Given Steve Lawson's whole sinful saga of having an adulterous relationship with a young woman for five years (Phil Johnson gave info on this in September), and how Lawson hasn't yet repented visibly and publicly as his sin and his position would require him to do (1Ti 5:20 "As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear"); and given that he's got a sea of men (all with vested interests in his name and ministry) being his PR team, given that his One Passion ministries today is still taking donations while hiding in Nashville with his brother, I believe (and have done for months now), that Steve Lawson is making a plan to return. Like those before him (Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, Matt Chandler), he'll make a comeback because these men are self idolators who live the premium seats, the praise of men, the titles, the position, the money offered to them in Modern Evangelicalism.
He'll likely write a book about his "trial" and "sin" (which he lied about to the woman's father, TBC's elders, the public about it merely being "inappropriate" but "not sexual in nature") and now, four months late, those around him are admitting it was indeed sexual (Clint Archer at "Cripplegate" claims now that it was only at the end of the relationship that it was sexual); he'll likely tell us about how he's been "humbled" and will teach us to be like him, bla bla bla. I figure it will come out in next year I suspect, and then he'll go on speaking engagements to promote the book (publishers demand that), and then of course star in conferences for men about purity and humility. The fact that Lawson is speaking through his minions seems to indicate he's testing the waters to see if enough people have "compassion" on him to get out of his hidey-hole all the way. It's a PR stunt with a plan.
True repentances is visible with works that prove repentance:
Mat 3:8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Act 19:18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices.
Act 19:19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Act 19:20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
Because Lawson has been a high profile public speaker and a board member on various organizations, his repentance should've also been just as public. It should've been immediate IF the Holy Spirit was indwelling him. But even John MacArthur admitted to Lawson's heart being calloused (time mark 4:43).
Contrary to those around him saying so, repentance is by evolution--a gradual change. Repentance, like faith, is a gift from God granted by Him & has immediate fruit that lasts. Both are visible. A seared conscience is proof of NOT being regenerated. To deny immediate visible fruit of repentance for the sake of keeping your fallen and apostate "brother" propped up because you've got a vested interest in his successful comeback (TBC's elder Stainback (in-law to MacArthur) is on the One Passion board.
True repentance rather, would be a very open and public confession (agreeing with God's judgement upon his sins which include adultery, lies, hypocrisy, selfish ambition, and partiality), to the same extent he was publicly teaching and on all those platforms and organizations. Then he would never teach again nor write any books, but quietly live a life that actually shows fruit in keeping with repentance (and really, salvation at this point). Visible, consistent, and growing good fruit that is in keeping with a profession of faith and repentance is biblically require and therefore measurable.
