Unmasking the Domestic Abuser in the Church

The Lord Does not Need a Majority

1Sa 14:6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.”

As we have all been reminded recently, to win an election we must gain a majority – and the bigger that number, the better. This is not true in regard to the Lord. When He decrees, it is done. And He delights in using the small things, the few in number, the weak things, to accomplish His works.

1Co 1:26-29 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. (27) But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (28) God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, (29) so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

When we are targets of evil, we can be pretty lonesome, as most all of you know. There aren’t many allies to be found when standing with the oppressed requires paying a price. But it is in these times when we need to get our heads put on straight by the truth of God’s Word. The fact is, as it was in Luther’s day (and really always has been), the Lord does not need a mighty army to gain victory. He really doesn’t even need ONE person, though it does appear that He chooses so often to raise up one or a few to accomplish His purposes.

So, you can have the courts against you, your abuser against you, a church against you, family members against you, with hardly any (if any at all) to “have your back,” if the Lord is with you then you must put your trust in Him, believe His promises, and know that though the wicked rage against Him and His people, He who sits in the heavens laughs.

Deu 32:35-36 Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’ (36) For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone and there is none remaining, bond or free.

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3 Comments

  1. AMEN! Well said. Thank you, Pastor Crippen.

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  2. It Still Hurts

    Thank you, Pastor Crippen. Do you have any thoughts or experiences with how that “majority” who enable the abuser will try to cover their own tracks after he gets exposed or arrested?

    I spent years to expose a popular abuser. As you say, it was a lonely path and I found myself unwelcome. It was more work than it should have been.

    He’s now in some trouble, and people have been undeniably warned about him. It’s provable that his associates now have the information, so they can know they can no longer claim they “didn’t know” if they continue supporting him.

    Most of the bullies who used to brashly defend him are either no longer doing so or associating with him on the down-low. The overwhelming majority now seems to be on the side of stopping or at least avoiding him.

    His multiple crimes are now widely known and it’s no longer in one’s best interests to openly associate with him. Ironically, I’ve recently noticed several of his enablers who were defending him as recently as last year are now dishonestly minimizing their history with him. “Oh, he was just a friend of an acquaintance. I only met him twice in 2014 and I never knew he was doing those things.”

    I’m glad the “majority” is no longer shaming his victims, and it will be hard to him to acquire new victims. I just can’t help but be annoyed by the rewriting of history by those who knowingly made this go on as long as it did. I realize they’ll never going to apologize or thank me, and I don’t want that anyway. I just wish they wouldn’t lie now.

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