The Holy Spirit and the Southern Baptist Convention Today (XIII): “Absolute Fleshly Power Corrupts… Absolutely!”

It was Lord Acton (1834-1902), the British historian, who originally observed, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  Based on his studies of relevant history, almost every major situation in which great power was not accompanied by appropriate accountability resulted in significant abuse of power.

However, based on the Apostle Paul’s thoughts expressed in Galatians 5 (which we will look at momentarily) and 6, almost exactly that same statement could have been made almost two millenia earlier by Paul.  In fact, in 6:7-8a, the Apostle actually uses the word “corruption”: “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked.  For whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh…” (HCSB, italics mine).

Why do I say that Acton’s conclusion and Paul’s words are very similar?  Because the essence of the flesh is autonomy from God–specifically the power of His Holy Spirit.  Whenever the flesh wins out in the Christian’s life, the Spirit loses (Galatians 5:17). 

And, here’s another very interesting angle on “the flesh,” in case you have never thought of it this way.  Every work of the flesh Paul lists (5:19-21) is highly self-centered, with most demanding some sort of “upper hand” over other people and denying any accountability to the One True God, much less anyone else. 

Look at the list (5:19-21)!  It doesn’t matter if it’s the really gross licentious works of the flesh (5:19-20a, 21b) or the semi-respectable (i.e., because they are seen frequently and, tragically, explained away as “normal ” Christian behavior in so many ministries) legalistic works of the flesh (5:20b).  They are almost all ultimately self-involved: focusing on “me, me, me, me…,” not “Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord!” as is appropriate for Christians, and reflective of the proper attitude of those not arrogantly “lording it over” other people (Matthew 20:25-28; 1 Peter 5:3), but truly humbly accountable.

But, you say, I still do not see how you are “connecting the dots” between Acton’s conclusion and Paul’s conclusion in Galatians 6:7-8a, much less the “works of the flesh” in 5:19-21.  No problem.

Here’s my 1, 2, 3 attempt to assemble the puzzle pieces: 1) Any individual “works of the flesh” are selfish acts/abuses of anti-God power, since they ignore the intended control of the life of the believer by the Holy Spirit; 2) Repeated works of the flesh stack up into habit patterns of mistreating people through autonomous, selfish power (5:19-21)–the exact opposite of the fruit of the Spirit: “love… self-control” (5:22-23); and 3) The long-term consequences of “sowing” to the flesh–by choosing to act in the flesh, not the Spirit (5:16-17)–are a harvest, a tragic “bumper crop,” of corruption (6:8).

Let that sink in on you for.  No matter how impressive things may appear in the seen realm, if a person chooses to act in the self-centered power of the flesh, not the God-centered power of the Spirit, and keeps acting in the flesh, the longer-term outcome, from God’s perspective, is nothing other than full-blown spiritual corruption.

But, do most of us in the Southern Baptist Convention really even care about the corrupting power of the flesh, so long the major power brokers among us “keep up outer appearances?”  We certainly should!  If we have “the mind of Christ” because we have the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:16), and our minds are being renewed because of our unreserved commitment before the Lord (Romans 12:1-2), we should be making a good faith attempt to look at things the way God does: at the “heart” of the matter, not just the carefully-crafted, slick outer appearance (1 Samuel 16:7).

Having said that, before I close, allow me to connect some more dots in 1, 2, 3 fashion: 1) Currently–and for quite a number of years–the most powerful leaders in the SBC, without question, have been Paige Patterson and Al Mohler; 2) Patterson and Mohler are almost completely unaccountable, having trustee boards who are little more than “yes-men” and fan clubs and definitely not exercising careful responsible oversight of everything having to do with Southwestern and Southern seminaries (especially the presidents); and 3) Both presidents have at least one serious fleshly “chink” in the armor of their public images, as I will explain. 

With Mohler, his fairly obvious–to observers around him frequently–(Galatians 5:19) fleshly pattern is “outbursts of anger” (5:20, HCSB).  Many in the SBC got to see this fleshly character flaw up close and personal in San Antonio, as he ranted in anger about the Garner BFM 2000 Motion.  Also, most recently, five of Mohler’s former assistants turned down the opportunity to defend Mohler in regard to charges which included serious anger problems.  What else can that say other than that they won’t deny the pattern exists?

With Patterson, his “obvious” (i.e., clearly visible, if you are objective enough to see; 5:19) fleshly pattern is “selfish ambitions” (5:20, HCSB).  According to Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich-Danker, the Greek plural eritheiai in Galatians 5:20 means “(selfish) disputes or outbreaks of selfishness.”  Given Patterson’s legendary reputation for questionable tactics that serve to enhance his own public image and power, this is an accurate description.  Also, I will be surprised if this aspect of a fleshly “outbreak of selfishness” does become even more clear as the relevant lawsuit-related information becomes public and it realized that Patterson had no legitimate reason to breach the SWBTS tenure track process with Dr. Sheri Klouda.  He simply chose to do it because he could.  He had the fleshly power and he exercised it, period.

Where does that leave things?  As the title of this post stated, absolute fleshly power–which both Mohler and Patterson have in the absence of responsible trustee action, and when they choose not to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit (“love, joy, peace… self-control”)–corrupts absolutely, even if it’s not immediately visible in the seen realm.  In other words, anything that is done in the flesh is, in the Lord’s eyes, “wood, hay and stubble” (1 Corinthians 3:12), even if it appears very impressive at the moment to undiscerning spiritual eyes. 

In closing, it seems to me that the worst part of all this is that far too many Southern Baptists appear to be much more impressed with fleshly political and administrative power than with the humbling spiritual realities that, from God’s perspective: 1) ”… power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, HCSB); 2) “… men of high position exercise power over them.  It must not be like that among you” (Matthew 20:25, HCSB, italics mine); and 3) “… whoever exalts himself will be humbled” (Matthew 23:12, HCSB).