Never Apologize for God's Truth

A few months back, I heard a well-known minister say of the doctrine of predestination, "Sometimes, I wish this doctrine were not in the Bible because it causes so much controversy." I was taken back a bit by the lack of theological courage in this statement and was immediately reminded of some wise words of advice a retired Southern Baptist pastor gave me several years ago when I first began in ministry: "Never, ever, for any reason, apologize for the Word of God. Preach it-all of it-with tenderness and courage."

I was similarly taken aback a couple of weeks back when I read the words of an evangelical minister/scholar whom I admire greatly, words he penned as a response to an inquirer about his commitment to biblical complementarianism. The inquirer asked Dr. Dan Wallace, professor of New Testament studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, about some of the pragmatic issues surrounding the roles of women in the church, issues such as female missionaries, female evangelists, female soloists, and the like.

Wallace responded by saying that he does not embrace egalitarianism because interpreting such passages as 1 Tim 2:11-15 to support the egalitarian view requires the reader "...to do some exegetical gymnastics in which one twists and turns the text to conform it to their views." Wallace concludes: "I am unwilling to twist scripture into something that it does not say."

Wallace continued to affirm the church's historic position on women in the ministry with a fulsome response. He did, however, make a major-and in my mind regrettable-capitulation in the area of a courageous statement of biblical truth with what he said in parts of the the letter, including this statement in the opening paragraph:

"I must confess: attitudinally, I am egalitarian. I find what scripture says on these matters very difficult to swallow at times..."

In the concluding paragraphs, he continues to speak of his uneasiness at the complementarian position:

"In attitude, I am egalitarian. And I have pushed the boundaries of complementarianism for a long time...I have endorsed women for all sorts of ministries, including ministries that I would be uncomfortable with them doing. But since they are ministering in churches that are egalitarian, I would rather have these women ministering there than some others who may not be as well trained, as godly, as devoted to the scriptures and to Christ...I have problems with the complementarian position. I am sometimes embarrassed to be a complementarian. It would be a whole lot easier if I weren't! But I can't go against my conscience. And my conscience tells me that after all the exegetical dust has settled, to deny some sort of normative principle to 1 Timothy 2:12 is probably a misunderstanding of this text."

I have great respect for Dr. Wallace and even appreciate much about the letter, including his desire to be gracious in debating theological matters. However, I cannot follow him in his halting manner over what he admits to be the very clear teaching of the Word of God. Should we not delight in all the truths of the Word of God? Should we not see the truth of God's complementary creation of men and women a thing of inscrutable beauty that causes us to fall on our sinful faces and cry out with the great apostle, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!" 

Our hearts and minds are fallen, and because of this reality, there are many issues at which we see through a glass darkly. But when God's Word is clear to us-as it is in most places-we must rejoice and proclaim it and not shrink back from it because it risks stampeding the sacred cows of contemporary culture. Paul anticipated that an "open statement of the truth" (2 Corinthians 4:2) would repel many (1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:14). Accordingly, let us apply to God's Word as it relates to gender roles, the admonition which the courageous preacher C.H. Spurgeon employed to speak of the sublimity of the mysterious and often controversial doctrine of election: "Do not be afraid to dwell upon this high doctrine...When your mind is most heavy and depressed, you will find it to be a bottle of riches cordial. Those who doubt the doctrines of grace, or who cast them into the shade, miss the richest clusters of Eschol; they lose the wines on the lees well refined, the fat things full of marrow. There is no balm in Gilead comparable to it."  And don't apologize for the Word of God.