Public School Teacher: Don't Be a Nicodemite

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As the Protestant Reformation gained momentum in the years following Luther's 95 Theses, the glorious truths of the Gospel made their way throughout the land. Hearts were healed. Minds were enlightened. Hope was born. But, unfortunately for some, behavior went unchanged. That's because although many learned the truths of God's Word that had been all but suppressed for centuries, these same people were often unwilling to embrace the persecution that accompanied it. Having counted the cost (cf. 2 Tim. 3:12, Luke 14:25-33), and being unwilling to pay it, many professing Protestants remained in the Roman Catholic Church despite recognizing the gross error and outright heresy espoused by that institution. They knew the Mass was blasphemous. They understood that indulgences were diabolical. They recognized that the Pope was Satan's minion. But they couldn't bring themselves to abandon that false church, knowing the heartache it would bring into their lives.

For example, Protestants in France, like those in many other countries, were subject to sporadic outbursts of persecution and hostility, which tempted many to throw their hands up in spiritual surrender.[1] After all, any man who refused to attend Mass, no longer made religious pilgrimages, or stopped bowing down before statues of saints immediately put a target on his back. Thus, rather than being shut out from society—or worse—what was their solution? Dissimulation. Pretense. Feigning agreement. Whereas religious hypocrisy is normally outward piety with inward iniquity, hypocrisy from these supposed Protestants was just the opposite: supposed inward piety without the outward equivalent. Even though these Protestants knew that Roman Catholicism was a damning false religion, many would continue to participate in Rome’s blasphemous rituals under the defense (excuse) that they inwardly knew better and didn’t affirm it “in their hearts.”

As you can only guess, this situation in France caught the attention of John Calvin, who would not sit idly by as his fellow men dissimulated. On the contrary, Calvin named such people “Nicodemites,” rebuking them and calling out their hypocrisy.

You remember Nicodemus in the Bible, right?

This Man Came to Jesus by Night

Nicodemus, a Jewish leader in the first century, was curious about the nature of Christ’s ministry, and thus came to Jesus to inquire further. John 3:1 says, “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews…” Of course, being a Pharisee meant that Nicodemus was a member of a particular Jewish sect known for a pursuit of rigid adherence to Mosaic Law born out of a self-righteous and legalistic spirit.[2] The term “Pharisee” comes from a Hebrew word that means “to separate,” and as John MacArthur notes, “Separation defined the Pharisees. Never were they willing to be in the company of sinners. In fact, the rabbis used to say, ‘You don’t even go near a sinner, even so much as to teach that sinner the law.’”[3] Thus, for Nicodemus to “break rank” and approach Jesus (who had even overturned tables at this point, cf. John 2:15) was a risky move. If his fellow Pharisees found out that he had any interest in Jesus, he would have undoubtedly been the object of unwanted scrutiny.

So what did he do? John 3:2 tells us: “…this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’”

This man came to Jesus by night.

Concerning this little detail, J.C. Ryle noted, “There can be little doubt that Nicodemus acted as he did on this occasion from the fear of man. He was afraid of what man would think, or say, or do, if his visit to Jesus was known. He came ‘by night’ because he had not faith and courage enough to come by day.”[4] Inwardly, Nicodemus had a semblance of interest in learning from Christ (even calling Him “Rabbi” and “a teacher”). But outwardly, he was only willing to do so under the cover of darkness.

It is from this point that the dissimulating sixteenth-century Protestants earned their term of derision: “Nicodemites.” According to these Protestants, Nicodemus’ crafty approach to Christ justified their own crafty approach to Protestantism. Failing to realize that coming to Jesus by night was not virtuous, they figured that if Nicodemus could secretly learn from Christ while still maintaining his social standing with his fellow Pharisees, then surely they could remain committed to the truths of the Reformation while simply going along with the prevailing rituals of Roman Catholicism. Thus, according to one historian, Nicodemites can be defined as “those whose fear of persecution or material loss resulted in a broader willingness to compromise their internal commitments by conforming to changing external demands of various kinds.”[5]

Beginning in 1537 with an open letter entitled On Shunning the Unlawful Rites of the Ungodly, Calvin said, “There is no room, therefore, for anyone to indulge in crafty dissimulation, or to flatter himself with a false idea of piety, pretending that he cherishes it in his heart, though he completely overturns it by outward behaviour.”[6] Despite Calvin reiterating this same sentiment over the next two decades, the Nicodemites dug in their heels and defended their hypocrisy all the more, claiming that they were at least worshiping God “in spirit” as John 4:23-24 intimates. They twisted Scripture to settle in their compromise. As another historian notes, “At this time also there were some persons in France who, having fallen away at first (from fear of persecution), had afterwards begun to be so satisfied with their conduct as to deny that there was any sin in giving bodily attendance on Popish rites, provided their minds were devoted to true religion. This most pernicious error, which had been condemned of old by the fathers, Calvin refuted with the greatest clearness.”[7]

Appalled by these dissimulators, Calvin stated,

Many people frequently ask me how they should conduct themselves in the midst of Papists, where it is not allowed to worship God purely, and where everyone is constrained to use many ceremonies which have been fashioned contrary to the word of God, and which are full of superstition. Now, it would not be hard to answer them concerning this matter, and to simply state what there is to say about it, if their hearts were fully resolved to follow everything that God declares to them completely and unquestioningly. However, I do not understand how it is that most men, having learned a thing to be displeasing to God, nevertheless give themselves leave to go seeking its defence. Indeed, I have seen a hundred people who asked me counsel on this matter, just like Balaam did of God, meaning to go before King Balak (Num. 22). For he was well aware that it was contrary to God's will to undertake the journey, yet he nonetheless did not fail to ask permission. Likewise, these people who are fairly convinced in their consciences that it is wrong to bow down before idols, inquire and query about what they should do, not to subdue their affections to God by submitting to his word, but so they may have free reign, and having an answer to their liking, may flatter themselves enough to remain in their evil-doing.[8]

Of course, nothing is new under the sun. Though Calvin thoroughly rebuked the Nicodemites of his day, they remain in ours.

Nicodemism Today

That brings us to public school teachers. Why them in particular? Well, as the general morality of our society swirls downward, the area of education is undeniably one, if not the greatest, of battlegrounds. And it’s entirely understandable why. Ephesians 4:14 plainly states that children, which would include those from the youngest years throughout teenage years, are susceptible to the trickery and deceitful scheming of men (which, as an aside, is why the Bible does not support the idea that children ought to attend a secular school in order to be “salt and light”). Without the ability to evaluate the long-term ramifications of their actions, and little to no positive spiritual guidance, many children are exceedingly susceptible to whichever sins culture sets forth as admirable.

At the moment, that means that “transgenderism”—boys who “identify” as girls, and vice versa—is the sin that society is fixated on. And children are bearing the brunt of it, being convinced and indulged in the thoughts and behaviors associated with this sin. And now that many children are claiming to be opposite of their birth gender, those around them are likewise being required by society to accommodate. With public school children spending a vast amount of their time with teachers, teachers are therefore among the first to be confronted with this sinful assault on God’s created genders—and commanded by culture to comply. At this point, it is a foregone conclusion that jobs are on the line and livelihood is in danger based on how Christian teachers respond. Facing this pressure, the temptation to become a Nicodemite, going along with sin while knowing the truth in your heart, is just as real as it was in the sixteenth century.

When it comes to education, Voddie Baucham has famously stated,

Let me be clear—I applaud men and women whom God has called to teach in government schools. These people are front-line warriors, and they need to be right where they are. However, there is a big difference between sending fully trained disciples into enemy territory and sending recruits to our enemy’s training camp. If we do the latter, we shouldn’t be surprised when they come home wearing the enemy’s uniform and charging the hill of our home while waving an enemy flag.[9]

The most common reaction to Baucham’s statement centers around how Christians ought to educate their children—and rightfully so, since that is the primary thrust of his argument. But notice how his comment begins: “I applaud men and women whom God has called to teach in government schools. These people are front-line warriors…” That sentiment is entirely true, if Christian men and women in the education industry are actually being “front-line warriors.” But the moment they capitulate to the spirit of the age, compromising truths as basic as gender, they have effectively surrendered on the battle field. The great danger faced today is not only that children will be waving the enemy flag, but that adults will be waving the white flag.

So the question is this: if you are a public school teacher, will you use the “preferred gender pronouns” of students (and perhaps faculty) who are engaging in the sin of transgenderism, or will you boldly maintain your Christian commitments regardless of the cost?

Christian teachers who believe they can outwardly utilize the wrong gender pronouns, simply because they know the truth inwardly, are behaving just like Nicodemites of the past. They have unjustifiably dichotomized the lordship of Christ into internal and external components, and submitted only one of the two to Him.

Of course, many, in the name of evangelism, will claim that they are willing to use a so-called “transgender” person’s preferred pronouns in an effort to “win” them over, making sure not to present any unnecessary obstacles to the Gospel. But the reality is that the Gospel itself confronts man’s sin (cf. Rom. 2:16), and true conversion necessarily involves repenting of it (cf. Mark 1:15). The Apostle Paul warned Timothy that a time would come when men would want their ears tickled (cf. 2 Tim. 4:3), and society’s demand upon language is precisely that. Evangelism and ear-tickling do not go hand in hand.

As Martin Luther said,

If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the Devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battle front besides, is merely flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.[10]

In light of that sentiment, I fear that many whom we believe to be “front-line warriors” are anything but.

Instead, many professing Christians are now even finding solace from church leaders who are willing to twist the Scriptures to accommodate Nicodemism. Just recently, in fact, one church leader had the audacity to set forth the idea that Christians should engage in “pronoun hospitality,” by which is meant that Christians should be willing to use the “preferred gender pronoun” of a so-called “transgender” person as an act of Christian charity![11] Of course, just as with the Nicodemites of old, this assertion was cloaked in religious jargon and eisegesis. Acts 17 was the abused passage of choice used to justify such egregiously unbiblical counsel.

To this mentality, Calvin responds yet again:

The other subterfuge they submit is similar. It is another indirect blasphemy involving nothing but hypocrisy and lying. ‘We dissemble,’ they say, ‘and do many things against our own hearts, in order to win our neighbors, and produce a new seed day by day. In this way the church is preserved and grows. She would otherwise perish.’ Is this the estimate they have of God, that he could not strengthen his church unless they helped him with their fakery, which he so strongly condemns and rejects?[12]

Let’s face the facts: modern-day Nicodemites have no clever defenses; they are just traveling down the same pragmatic roads that are worn down from hundreds of years of use.

Say What?

What, then, are Christian teachers to do in light of the inevitable temptation to compromise?

First and foremost, it must be said in no uncertain terms that Christian teachers simply cannot use the wrong gender pronouns demanded by a so-called “transgender” person. Ephesians 5:11 directly applies to this issue, stating, “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them…” Referring to a boy as “she,” or a girl as “he,” is no less than participating in an outright lie about a person whom God has created male or female, and Scripture does not sanction participation in such rebellion.

At the same time, working as a Christian in a spiritually hostile environment does not mean that one must explicitly go out of his or her way to stir up conviction in unbelievers while on the job. Thus, one plausible route a teacher might take is simply to utilize a person’s name, rather than any pronouns at all, in conversation. If a genetically-conceived male named John decides that he has become a girl, you cannot legitimately say, “John did her schoolwork while at her desk.” But you certainly could say something like, “John did John’s schoolwork while at John’s desk.” It’s a mouthful to repeat the name, but it would at least allow you to avoid indulging sin. Being wise as serpents and innocent as doves may require this kind of conversational sloppiness—which is the only inevitable outcome when language is assaulted.

Ultimately, culture’s embrace of all forms of sexual perversion will likely increase to the point that there will be no way for any believer, let alone public school teachers, to maintain a faithful Christian witness. It won’t be surprising if using “preferred pronouns” becomes not only suggested, but required. Options like utilizing redundant language to avoid pronouns may not be tolerated for long. After these kinds of options are exhausted, there will only be one route for genuine Christians to follow: suffer for the faith, as Scripture promises will happen (cf. 2 Tim. 3:12). Though public school teachers are on the front lines, the rest of us are next in line.

The Lord Bless You and Keep You

Having rebuked his fellow sixteenth-century Protestants, exposing Nicodemism for the farce it is, John Calvin also went on to offer pastoral care and counsel, reminding timid men and women of God’s love and care for them in the midst of persecution. The truths that he offered them likewise extend to those today who are fearful. In one letter, Calvin ended as follows:

When there is such an affection of humility in a man, God will not abandon him. Rather, he shall either grant him a good escape, or sustain him by his grace and mercy. I therefore pray him to be pleased to rid us of our carnal wisdom and of all our desires, so that in simplicity and proper obedience we may follow his teaching and glorify him in all our words and works, rendering him his rightful honour, not only in soul, but also in body. I also pray him to keep you in his holy care.[13]

In light of Calvin’s words, a few final passages are good for the soul to meditate upon:

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:18

Christian: remember that you are loved by the Lord Jesus Christ, that He has you here to be a light in a dark world, and that He will rescue you from this evil age at the appointed time.

In addition to offering prayer and counsel such as this, however, believers also need to be ready and willing to assist those on the forefront who are, or will soon be, suffering physically, emotionally, and monetarily at the hands of the sexual revolution. It’s vitally important to rebuke those who insist on dissimulating, but it’s equally important to care for those who don’t—and wind up without a job. As a Christian, if you see your fellow brother in need, and willfully neglect him, you’re no better than a Nicodemite (cf. 1 John 3:17, Gal. 6:10). The church must rally around its own.

As we stand on the precipice of persecution, may “the Lord bless you, and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace” (Num. 6:24-26).


References:

[1] John Calvin, Come Out From Among Them: 'Anti-Nicodemite' Writings of John Calvin, trans. Seth Skolnitsky (Dallas, TX: Protestant Heritage Press, 2001), 7.

[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2005), 1125.

[3] https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/41-9/the-scandal-of-grace

[4] J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on John: Vol. 1 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 2012), 85.

[5] Kenneth J. Woo, Nicodemism and the English Calvin, 1544-1584 (Leiden, The Netherlands: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2019), 88.

[6] John Calvin, Come Out From Among Them: 'Anti-Nicodemite' Writings of John Calvin, trans. Seth Skolnitsky (Dallas, TX: Protestant Heritage Press, 2001), 9.

[7] Ibid., 17.

[8] Ibid., 47.

[9] Voddie Baucham, Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007), 128.

[10] Francis A. Schaeffer, The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer: A Christian Worldview, Volume Two, A Christian View of the Bible As Truth (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1982), 122.

[11] https://jdgreear.com/askmeanything/when-talking-with-a-transgender-person-which-pronoun-should-you-use

[12] John Calvin, Come Out From Among Them: 'Anti-Nicodemite' Writings of John Calvin, trans. Seth Skolnitsky (Dallas, TX: Protestant Heritage Press, 2001), 114.

[13] Ibid., 44