Ravi Zacharias what went wrong?

The news of Ravi Zacharias’s alleged sexual misconduct left me incredulous. Literally. I simply could not believe it. Whenever a person is accused posthumously, with no way to defend themselves, my “innocent until proven guilty” reflex is to give the benefit of the doubt to the accused. But in this case, as an avalanche of evidence poured out over the following weeks, and allegations continued to pile up, it seems impossible to deny that Ravi Zacharias was living a double life.   (See the Christianity Today article, which also links to the RZIM report, here).

This is bewildering to me and I feel compelled to compose an explanation for myself, and for those in my flock and readership who have asked me about it. This is how I think through any type of allegation of a professing believer who is unable to defend themselves.

The way I see it, one of three things happened; which one is accurate, we will only know on judgment day. 

First, it is possible that the evidence has been manufactured by enemies of the gospel (possibly those under demonic influence) who are intent on smearing the reputation of God’s servant. 

This is unlikely but possible. I try not to underestimate exactly how crafty Satan can be (Gen 3:1) and how much influence he has on current events since he is called the “god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4) and the “prince of the power of the air the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Eph 2:2).

Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Zacharias was a formidable opponent to Satan’s agenda, and it makes sense that if he avoided temptation, the obvious contingency strategy would be to assassinate his reputation.

Sadly, this explanation, though not impossible, is so unlikely in this particular case, that it can reasonably be discarded. 

It would require every accuser to be in on it, and every piece of evidence to have been manufactured. Giving a deceased defendant the benefit of the doubt can reasonably only go so far.

A second possibility is that Zacharias fell into temptation and sin as a believer. Frequenting massage parlours, meeting a masseuse alone in his hotel room, and other creepy habits show, at the very least, a serious lack of judgment, which in this case led to serious sin.

Sometimes people start to compartmentalize their lives, and they sin egregiously in one area while being very committed to God’s will in another area. I’ve seen this happen multiple times. A person ministers effectively over many years and exhibits a godly character and conduct in public, but then gets caught living a double life of ongoing sexual sin that persisted for years. 

I have a friend that did this and was exposed. I asked him about what went through his mind, and he told me how he would convince himself every time he sinned that it was the last time, over and over again.

Believers can develop this “split-personality” type of hypocrisy. King David fell into temptation, sexual abuse, and even a cover-up that lead to murder. But he was confronted and so repented while still alive. If he had died while in sin, we would be facing the same confusion as to his relationship with God as we are in the case of Ravi Zacharias.

This is why people often question the spiritual state of Solomon, Saul, Ananias, and Sapphira. When you die before repenting, you rob your family of the comfort that comes from their confidence that you were a believer.

Your eulogy comes with an asterisk.

If Zacharias was taking communion unworthily, as a believer in unrepentant sexual sin, it is possible that is why God gave him cancer and then took him home… to stop the sinning as he did to Corinthians (1 Cor 11:30). This is a real possibility. 

A third, and tragic explanation for the inexplicable, is that Ravi Zacharias was an unbeliever, masquerading as a believer because he saw a market for his unique abilities (Christians buy lots of books and pay for his appearances at debates etc.) and his business brought him money and fame and influence. The Bible warns of this possibility many, many times (e.g. Matt 7:15; 2 Cor 11:14; Acts 20:29; 2 Pet 2:1; Jude 12-13). 

Christ’s own disciple, Judas, remained completely undetected as the betrayer right until the last moment. 

And Jude warns of  “hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves” (Jude 12).

The idealist in me would love to think it was the first scenario. But that feels too much like wishful thinking and has no evidence to back it up. I hope, at least for his sake, that it is the second explanation. But it is most likely that is the third case.

Three lessons :

1. Flee temptation! Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands to take heed lest he falls. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Cor 10:12-13)

2. Look to Jesus alone as the one who will never let us down and  “call no man father on earth” (Matt 23:9) for no man can sustain the responsibility of being a spiritual father to another man’s soul.

3. Pray for Christians in positions of authority, prominence, or example. Satan likes to hunt for trophies to adorn the wall on his den. And the taller they stand, the more earth-shaking their fall. 

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

May each of us scour our lives for a trace of the lethal bait Satan has laid out. And may we pray daily, as Jesus told us to: lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.