Unmasking the Domestic Abuser in the Church

The Persistent Widow of Luke 18

Many of you have either been through the family court system (such a nice name, right?) or you are still enduring the suffering of that battleground. Not only at the hands of your abuser, but many times through the injustice of the court itself.  And so often these scenarios leave us all with a feeling of real helplessness because, unless you have piles of money at hand, what can we do to help? Attorney fees build and build. Sadly, and maddeningly, there are more than a few attorneys who seem to be in the thing just for the money and not to see justice done. It is not an easy task for an abuse victim to find a competent and honest attorney to take the case. Judges often seem to embrace the “children must always have a relationship with both parents in order to be healthy” theory. Verdicts are rendered that simply are not just, and that after sometimes years of grueling legal battle.
God sees it. God knows. God renders His verdict in the heavens, and one Day He promises justice:

Luke 18: 1-8: And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.  He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God more respected man.  And there was a widow in that city who keep coming to him and saying, “Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’”
And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.  And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

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7 Comments

  1. wingingit

    I began a study recently of what God says about widows and orphans crying out. He says A LOT
    Exodus 22:21
    Job 29:12
    Proverbs 31:8
    Isaiah 1:17
    Psalms 146:9
    And many more. These all have one theme in common. It is simple:
    Do not mistreat, oppress, or take from widows and orphans. God could not be more clear.
    He will not grant mercy to these men who continually oppress women and children in court. He will not listen to their pleas of ignorance.
    God will not say to them, “Oh, I see, the abusive man seemed like such a nice guy and he presented well in court.”
    No, God will answer these fools according to their folly. He will require justice for these men who deny justice to so many innocent mothers and children.
    In the meantime, God hears the cries of his children. He sees the court system being used to deprive them of safety, Godly upbringing, and expose them to further abuse and neglect. The American Family Court system has one rule – the golden rule – which to them says – The man with the gold makes the rules. But God is bigger than the court system. He can turn the workings of the system to save the widow and her orphans.
    Keep crying out, Mamas! Get your people to cry out with you, in one voice, telling your true story over and over. God hears you.
    The eyes of the Lord are in Every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. Be assured, in that day of judgement, these men will answer for the evil they have ordered into the lives of innocent children.

  2. NJW

    I heard this talked about in a way that I find intriguing. Why would we believe or listen to the words of an ‘unjust’ judge. This judge(as is pointed very directly) was unjust and I see him as taunting the widow. He says as a taunt. “And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” In other words ‘Where are ALL those ‘Christians’ that God is suppose to have here on earth.You were forced to come and see me because NO ONE this widow knew helped her.
    So God says: “Listen to what the unjust judge says”( In other words listen to him ask ‘where are all God’s people?” He is telling the people(us) to pay attention to how the people of God ‘dropped the ball’ and because they were not do not do enough to help widows and orphans she was forced to come and see me an unjust judge”). 7 Won’t God provide justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he be slow to help them? (again, the UNJUST judge says HA! where is your God? isn’t he supposed to ‘show up’? OH that’s right his people were suppose to show up but guess what they didn’t) 8 I tell you, he will give them justice quickly. But when the Human One[a] comes, will he find faithfulness on earth?”
    Again, the UNJUST judge is taunting when Jesus comes will he find ‘his people’ doing the right thing or turning their back on this widow like everyone is doing now. -remember she has come to the UNJUST judge because no one else in society has helped her. If others would have heard her cry for help than she never would have had to even see the UNJUST judge. Just like us victims. If our pastors and God’s people would have been there for us we would never of had to seek ‘unjust’ judges.We as God’s people are suppose to “judge righteously”. If we judge righteously and do what God want us to and support the victims and there families the UNJUST judges would have nothing to mock.

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  3. Notlongnow

    Amen.

    • Liane

      I can relate completely! Of all the 5 plus years I have endured dealing with the corrupt family law system (and I fear future court appearances instigated by my ex abuser), one if the main things that keeps me going and gives me that hope is knowing that God is the only just judge.

  4. Jennie

    I’m going through this right now. I know God is with me, but the oppression and injustice I experience and see happening to others is overwhelming. The system is utterly corrupt. God will bring good to us in His time. However, He wants humans to have courage and stand up for what’s right, for the widows and the fatherless. Because we’re ‘widows indeed’ even though we’re divorced, and our children are fatherless because their earthly father has abdicated.

    • Jeff Crippen

      Jennie- it is an extremely painful and often slow and unjust process in these courts. Once in a while there is wisdom but it seems to me to be rare. But as you said, God is good and He sees it all and His wrath is against those who oppress widows and orphans. He is going to deal with them.

  5. walkinginlight

    Why do you make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness?
    Yes, destruction and violence are before me; strife exists and contention arises.
    Therefore the law is ignored and justice is never upheld.
    For the wicked surround the righteous;
    Therefore justice comes out perverted. Habakkuk 1:3-4.
    To deprive a man of justice in the presence of the Most High,
    To defraud a man in his lawsuit-
    of these things the Lord does not approve. Lamentations 3:35-36
    Thus says the Lord, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the
    one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do
    not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow;
    and do not shed innocent blood in this place. Jeremiah 22:3
    Indeed most lawyers and judges are in the job just for the money. I also have had to deal with these wicked people. I was thinking of finding another lawyer to help me and I prayed and asked the Lord last night if this was something that He wanted me to do. I read this post this morning that Pastor Crippen had written and then the Lord gave me these three scriptures to share with all of you. So there is my answer. It would be a waste of time and money that I don’t want to throw away on corrupt people who care little for any real justice.
    As Jennie has said here, God will bring good to us in His time. I do believe that with all my heart. Thank you Lord for answering me in a way that I could share here with everyone. God is so good.
    MARANATHA!!!

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