scripture are untruthful without first revealing their own shortcomings in the light of an all powerful, all knowing and all loving God with whom there is a personal connection.
Ravi was my friend. And no one in this life can remove those things we shared in discussion. Like the Christian family influences of the Father of the girl he wanted to marry (and did). His complete committment and respect for God’s Word, and for his wife, for his parents and his in Laws. The pride he radiated when speaking of his children and for his siblings. Or relating his greatest joy as a new Father when returning home from a demanding road trip and his 2 year old sees him coming toward her at the Toronto airport. His wonderful sense of humour which I drew from many times during 12 step meetings. Or scheduling our marriage at the beginning of 1980 so that he could participate in officiating. Or having breakfast at Vancouver airport while discussing the reality that not all people around him were wishing his ministry success. Some would put him in a position that would harm him. Thereafter he selected top students to travel with him during weekend speaking assignments from Nyak. I suggested he do that and he did.
I strongly support Margie and the platform expressed by Nathan. Those wishing to be supportive of the family might consider backing Naomi (and Nathan) in furthering the causes of their continued ministry.
I am grateful for those who are defending Ravi!! I loved his teachings and believe satan will use anything to draw people away from Jesus and truth. I beliEve this is what is going on here. I will continue to read and listen to Ravi’s books and anything he spoke. I am a sinner saved by Grace!! I will not believe the lies spoken against him. God bless his family!!!