Difficult Questions?

If you are a political junky like me you know that the phrase, "That's a difficult question," is often used by politicians when they are asked questions on a hot button issue. The purpose of the phrase is multifaceted. This statement makes the person look to be thoughtful, intelligent, and informed. The statement gives the person a moment to collect thoughts without looking like he is unsure how to answer. The statement may signal that the person answering is aware that the hearers may not like his answer. It is an easing into a reply. Sometimes the statement is preparatory for a non-answer, political doublespeak, or obfuscation. This is to be expected when political leaders speak. They are often trying to hang onto polling numbers and power through the path of least resistance. That is, they speak with an eye on the weather vane of public opinion. Such courage and forthrightness! Such fearless leadership!

This kind of language also finds its way into the religious realm and seemingly for the same kinds of reasons that politicians use it. Shamefully religious leaders have adopted the political model of leadership. When the Vatican has spoken about priests abusing children their responses were often couched in carefully worded non-answers. The ELCA's recent acceptance of homosexual priests was laughably attributed to a "bound conscience" which was a shameful misquote of Luther's statement at the Diet of Worms. In defense of this absurd action the difficult question apologia was used. Emergent/Emerging leaders are artists at speaking out of both sides of their mouths. They can accept almost anything as truth except orthodox Christianity as expressed in the Scriptures and the Creeds. This mindset of avoiding clearly stated commitment to right doctrine and practice can be found almost anywhere you look in American Christianity. We are afraid to speak plainly. The cultural ethos of so-called tolerance and pc-speech effects too many Christian pastors and leaders.

The problem is a lack of the courage of our convictions. We are terrified of the accusations that we are being intolerant, narrow minded, ignorant, and bigoted. We don't want to appear to be insensitive to the feelings and opinions of others. (Perhaps we should be more concerned with the eternal destiny of others!) In the process of avoiding giving any offense we dilute our message into meaningless drivel. How sadly this contrasts with the exhortations found in God's Word to speak and testify clearly about what God says. I cite the following Biblical texts from the ESV with my own summary headings.

Speaking with authority because we speak God's Word: 1 Pet. 4:10-11 "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God...."

No double talk: 2 Cor. 1:19 "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes."

A clear message: 1 Cor. 14:8-9 "And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air."

Pleasing God: 1 Th. 2:3-4 "For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts."

Most of the crucial issues we face in the public square, around the water cooler, or over the back fence are not difficult questions. Even if we don't have a Biblical answer for a particular question, we can always go find it and bring a clear answer to those with whom we interact. We have in the Bible God's truth about the issues we face and God's answer to the real need in each person's life through the sinless life and atoning death of Jesus Christ for us all. We are witnesses, not politicians. A witness bears testimony to the truth regardless of what anyone else might think. So, we speak in order to testify about Christ, not to make ourselves look good. We speak clearly and truthfully because the so-called "difficult questions" have their ultimate answer in the Cross.