Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
One of the chief impediments we face in exposing evil as it hides in local churches is the “haunches up” response by church leaders and members when correcting instruction is offered. Perhaps I have grown too pessimistic over the years, but I really feel little motivation anymore to try to teach church leaders about domestic abusers and other RASN types hiding in their pews. I would gladly offer help if I were ever asked, but I almost cannot remember the last time I was asked.
I came across this great quote recently in a book entitled Infallibility of the Church: A Refutation, by an Irish professor of divinity at Trinity College, Dublin named George Salmon. It is a collection of lectures delivered at the divinity school at the University of Dublin and is a refutation of Roman Catholicism’s claim to be the true, infallible church. He wrote this:
There are many nominal members of our Church (ie, Christian in name only) who adhere to the profession of a creed which was that of their fathers but who, in fact, have little concern for real religious truth. These kind are apt to think that a man’s religion is his own affair, with which other people have no business to concern themselves’ and that whether his belief be true or false does not really much matter.
Such persons are apt to regard any attempt to show that Roman teaching is false as a wanton attack on poor, harmless, Roman Catholics, and as little different from personal abuse of unoffending (ie, harmless) people.
I fear it will be a long time before men are so philosophic as to understand that a man is not your enemy because he tries to correct errors in your opinions, and that the more important the subject the greater the service he will render you if he makes you change your false opinion for a true one.
This is wisdom. It seems to me that this is the very attitude which infects so many professing Christians today. “A person’s religion is their own affair,” and no one else has any business intruding into it. No matter if the person’s beliefs are true or false. They are his or her business alone. Such thinking turns the body of Christ into a bag of marbles which never mix together. Each man is his own island, no matter that the New Testament tells us that we are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
This kind of individualistic mindset necessarily erects barriers against intruders into the private property of each person. So when we try to instruct those who are ignorant, attempting to correct their errors, our efforts are not seen as a kindness but as an attack to be repulsed. We are seen as trespassers and are told to get out, or else.
No matter then if someone holds to or even teaches dangerous, naive notions about evil and evildoers – it is none of our business to concern ourselves with. Such people simply do not want to understand that someone who tries to correct their false ideas is not therefore their enemy but is in fact attempting to do them good.
Lele
Yeah. Definitely bumped into this when going back to the first church I was in when married to my RASN. At the time I had asked the pastor for help, told him what was going on at home. He told me he was going to do a Bible study with me and my husband. Each week would go by and he never made any attempts to set that in motion and I’d ask every week. Finally he made a date to start the Bible study on Christian marriage. The very first night of the study was the last because my husband got into an argument with the pastor because he wasn’t going to be told he should be more considerate of my need to not be yelled at or called names. The pastor threw his hands up and never pursued anymore classes just went silent on the whole thing. It wasn’t until my husband defied a direct order from the pastor to not spend alone time with young single girls alone that were also in the music ministry that my husband told me we weren’t going to that church anymore.
After I had been divorced I went back to that pastor to try to help him understand what his ignoring the abuse problem had done to me and my son. He and his new assistant pastor basically circled the wagons and blamed me. I wasn’t even being confrontational just trying to point out a problem they needed to learn about dealing with.
Jeff Crippen
Thankyou. A perfect example of this pastoral arrogance and cowardice.
Wilbur Atwood
This is the reason there are so many churches when there is only one Bible that is self interpreting, therefore everyone should be able to get the same answer.
Lynn
I have no patience for pastors, congregants, and denominations who – when their evil is exposed – ignore, blameshift, gaslight, or deflect the blame onto others. Their actions reveal who their allegiance is to, and it’s not Christ.
Where is the humility? Where is the fear of the God they claim to serve? Where is the repentance?
You can tell an awful lot about a pastor, a church, and a denomination by how they respond to abuse allegations. Genuine Christians when confronted with their sin would repent, step down from their place of ministry, and do whatever is required by the person or people harmed and/or the authorities even if it bankrupts them. If he or she breaks the law – e.g. sexually abuse of a minor – they would voluntarily turn themselves over to the authorities and accept the punishment assigned to them by the government.
But that’s not what we see happening today. It’s one of the reasons why the visible church’s impact and credibility are so inconsequential. Those outside the church see the hypocrisy and say, “Thanks but no thanks”. Those inside the church who are genuine believers struggle because the harm that’s inflicted on them is ignored or swept under the rug.
I believe that one of the signs that genuine revival has visited the church will be when we see those who are in places of power and influence, humble themselves, repent, and do whatever it takes to offer restitution to the victims of abuse that have gone on in their midst. They will empty the coffers to cover the medical expenses the victims require. They will fire those who’ve been convicted of abuse and make sure they can never enter ministry again. They will sell buildings if need be to raise the funds needed to make it right to the victims. They may convert buildings to create shelters for those abuse victims so they have a place to stay and food on the table. Anything less by these abusive people, churches, and denominations is a play to maintain power and control, which will result in the eternal destruction of their souls.
I pray one day that we will see that kind of repentance sweep across this nation and the world. It will take an act of the Holy Spirit. Nothing less will suffice. No one changes their ways apart from the Holy Spirit.
Until that day, I pray for revival starting with the professing people of God. I will call out evil when I see it in the church, hoping that one day I will get the chance to see genuine repentance from those who consider themselves pastors and leaders of God’s church but whose actions say otherwise. I remain watchful as to not be taken off guard by the enemy, and will not be convinced by words or tears. If God doesn’t grant his church revival in my lifetime and instead gives us judgment for the wickedness committed by governmental and spiritual leaders and its citizenry for the past century, it would be what we deserve.
With unregenerate men and women, repentance is impossible. But with God, all things are possible if they are according to his will. I trust in his sovereign plan and that he will guide his children through whatever storms are coming.
If you are someone who struggles with being corrected, ask the Holy Spirit to help you discern whether or not the correction is valid or not. If it is valid, use it as an opportunity to learn and grow from it so you don’t repeat it in the future. If it’s not, let it roll off your back and let it go.
Don’t carry unnecessary burdens. Life is hard enough as it is.
We are called to walk in freedom. For who the son sets free is free indeed. Go be free.