2/11/2021
Today, people around the world are shaken by the findings of the recent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by the recently deceased Founder of RZIM (Ravi Zacharias International Ministries) and Christian Apologist, Ravi Zacharias. If you are reading this, it is likely that you have already heard the devastating news of his secret life during his years as a minister. Please know that before I continue, my intent in writing this article is not to add more fuel to the fire, nor is it to defend or deflect what was clearly proven in the very extensive and compelling Miller & Martin Report. But, in such a time as this, I believe that it is the responsibility of Bible believing Christians to still give an answer for the hope that is within them. Because of that, in this article, my hope is to do that very thing and nothing else.

As a young teenager, I stumbled in my faith, and it was as a teenager that I relied greatly on men like Ravi Zacharias. His messages on YouTube were, in my teen years, a catalyst for my faith. When I was struggling with doubts about the pain I was going through, I looked to Ravi and his sermons to bring clarity to my life circumstances. In these times, Ravi helped me understand what it means to be human, what good and evil is, and why there is suffering in this world. Some things that will be said about Ravi by many people today stem from shock, disappointment, and anger. Some people have brokenly expressed, “I looked up to this man…” Others have referred to Ravi as a hypocrite, or, as one deeply hurt individual stated, “This is so devastating. It’s like he died all over again…” The man we thought was there, really was not, and it is deeply devastating to many. These are people who will no doubt have to process through their own grief and disappointment at the results of the Miller & Martin Report. These feelings of disappointment are not unwarranted, nor are they unreal.

Even more real to this extremely heartbreaking news is the immense pain of the victims from behind the scenes of Ravi’s double-life. Nobody knows all the names or the exact number of victims of Ravi Zacharias’s sexual transgressions, but we do know that one, Lori Anne Thompson, is one of those individuals. She is one of the true heroes to be acknowledged in all of this. In an open statement she shared her story, and however painful it was to hear, it was very powerful; a story which previously had been held back by the non-disclosure agreement she had in place with Zacharias. She said, “I have repeatedly requested to be released from my NDA. To date, no release has come. So be it. My words belong to me, and I take them back today.” This is an incredibly powerful statement. It is so important that we acknowledge that on the other side of our hurt, disappointment, and shame at this terrible situation, there are real people, such as Lori Anne, who have suffered worse at Ravi’s hands.

Where do we go from here?

As I have mentioned, I have looked up to this man; and thousands of others have as well. Ministers, world leaders, and countless other kinds of people from different ethnicities, countries, social classes, and positions in their society have not only viewed this man in high regard, but have been genuinely and deeply impacted by his ministry, by his words, and by his outreach. How do these people respond to this, really? For me, as I write this in tears, I am deeply pained. I think of myself in my teenage years. I was someone who looked up to this man and placed him on an extremely high pedestal. I can honestly say that had this all come to light in those days, I might have completely walked away from the faith altogether. Fortunately, I am finding this out later in life, and my faith is firmly rooted and founded in Jesus Christ and his words. With this said, this is certainly not the case for those who are not firm in the faith, or worse, those who were on the edge of eternity at the ministry of Ravi. By that, I mean those who were so close to responding to the gospel… How many of them are throwing their hands up? How many will never trust a man of God again? This is a truly devastating thing to ponder.

Since the release of the report, many have taken to condemning and denouncing Ravi Zacharias. Others have called for RZIM to disband and disperse. It could be rightly argued that these callouts are fair and warranted. But that will not be the goal of this article. I hope to do something more… This, at its core for some people, is an issue of faith. I think back to my time as a teen. What questions would I have asked had this come out then? I was a deeply troubled and hurting person that relied on Ravi Zacharias and his ministry to just stay afloat. Fresh out of many years of struggling with suicidal inclinations, self-harm, and many other hurts, I had given my life to the Lord fully, and at many times felt alone in my new walk with the Lord. Then, through YouTube, Ravi came into my life. I could relate with him. His powerful testimony of being saved from “a bed of suicide” resonated with me deeply. Nights when I was ready to throw my own hands up, his words entered the room through that computer screen, and I was given the hope that I desperately needed. News of something like this would have completely derailed me. So really, what would have happened with me had this come out sooner?

As I reflect, I recognize that for much of my teen years, my faith was built on a poor foundation. As I have said, I was deeply impacted by Ravi’s ministry. I used his work to hold me over into my adult years where I began to realize that I must be rooted in Christ’s words, not the words of any eloquent speaker. In Matthew’s Gospel we hear from Jesus that, “Everyone… who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on a rock.” (Matt. 7:24 ESV) Why would Jesus use this imagery? Why would he compare his words to a rock? Well, simply because when the storms and uncertainties of life come and beat against us, we need a solid foundation to keep us standing firm in those storms. Jesus and his words resemble that solid foundation, or “rock.” As Jesus said, “…the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” (Matt. 7:25 ESV) When our faith is built on this rock, nothing shall overcome it. Not even the moral failings of Ravi Zacharias. This is something I did not understand as a youth, new in my faith. My house was not properly built on the rock-solid words of Christ at that time; something I am very thankful to have today.

The truth is, when I was a youth, I was more like a person who built their house on sand. I took Ravi Zacharias, and I placed him on a pedestal that he was never meant to be on. Jesus said, “…everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” (Matt. 7:26 ESV) One thing I know I did, was that I idolized Ravi Zacharias. And anyone who has a basic knowledge of scripture knows that idolizing a person is idolatry, and idolatry is sin. To put it concisely, idolatry is disobedience to the commands of Christ. And such disobedience always leads to the natural consequences warned of in scripture… a great fall. How many are in a crisis of faith at the news of Ravi’s moral failure? Such people have a house (life) built on sand. Of such people, Jesus said, “…the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matt. 7:27 ESV) It is so important for us to have a proper foundation. Because without it, in times like this, we will find ourselves in crisis that Jesus never intended for us. So where do we go from here? I would say that we ought to take this time to reflect… What are we building our life on? Men who fail, or Jesus who never fails?

The questions I would ask…

I want to ponder about God for a little bit, and I want to do this in light of my former self. I know that there are people much like I was, and I know that there are answers that are needed. So, I am going to try to think of some questions I might have had about all this, and then give a good shot at answering them. The first question I might have asked is, does all this mean that Ravi Zacharias was wrong about what he said? Ravi argued powerfully for the existence of God and the truth of Christ as the one and only Savior of the world. But does his moral discrepancies disprove his arguments? In his five-minute short response to these recent revelations regarding Ravi, Dr. Michael Licona pointed out, “…Many will be turned off to Christianity as a result. People don’t necessarily have problems with Jesus. They have problems with many of his followers. Even worse, some Christians will begin to doubt whether Christianity is true, because one of it’s most prominent advocates lacked integrity.” Unfortunately, this is too true. This is devastating news and, though it shouldn’t, it will impact people in a very negative way. What do I mean by that? Well, as Dr. Licona rightly expressed, it is not Jesus people have problem with here. It is the lack of integrity that Ravi had. As Licona follows up, “…Christianity is true because of the person of Jesus…” The good character of a Christian does not prove or disprove anything about Jesus. It only provides us the evidence we need to determine if that person is truly following Christ. This is a thinking error that many believers and non-believers alike might be wrestling with. If you are one of these, just know that Ravi is not Jesus. He is merely a man, and his failings do not overshadow the overwhelming success of Christ. In other words, Christianity is true not because of those who adhere to it, but because Jesus is exactly who he claimed to be when he performed signs and wonders, fulfilled with pinpoint accuracy all the prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the Messiah, and rose from the dead.

The next question I may ask is, how could God use a man like this to do good in the world and still be good? This question is really a cry for justice. Ravi Zacharias received honors and accolades as a loved and admired man of God. Yet, behind the scenes he was a predatory violator of the moral law that he so fervently stood in the gap for. As the Miller & Martin Report indicates, Ravi spent a protracted period living in sin. He was not just messing up from time to time. He was living this out as a double life. A lifestyle of duplicity and sexual impropriety. So where is the justice? Why would God show Ravi mercy, knowing that in the end he would be found out as a fraud, causing many to stumble? These are daunting, difficult questions to answer. But there is an answer. Simply put, the answer to this question is found in a mixture of God’s mercy and His sovereignty. Sometimes we don’t really realize what God is doing behind the scenes while we are here on earth sinning and messing up. So, in these next paragraphs, please bear with me. This may take us for a ride, but the answer, however deep and theological, is refreshing indeed!

To start, the Apostle Peter puts this in good perspective: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV) This is an extremely hard pill to swallow for some; but to be frank about it, God did not judge Ravi in this life simply because God is merciful. As a youth pastor, I find myself needing to answer questions about injustice and evil. Generation Z hates injustice, and rightly so. And, as a result, I have learned to effectively give the youth of this generation an answer for this. When they ask, why does God allow evil? Why does he allow injustice? I unflinchingly answer: “Well, because if God didn’t allow injustice and evil in the world, none of us would even be here. God would have already judged and punished us all by now.” God’s word is noticeably clear, “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 ESV) Part of me wants to be offended that God allowed Ravi to last so long in his position of admiration and influence. But I know this is my flesh speaking. We ought to praise God for His mercy, not grumble about Him giving the same mercy to Ravi that we would want Him to give us. So, simply put, God did not judge Ravi in this life for the same reason he has not judge you or me. Because He is merciful!

But, how does this mercy tie in with God’s sovereignty? Well, mercy is not something that is deserved. And, mercy is only one part of God’s method for dealing with the wickedness of humankind. As it has already been established, all of us have fallen short of God’s glory. We all deserve judgement from God, yet he works with us all to fulfill his good purposes. With this, despite our evil, scripture is quite clear that God uses the evil of mankind for good. Ravi lived a double life, but God still used him to bring needed answers to struggling people. Now, at face value this seems like a very insensitive thing to say. That, Ravi Zacharias, a man who lived wickedly in God’s eyes was still used by God? Of course! In fact, God has made good out of worse in order to carry out his good purposes.

For example consider King Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and exiled the Israelites in 586 BC. What does God’s word say of him? Through Jeremiah, God says, “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him.” (Jeremiah 26:7 ESV) What? His servant? Why would God refer to this evil man as His servant? Simply put, God is revealing to us that even when we commit evil, He is still sovereign. We may try to break His laws and set ourselves up against Him, but God always finds a way to achieve His plan. This is not the only time that God has used wicked men to carry out his purpose. He did the same thing with the wicked King Cyrus of Persia, who like the King of Babylon, He refers to as like a servant, calling Cyrus His “shepherd” who will rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. (Isaiah 44:28 ESV) Another example more popular to Christians is in Genesis where Joseph confronts his brothers who sold him into slavery saying, “…you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…” (Gen. 50:20 ESV) This, of course, led to the saving of many people from a horrible famine in that time, particularly the saving of the entire nation of Israel.

Next comes the question, does this mean that God effectually caused the evil of Ravi, who victimized all of those women? Or did He effectually cause Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Israel as judgement? Or did He make Cyrus kill more people to conquer Israel? Or did God make Joseph’s brothers sell him out into slavery? Not necessarily. God is not the author of evil. Some Calvinists try to imply that God does do this, but I am neither a Calvinist, nor do I believe that. I could get further into that topic, but I won’t because it is not the purpose of this article. That said, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Joseph’s brothers, and Ravi chose to do these bad things out of their own free choice. But God is sovereign over evil! And as stated before, throughout scripture it is demonstrated that though God does not cause wicked people to do wicked things, He does use wicked people to bring out His purposes for good!

look deeper at the case of Joseph: his brothers planned to sell him into slavery and ruin his life out of jealousy, but God used the circumstances of Joseph to save Israel and many others. We see a similar sentiment of this sort of phenomenon in Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, “…we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV) Here, Paul is referring to the evil persecutions committed against Christians. Paul is saying that in the case of those who love the Lord, all things are worked by God for their good. So, if God can work persecution, death, and destruction for good, he can certainly use a duplicitous man like Ravi for good. And he did. As I have said, God used Ravi mightily to give me the answers I desperately needed as a hurting teen. There is no getting around this fact for me. All glory to God! But, he did use Ravi.

Now, how does this make sense? Wouldn’t God then have to make all situations of evil work out for a good outcome for all of us? First, in the grand scheme of things, God does not owe us anything. Often times we associate good with our own perceived well-being. And, though God loves his creation, (us in particular), we are not owed anything from God… Especially if we choose to break His law and stand in arrogance against Him. All of us have fallen short and have sinned, and as result we all deserve to die. It’s as scripture says, “…the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23 ESV)

This is why any redemptive act that God effects in this sinful and fallen world flows from his mercy. Why? Because our sin has deemed all of us worthy of judgement. With that said, if He does judge us it is a good thing because justice is good! Think about it… Even Joseph, the one wronged by his wicked brothers deserved to be judged because he was also a sinner. Yet, God redemptively participated in Joseph’s story to cause good. This doesn’t mean that all evil in this world is turned around for a good outcome for us in this life; it only means that evil can be used by God in his sovereign mercy to effect good in the world. Therefore, when God uses wicked people for good, we are in no place to stand in judgement of him because we are the sinners worthy of death; and it is the same in the case of Ravi. Ultimately, nobody can stand in judgement against God on the basis of His mercy towards evil men, nor on the basis of how God uses evil men for good.

With all of this in mind, one day, when all of what we now see passes away and we all stand in front of God for final judgement, God’s complete justice will be enacted upon the entire world. But right now, He sovereignly shows mercy. Ravi Zacharias has already faced this judgement, and my hope is that he stood before God having repented of his sins. But, in His sovereignty, God used a man who did great evil, for His own good purposes. That means that in my teen years, God used a man who was committing unconscionable deeds to give me answers to some of life’s most challenging questions. God used a sinner to keep me afloat. And God likely did this for many other people who are like me.

This does not put God in a position to be judged by us, and this does not nullify His goodness. It reveals the goodness of God. That God would have mercy upon Ravi Zacharias, and still used him to extend more mercy to sin-sick people, really is a testament of the patience of God, not the wrongness of God. This in no way excuses Ravi Zacharias. However, this does give an adequate answer to a really challenging question… Many are disappointed today, but knowing that God is willing to use sinful people for the good of other sinful people is a beautiful reality that neither takes away from His goodness, nor does it minimize the genuine impact Ravi Zacharias had in my life, nor in the lives of some of those who are reading this.

Now comes another question, what does God think of what Ravi Zacharias did? Simply put, God is as much against Ravi’s sin as He is anyone else’s. In fact, more! There is a higher standard for men who are in leadership. Jesus’ own brother, the Apostle James, warns: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (James 3:1 ESV) It is no shock to anyone that what Ravi did was morally unconscionable considering the scriptures. However, Ravi still stood in a position of great influence in the world and in the church. Yet, God still allowed Ravi to have this position. This is deeply frustrating. Not only to the Christians who are now struggling with their faith as a result of Ravi’s failings, but also for unbelieving people who may have been on the verge of repentance.

Why would God continue to allow Ravi to live in sin? Why wasn’t he exposed sooner? And again, I would refer to what I have said about God’s mercy and sovereignty. It could very well be that God knew things that we do not. But one thing I do know is that had this come out sooner, I may not be writing this article. I may have walked away entirely. Another thing to consider is the mercy of God… Christian leaders need God’s mercy just as much as any sinner. What Ravi did is detestable, but there are mysteries to God’s methods that we may never understand. In the end, we must always remember that men break our trust… Not God. Ravi made these decisions out of his own free will and lived a lifestyle contrary to God’s moral law. Despite this, God showed Ravi ample amounts of mercy and unless Ravi repented before or on his death bed, he was judged before God being without any excuses at all. God will always set things right.

Another thing I might ask is, how do I move on from all of this? I believe the answer to this is something I alluded to earlier in this article. We can’t be building our foundation on shifting sand. When I was a youth, I needed answers and Ravi Zacharias gave them to me. This led to an unhealthy idolization of Ravi, who was a mere man. That said, I really should have put Christ first in everything. My faith is to be built on Him. Ravi Zacharias was full of great and wise words. He spoke eloquently, and powerfully impacted the church whilst he was alive. However, the Apostle Paul has a few things to say about eloquence and wisdom… “And I, when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 ESV)

The transformative spiritual power of Ravi’s message was never found in his words. Rather, it was found every time he shared the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Paul said in his Epistle to the Romans, “…I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16 ESV) This is why Paul told the Church in Thessalonica, “…our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…” (1 Thess. 1:9 ESV) The Gospel is the source of the power in the message of Christ, not any imperfect man. Unfortunately, many people have succumbed to celebrity-ism when it comes to their foundation, basing their faith in God on their admiration of speakers like Ravi Zacharias. If our faith were always founded in Jesus and His gospel, we wouldn’t be so shaken whenever prominent Christian men fail. Therefore, I submit to you that you refocus your faith on Jesus and his words, and as Paul writes, “…Let God be true though everyone were a liar.” (Romans 3:4 ESV)

Refocusing…

Now that we have looked at some of the questions that may be floating around about this terrible situation regarding Ravi Zacharias, I think it is important for us to take time to talk about how we got here. I find myself reminded of Paul’s warning to Timothy, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16 NIV) As Christians, especially leaders, we must be incredibly careful with how we live and with what we teach. We are ambassadors for Christ to this lost world. What ever happened to holiness in the church? What ever happened to standards for pastors and teachers?

I know that from the outside looking in, many of us would have never guessed Ravi was doing these things on the side. In fact, few of us would ever imagine Ravi in the same picture as a Carl Lentz, or a Jerry Falwell Jr… But now, we certainly see such things floating around the internet today. But might I add… With all the brazen and sharp words some men and women have had for Ravi Zacharias, (and rightly so) statistically speaking, 64 percent of those angry Christian men, and 15 percent of those angry Christian women are addicted to pornography. Yes, is what Ravi did much worse? Of course! But I believe that the increase in moral failings by Christian leaders stems from a serious disregard for holiness in the church. And the problem that churchgoers have with pornography is also evident of that.

Where is the conviction of the Holy Spirit? Where is the accountability? The church in America will never see any sort of revival until we start to value holiness again. We have built a church culture that allows for people to sit comfortably in the pews of church buildings without any challenge from the pulpit to pick up their cross and die daily. With all of this in view, so many “Christian” people today are taking this profoundly disappointing situation and using it as an opportunity to signal their virtue. But that’s not what Christianity is about. It’s about signaling God’s virtue.

We signal God’s virtue by sharing the gospel to this lost and dying world, and by living out the Christ-life. We mustn’t allow ourselves to make holiness merely an image to attain publicly, but a daily denial of self out of our love for our God. Finally, Ravi’s exposure has reminded me personally that I am also merely a man, and I must also watch my life and doctrine. I have a beautiful wife who thinks the world of me. I praise God for her. What things can I do daily to attain the discipline needed to never let her down like Ravi did to his wife, Margie? I have a beautiful baby girl who lights up when she sees me. What can I do right now to make sure that when I die, she will never have to suffer the pain Naomi Zacharias is going through at this time? What can I do to ensure that I don’t cause anyone to stumble? Simply put, I must truly value holiness in every aspect of my life. I must be fully set apart for God. Our arguments for God mean only so much. We must live the life we preach.

Conclusively, in this article I have tried to be real with the reader. I must be honest; I am still fighting my own disappointment. It’s hard because for me, it’s as if he passed away all over again. The man I thought was there really wasn’t. Last May, I remember weeping and needing the comfort of my wife because of my grief over Ravi’s passing. There was so much that Ravi had given me, and I hadn’t taken time to consider a world without him. This is really a mistake on my part, and unfortunately, the American church has allowed for this satanic influence of celebrity-ism to infiltrate it.

We must never allow a minister to grow in popularity so much so that they overshadow Jesus, who is the truth behind the gospel message. This is true whether it be the Apostle Paul in his time, or Ravi Zacharias, Carl Lentz, Jerry Fallwell Jr. or whoever else. Why? Because men fail. Our gospel is not founded on mere men, it is founded on the work and power of Christ. Unfortunately, we have let it come to this in the church today. I have let it come to this. And I take responsibility for it. This is why I have taken this attempt to give answers to some hard questions that people may be facing. My hope is that in doing so, I have brought clarity to those who are in serious need of answers. If I have not been clear enough, I encourage the reader to reach out. Comment on this article or email me at adam@boldapologia.com for more dialogue. I hope this has blessed whoever needed it.

In Christ,

Adam Parker