Elder, it is your job to make sound moral judgments, to shine light into dark places. Morality is an invisible reality and the sheep under your care are looking to you for moral clarity. They look to you to speak with clarity and conviction on what is right and what is wrong. This is not optional; it is a duty. Therefore, you must learn God’s law intimately so that you may judge rightly, both for your sake and for the sake of the sheep under your care.

Evil is Inconspicuous
What does evil look like? If you are reading this you are probably a fan of Lord of the Rings (LOTR). Part of what is so appealing about LOTR is that the bad guys look like bad guys. They are dark, slimy, hideous creatures and when you see them you have no doubt, “That is evil!”
Sadly, the moral landscape for us humans is much less obvious. In fact, the moral landscape is not a landscape at all. There is no material reality that you can appeal to in order to make moral judgements. To say that another way, morality is not a material or physical reality, it is a spiritual and invisible reality.
I am not saying that morality is not real, it is quite real. I am simply saying that any moral standards that you live by are not based primarily on anything material. And yet, everyone, even your friendly neighborhood materialist-atheist, lives by a set of morals which are not grounded by any physical reality but are based on a set of invisible and spiritual beliefs.
This stands in stark contrast to Tolkien’s middle earth which is filled with witches, orcs, or some other dark creature creeping in the shadows. Sadly, as they have been played and replayed on our TVs, these fantasy worlds have taught us to believe one powerful lie: “If you ever saw something truly evil, it would be obvious.”
This has been proven false time and time again in Scripture. The pharisees were revered by men like you, good men who feared the LORD and longed for the Messiah, and yet Jesus identifies the Pharisees as children of Satan. In contrast, John the Baptizer was a dirty, smelly, and grimy looking man who eventually wound up in prison. Looks can be deceiving.
Let’s go back to the beginning. The book of Genesis, Chapter 3, the fall of mankind. 3:1 “Now the serpent was more crafty…”
Pause there. Here we have the Serpent, the incarnation of Evil, and the father of lies. How is he described? Crafty, cunning, shrewd. He is a master of disguise, father of lies, and much smarter than you and me. The crafty one will not let himself be exposed. Unlike a movie villain, you will never hear a cruel monologue from Satan. He will not wear devilish horns. His strategy is much more subtle than that.
Instead, over the course of the next 6 verses Satan uses very precise words to break down Eve’s belief that God is for her. Everything he says has some piece of truth in it, and nothing he says makes Adam or Eve suspect his evil intentions. “[the Serpent] said to the woman, “Did God actually say, you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?”
The point is this: evil is not obvious. Satan is a strategic mastermind – he will never raise a flag above his head that says, “I AM EVIL.” Why does this matter?
Elder as Judge
It matters because as Christians (and especially as elders) we have a duty to make righteous judgments. In 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for their unwillingness to judge saying, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!”
Not only are we commanded to judge matters in this life, but we will be tasked with judging the world and the angels. If we are going to be faithful to our calling as judges, we MUST understand what righteous judgement looks like. Thankfully God’s word has much to say about it.
Principles of Righteous Judgement
What is the Basis of righteous Judgment?

Based on God’s moral law [10 Commandments] (Exodus 20, Mark 7:8) and not on man-made or personal rules (Mark 7:8ff).

What exactly is being judged?

Judgment is based on real actions, not assumed or imputed motivations. Judges the deed, not the man (1 Cor. 2:11, Rom 14:4).

Who is in a position that should be judging?

Ordinarily from a superior to an inferior within a legitimate authority structure. i.e., parents to kids, judge to accused, elder to church member. (James 3:1)

What is the end goal of righteous judgment?

End goal is to glorify God, restore the sinner, while clearly articulating the truth of what happened (Gal 6:1, Matt 18). It should not be done in order to humiliate and assert dominance, although a guilty verdict will bring some level of humiliation. (Matt 20:25)

What is the Ethos of righteous judgment?

Motivated by love/care (1 Cor. 13:1-3) and carried out with gentleness & patience (Gal 6:1) rather than ruthlessly and to grab power. It is blind, AKA it does not give preferential treatment based on ethnicity, status, gender, etc. (John 7:24).

Other categories for elders to consider:
Christian vs. Outsider – Are they claiming the name of Christ? The rebukes and corrections from an elder should primarily be directed towards those who claim the name of Christ.

1 Cor. 5:11 -12 “I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler – not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. Purge the evil person from among you.”

Sheep vs. Wolf – Is the individual simply wandering, or are the actively bringing others with them to destruction? A wolf should be corrected more directly, publicly, and severely than a sheep, in order to protect the sheep from destructive lies.

Galatians 1:8-9 “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”
James 3:1 – “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

God’s Judgment vs. Man’s Judgment

Never forget that ultimate justice is in God’s hands. Any judgement you carry out will be imperfect and foreshadow the final judgement that God will administer perfectly since he alone has complete knowledge of the deeds and the motivations. “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Rom 12:19)

Why is judgment so important for elders? Because Satan is a master deceiver and his lies are not easy to spot. Evil is not obvious. In this world, evil is not an orc or a goblin. It is far more subtle and will not label itself as evil. In fact, it will claim the moral high ground. Elder, it is your job to make sound moral judgments, to shine light into dark places. Morality is an invisible reality and the sheep under your care are looking to you for moral clarity. They look to you to speak with clarity and conviction on what is right and what is wrong. This is not optional; it is a duty. Therefore, you must learn God’s law intimately so that you may judge rightly, both for your sake and for the sake of the sheep under your care.
Brandon Hawkes is a Minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and is Assistant Pastor in Christ PCA in Clarkesville, GA.
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In our age of rapid, digital communication, “fake news” is as common as ever. As we’ve seen, disinformation regarding complementarianism abounds, whether those arguments are theological, historical, or moral. May we not be fooled by such claims. Rather, let us be like Bereans, testing to see if these things are so.

Donald Trump made the idea of “fake news” famous. Some reports say he used the term around 2,000 times during his tenure as president of the United States. According to Trump, news outlets proliferated lies and sowed false information to tear him down and hinder his work.
Fake news or disinformation is nothing new, however. For years, it has been used by governments to spread false ideas and promote narratives as well as by military units to mislead the enemy with false tactics. This disinformation served their purposes and aimed to help them win elections and war(s).
This spread of disinformation is not limited to government and military tactics. Sadly, it is a regular occurrence in the world of theology as well. Whether perpetuated ignorantly or purposefully and willfully, this disinformation poses great danger to the church today. Where do we see such “fake news”? Oftentimes, it comes in the form of an argument against a position that has been unfairly represented. For a recent example, see Randy Davis’s recent criticism of the Law Amendment in the Southern Baptist Convention. As Denny Burk helpfully points out, two out of Davis’s three objections are based on arguments that simply aren’t true.
What I’m concerned about here is not Donald Trump nor the Law Amendment in particular, but rather the spread of disinformation as it relates to complementarianism more broadly—the nature and roles of men and women. And this information doesn’t come merely from the outside of the camp. Instead, disinformation about complementarity is pasted on Twitter, promoted on Facebook, and spread via blog posts and magazine articles at an increasingly high rate from outside and inside the complementarian camp.
I can think of several categories of disinformation when it comes to complementarity: theological disinformation, historical disinformation, and moral disinformation. I’m sure others could add more. In this article, I will examine claims from each of these categories, demonstrating how they all fail to accurately describe the complementarian argument.
Theological Disinformation
Theologically, we have false ideas about complementarianism making their way around the internet, into books and articles, and into personal conversations. Two wrongheaded and unfounded biblical and pastoral-theological errors seem common.
First, some argue that complementarianism is built on a handful of passages. This narrative aims to convince readers that the theological position is built on shaky foundations. And, it suggests by contrast that egalitarianism is more faithful to the grand sweep of Scripture. For example, Jennifer Bradshaw writes, “Complementarians base their theology on a few passages in Genesis and select verses from some New Testament epistles.”[1] Well, to borrow from our ex-President: “fake news!”
Now, this brief article isn’t the place to outline all the passages complementarians use to build their theological house. Instead, If you want proof that the complementarity position is built with lots of biblical bricks, read the various iterations of Eikon, the theological journal from the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Notice the dozens of theological arguments, exegetical insights, and massive volume of biblical-theological thinking that’s at the bottom of complementarity. Or, pick up Rediscovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by Wayne Grudem and John Piper. You don’t have to agree with them to acknowledge that the authors in that book lean into the whole Bible to make their case. Simply turn to the Scripture index. It runs over seven pages and lists dozens and dozens of passages from both the Old and New Testaments. Are there key passages in this debate? Sure. But admitting there are key passages is a far cry from relying on or basing a theological position “on a few passages.”
Second, some want to make it seem as though complementarians are simply interested in barring women from ministry in the church overall. That is, some egalitarians erroneously say complementarians believe that only men should have ministries of any type in a local congregation. Consider Jennifer Bradshaw again. When she outlines the basic components of the complementarian position, it doesn’t take long for her to go off course. Here is what she writes:
Simply defined, complementarianism argues the following points (claiming, of course, that these are the “Biblical” view):

that men and women were created in God’s image, equal in worth, but that they were created for different roles;
that men are the leaders (or heads) in the home and the church and women are helpers to men, created to raise children and tend to the home; and
that leadership roles in churches, especially the office of senior pastor, are prohibited for women—women are not gifted or meant for leadership in the Church.[2]

She starts strong. As a complementarian, I agree with point 1. Point 2 states some true things, though her agenda starts to bleed through (raise children and tend the home are reductionistic. Yet, the rhetoric is meant to score an emotional point, it seems). Point 3, however, is either disingenuous or simply ignorant. She uses the broad idea of “leadership roles in the churches” to suggest complementarians bar women from any form of church leadership. When she does this, she specifically broadens the prohibition of female leadership beyond the bounds of the “senior pastor.” According to her view, complementarians bar women from “leadership in the Church” (a broad concept) that is “especially” applied narrowly to the “senior pastor” position. So, no leadership in the church at all…including senior pastorates. Well, again, fake news.
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The religion of death is awake and active. If it could, it would even swallow up the Christian. But our God is more powerful and provides the remedy to such folly. Do not be ashamed of the Gospel of God concerning Jesus Christ. It is, was, and always will be the power of God unto salvation. It must be preached, proclaimed, and protected. God will give His Word success and bring those in the clutches of death and darkness to the glorious light of the Kingdom of His dear Son our Lord.

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live: that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
The world, the devil, and all the powers of the flesh and darkness are joined together for this reason – to shed the innocent blood of children.
The recent leaking of Supreme Court draft documents has again brought to light the abomination of the world’s religion of death.  Couched in the euphemisms of “a woman’s right to choose,” “human rights,” “healthcare,” and other similar terms, the demonic practice of child murder is being promoted like never before by the Roman Catholic president of the United States, his vice president, and governors, senators, and countless groups across the country. This again begs the question, why? Why are there riots in the streets to promote murder? Why are the highest officials of the land promoting murder?
The answer lies in the spiritual realm.
Two Spiritual Conditions
Throughout the Bible the Lord presents just two spiritual conditions into which all people fall: Each person is either saved or unsaved; walking in light or walking in darkness; on the highway to hell or the pathway to life; lovers of life or lovers of death; haters of God or servants of God. Myriad descriptors present only two options for man, life or death.
Life
In order to live, God tells us we must choose life (Deut. 30:19). These two words have  been used as a rallying cry for the so called “Pro-Life” movement. In its Scriptural context, it has little to do with abortion and everything to do with faith in Jesus Christ. The life we are called to choose is the life of blessing, the narrow way through the narrow gate, the truth, the solid foundation. Life is not an idea or an action; the life of Deut. 30:19 is a person. “Therefore choose life… that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life.”
This is just what Jesus says in John 14:6: “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me.”
As the LORD calls us to choose life He calls us to believe, have faith, and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation so that we might have everlasting life through Him. The Jesus Christ we are called to trust is the God Man in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He shed His own blood and died, so that His children might have life and live. Choose life means simply this – repent of your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation and you shall be saved.
The preacher of Proverbs sums it up this way, “For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD” (8:35). This is one spiritual state of man – the man that has found Christ and eternal life in Him. In this state, as a servant of the living and true God, this man sets himself to serve and glorify his King. The result is that [both he and his] descendants may live.
Death
There is the second condition – it is the condition of those who hate life, light, and truth. They are those who love death, darkness, and lies.
The preacher said, “All they that hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:36).
Many have foolishly believed that through reason, science, speeches, and laws, they can persuade the followers of death that life is good. What they fail to grasp is that those outside of Christ are not just prone to sin and evil, they love it. Those that hate Christ love death.
The apostle puts it this way, they not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them (Romans 1:32). The wicked glory in your flesh (Galatians 6:13). They love the shedding of innocent blood. They delight in sending their children and, if they could, your children to the slaughter. As the Christian delights in serving the living and true Lord with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, so the wicked delights to serve sin and death with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind.
Why are the wicked rioting, threatening, enraged by a draft ruling from the Supreme Court that does not prohibit abortion but turns it over to the states to regulate murder? Because they perceive their religion and way of life is being somehow attacked.
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