Unholy Charade - Jeff Crippen

Unmasking the Domestic Abuser in the Church

Author: Jeff Crippen Page 3 of 83

We Must be Humble in Handling God’s Word or we will Cause Great Harm

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On October 15, 2024

In Biblical Teaching

“It is too great arrogancy for any man or church to think that he or they have so sounded the Word of God to its bottom, as precisely to set down the church’s discipline without error in substance or circumstances, and to insist that no one may digress or differ in any thing from [one’s own position]. It is not difficult to show that the Reformed Churches differ in many circumstances among themselves.”

Governor William Bradford, Plymouth Colony

This quotation comes from that Godly governor way back in the days of the Pilgrims, William Bradford. He wrote this in response to a controversy among the colonists at Plymouth when a division arose over the question of what exact positions on certain secondary topics a person must hold to be admitted as a member of their churches.

You can see Bradford’s wisdom in this, and his humility. His point was that it is incredible arrogance for church leaders or members to insist that they alone have “sounded” the depths of the Word of God on a point which true Christians differ, and who then demand that everyone else be subject to their opinion.

There has been tremendous damage in our churches and great harm effected upon the innocent when one church or one pastor or one board of elders insist, for insist, that they and they alone hold the “biblical” position on the reasons for divorce. We see this utter arrogance for instance in church leaders who enforce “divorce for no reason ever” and insist that this is God’s command. Abuse victims are left to suffer. Or you have others who insist that they have arrived at truth in teaching and enforcing adultery as the only reason for divorce, abuse not being a reason.

Now, think about this carefully. As Bradford noted, is it not true that genuine Christians, that real churches, differ on this subject? Certainly all real Christians are unanimous in confessing the deity of Christ, or the doctrine of justification by faith alone, or the virgin birth, or the inspiration of the Bible. We know these truths to be truth and rightly insist that no digression from these doctrines is permissible. But are topics such as the reasons for divorce held with the same kind of unanimity among Christians? Of course not.

Therefore you can see that a person who insists that they have come to the one and only biblical position on this topic of divorce, and who then enforce that decision upon others even to the point of ex-communicating those who differ, are sinfully and grossly arrogant.

Certainly all who are genuinely in Christ realize that there is such a thing as sinful divorce. Domestic abusers are guilty of this, even when they prohibit their victim from leaving the marriage. Abusers break the marriage covenant, destroy the marriage, and are the ones Malachi speaks against – it is these whom the Lord hates. But to announce to all that “we” have arrived at the only true position on divorce, to insist that no divorce is permitted by God, or that domestic abuse is not in the list of reasons and demand that everyone abide by our conclusions, is wicked arrogance.

Think again on this carefully. Do true churches, pastors, elders, theologians, differ on their conclusions regarding biblical justification for divorce? Of course. No one can deny that. Therefore what can we conclude about a pastor or even individual Christian who proclaims that he or she holds the only true, biblical position on this matter? I can tell you. We can conclude that such a person is guilty of hurtful, harmful, enslaving arrogance. And I will go further. We can conclude that such a person’s entire ministry is called into question because the arrogance which they evidence in this one matter certainly will infect all of their teaching.

My Answer to an Excellent Question

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On October 7, 2024

In Submission

I decided to make a stand-alone post out of an answer that I gave to this excellent question one commenter submitted: “Is there a difference between ‘submit’ and ‘obey’? If I must obey my husband at all times, then I make him my God, which he is not.”

Excellent question. I don’t think there is a difference between the two words as such, but to understand what Paul means by “submit” requires us seeing the big picture context of, for example, Ephesians 6. Husband and wife are one flesh – WHEN A MARRIAGE IS TRULY A MARRIAGE. In a true marriage, as God intends, the husband LOVES his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. It is in THAT KIND OF MARRIAGE that the wife is instructed to submit to her husband. Submission means to follow the head who is acting for the best interests of the wife, out of real love for her and for the Lord. I believe a real Christian woman WANTs to do so. She wants the husband to lead, and shepherd her and her children. But when people apply submission in a marriage that is diseased and corrupt because either the husband or the wife is an evil person, self-serving, etc., this biblical model of marriage is simply not going to work. This is the error of so many “christian” counselors or pastors, etc – they insist that God’s model for marriage is to be applied to marriages that are not real marriages and where the love of Christ is not present. I don’t pretend to have all the answers on this subject but I do believe that telling a wife, for instance, to submit to an evil domestic abuser is very bad, unbiblical counsel that will result in great harm.

Like Their Father, RASNs are Destroyers

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On September 30, 2024

In hubris, jealousy, Narcissist, RASN

But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. (Mat 12:14)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
(Joh 10:10)

The devil is a destroyer. He doesn’t create things, he destroys them. He doesn’t give people life, he gives them death. He hates God’s creation. He is a murderer, and all of his children share in his evil traits.

RASNs (revilers, abusers, sociopaths, narcissists) are children of the devil. He destroys, and they destroy. He lies, and they lie. They are indeed, as Jesus told them, of their father the devil.

RASNs do not cultivate life. They don’t build others up. They love only themselves and they are driven by the desire to tear down and destroy. They destroy their spouse, their children, and really anything that is good. If the wife of a RASN, for example, excels at her job and receives recognition for it, her RASN spouse must set out to tear it all down. To congratulate, to give encouragement and praise, these are all foreign things to such a person. Because RASNs demand that THEY receive the recognition – even though they don’t deserve it.

People who are married to a RASN are married to a destroyer. Whatever they build, the RASN must destroy. And so it is just as the Apostle Paul put it:

DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,
(Rom 3:16)

The Puppy-eyed Victimhood of the RASN

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On September 23, 2024

In Abusers

And this second thing you do. You cover the LORD’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. (Mal 2:13)

Revilers, abusers, sociopaths and narcissists (RASNs) never accept blame. It is always someone else’s fault. If you have had dealings with such a person you know this to be true. You did it. You failed. You, You, You. Never them. RASNs lack desire or ability for introspection. They are never wrong.

Some RASNs I have crossed paths with over the years were skilled at that “puppy-dog” look when confronted with their sin. That face says “poor me, just think about how cruelly you are treating me.” (I was going to insert a picture here of a puppy with that look, but I decided it would be cruel to illustrate a RASN with a puppy).

Just think about how wicked and cunning this tactic is. The RASN has just assaulted you with reviling words, exercised that classic evil double standard, falsely accused you of something in front of others…and now when he is confronted with his evil, that poor me affect sweeps onto his face and into the tone of his voice. Oh, how you have hurt the poor guy (or gal).

One such person I had to deal with as a pastor was a very mean-spirited, arrogant lady who threw a tantrum just before the church service began because she didn’t get her way. When I admonished her for her behavior the next day, here came the puppy-dog look. How could I be so mean to her? Oh, how I had hurt her. And others who were there (and who had witnessed her tantrum the day before) felt oh so, so sorry for her now. She then stormed out because, you know, I had hurt her so badly.

As you think about this tactic, you come to see just how wicked it is. The guilty party plays victim – and so many people fall for it! We all need to wise up to this business and call the RASN out when he or she attempts to use this weapon.

The Wrath of the Lamb Awaits the RASN

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On September 18, 2024

In Abusers, Hell, Narcissist, RASN

Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Rev 6:15-17)

The wrath of the Lamb. That is an interesting phrase, isn’t it? A Lamb and Wrath. Have you ever seen a lamb that is so frightening that you run and hide from it? And yet here we have it. Hide us from the wrath of the Lamb.

That Lamb is, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ who, as the lamb of God, became our Passover lamb to bear our sins on the cross. Like a lamb led to slaughter, he did not open his mouth. What John is telling us here in Revelation however is that the One who came as that Lamb to bear our sins, is coming again. Only this time He will come as the exalted Son of God, King of kings, perfect in holiness and justice and against Whom no one can stand.

Our churches today typically are emphasizing Christ as a lamb. Meek and mild Jesus. People don’t fear Him. They want to pick him up and cuddle that infant in the manger. But the Lamb is also the One who hates evil, who is infinitely holy, whose justice will never ben denied. He is the One who is described as a “consuming fire,” whose wrath is quickly kindled (Psalm 2).

For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
(Heb 10:30-31)

The Lamb gave us glimpses of His holy wrath against sin when He was in this world:

And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.
(Joh 2:15)

He even gave us a glimpse into that great Day when He comes to judge the world:

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Mat 25:41)

And Paul tells us the same thing:

…and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, (2Th 1:7-9)

This is our Lord. This is Jesus. But the wicked do not fear Him. They will, but now now. “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” RASNs (revilers, abusers, sociopaths, narcissists) do not fear Him. But they will. They would rather be buried alive than to face the wrath of the Lamb on that Day. Even right at this moment, every RASN, along with every other sinner who has rejected Christ, is in flames of torment. We know they are because the Lamb told that parable of the rich man and Lazarus:

The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ (Luke 16:22-24)

Relief is coming to Christ’s people who are persecuted by evil ones. Your RASN will receive justice – eternal justice. Because the Lamb is coming to judge the world.

Some Red Flags that Give the RASN Away

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On September 14, 2024

In Abusers, hubris, Narcissist, RASN

3 John 1:9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.

RASNs are not rare. I group these four toxic types together in this RASN acronym (Revilers, abusers, sociopaths, narcissists) because, for instance, narcissists revile (abusive speech), they abuse and some may well be sociopaths. I am not a psychology expert so my terminology here is my own but I write from sad experience of running across these RASNs more often than I could count.

Let me give you some examples of RASNs in action and how their behavior is a clear red flag – “look out for this one! They are trouble.” I may well have shared these examples before, but repetition never hurts and after all, these are examples I have firsthand knowledge of.

Red Flag #1 – A self-appointed authority to control you. When my wife and I bought a house many years ago and we moved out of the church-owned parsonage, one of the church board members said (at a church board meeting in front of everyone), “Pastor, your new house is 15 miles from the church building. You are distancing yourself from your congregation and you will have no accountability there.” Now, what kind of a person says such a thing? I can tell you – a RASN. This guy was angry because he was losing control – he was not going to be able to “watch” the pastor as closely. Of course at the time in my naivete, I chalked this behavior up to this fellow just being a “difficult” person. It was far more than that.

Red Flag #2 – A similar instance happened when I announced that I was going to be preaching a series of sermons on Romans, chapters 1-8. A RASN came up to me and with great energy said, “You should not be doing that! Those chapters are about evangelism and the church needs to be about building up the saints!” Again, what kind of a person says such a thing – who actually tries to dictate the pastor’s sermon series? I can tell you. A RASN.

Red Flag #3 – In an airport, a man and his wife were heading toward the gate of their departing flight when the wife said, “I need to go in the restroom. Here is one right here.” Her husband held onto her hand and said, “No. You have to wait and go later.” What kind of person dictates their spouse’s bathroom breaks? I can tell you. A RASN.

Red Flag #4 – A Sunday school class teacher launched into a harangue against a well-known candidate for political office. Not only was such a subject very inappropriate on a Sunday in a class that was supposed to be studying the Bible, but this man knew very well that most of the people in the class approved of that candidate. His mission actually was to prove to everyone that they were fools and that he was the wise one. What kind of person does such a thing? A RASN.

I could go on and on, but my point is that these kinds of things are not mere yellow “possibility” flags. They are RED flags that identify the RASN. Many times these people worm their way into position and office in the local church where they work to exalt themselves at the expense of others. Each one of the red flags I list in this article are grounds individually to disqualify such a person not only from church leadership, but raise great suspicion regarding their claim to be a Christian. These actions are serious matters and if a church body is wise, they will recognize the gravity of these kinds of behaviors.

The Religious RASN is Heaping Coals upon his Head

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On September 12, 2024

In Abusers

Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. (Mat 11:20-22)

Many of the RASNs (revilers, abusers, sociopaths, and narcissists) that we encounter claim to be Christians. The church is their chosen field of self-enlargement and can even be their hunting ground for victims. In fact, in many ways, everyone in a local church where these creeps creep in among us, will be victimized by the RASN. Some more indirectly by way of the deceptions the RASN employs, presenting himself as the most eminent of the saints, and others more directly as they are drawn into a relationship with the RASN.

The local church, unless we are wise as serpents about evil, is often a field of operation for the narcissist and other evildoers. The pedophile, as we know from sad experience, will come and find opportunity to target little ones, hiding behind a facade of godliness and enchanting personality.

Listen to this wise and insightful statement:

A fleshly, nominal (ie, in name only) hypocritical professor of Christianity will be punished much more severely than a fleshly, nominal, hypocritical person who makes no such claim.

John Brown, Discourses and Sayings of our lord

The RASN, in other words, is heaping up condemnation upon himself as he persists in his sham of religion. This is, of course, true of every kind of religious hypocrite even if they are not a RASN, but the RASN in particular will be storing up wrath upon wrath for himself on the Day when Christ comes to judge the world. Every Sunday when he comes to church, every deed he does in the name of Christ, every word he says which he claims is the Lord’s truth, each time he sits and hears a biblical sermon, the burning coals of God’s wrath heap up. Because behind the scenes he is working his evil, being who he really is, hurting and harming others.

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds! For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted. (Psa 9:10-12)

We can take great comfort and hope in these truths. God sees it all. ALL of it. He knows. The RASN’s wickedness may go unnoticed by man, but the Lord hears the cries of the one afflicted by him.

A Diversion Tactic of the “Religious” RASN

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On September 9, 2024

In Abusers, Churches/Church Response

Listen to this insightful quote from a pastor of days gone by (in the 1800’s) regarding how the wicked divert attention from the own evils:

Speculation about theological doctrine is often found in an unnatural union with habitual neglect of moral duty. And among the endless winding paths of the depraved human heart, this is one – to seek in quarrelsome discussions about orthodox versus erroneous doctrine, protection from the shafts of conviction for the person’s own plain violations of the law of God.”

John Brown, Sayings of Our Lord, Banner of Truth

Understand? In applying this tactic to the RASN (reviler, abuser, sociopath, narcissist), it is that practice of diverting attention from his/her own wickedness by injecting some religious subject which lends itself to debate. This kind of RASN habitually presents himself as a religious scholar, able to recite Scripture and present the most minute theories about doctrinal subjects, all the while having the intention of diverting attention away from his own evil life.

This is one reason RASN’s creep into the church, especially when the RASN perceives that a particular church is naive about evil. “Oh, my, what a fine Christian he must be. He knows so much.” But what is really happening is that whenever a discussion, a sermon, a Bible study…starts getting too close in consideration of sin….this kind of RASN will derail the topic and divert the discussion onto some debatable sidetrack.

If we are wise, we must not permit this sidetracking to happen. We must not become people who are caught up in cold, dead orthodoxy whose churches are characterized by a pride of knowledge. RASNs in disguise very often love such places and, concealing their true selves, lurk in the shadows where the light of God’s truth does not expose them.

Freedom is the key to Understanding The Bible’s Instruction on Marriage

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On September 2, 2024

In Biblical Teaching

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Mat 11:29-30)

The Apostles’ instruction on marriage – husbands and wives and how they are to relate to one another – is a topic we tend to steer clear of. Why? Well, first of all, the pertinent passages are so often misused to keep abusers in power and the abused enslaved. But I think there is a second reason as well. We simply are not clear on how this husbands and wives thing is supposed to work according to Scripture. It is not an easy subject and yet, for those of us who believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, there these passages are.

Jesus’ words quoted above about taking His yoke upon ourselves goes a long way in helping us understand these passages such as Ephesians 5 (I quote this at length because it all ties together) –

Eph 5:22-33 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. (23) For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (24) Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. (25) Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (26) that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, (27) so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

(28) In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (29) For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, (30) because we are members of his body. (31) “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (32) This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. (33) However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

I conclude that this passage actually teaches freedom for both husband and wife, and I will explain why. When Jesus said that we should take His yoke upon ourselves and that we would find that it is easy and light, not burdensome but restful even for our souls, He is telling us what true freedom is. Freedom is willingly being under the rule of a benevolent, loving head whose law insures the freedom of His subjects. Freedom, in other words, is not to be found in lawless anarchy or autonomy (law unto oneself).

Now, when God’s Word gives these instructions about marriage, it very clearly (and repeatedly) tells the husband he must love his wife. He is to give himself for her. This is God’s Law. Submission to a loving ruler whose law is written for the good of those under the ruler, is freedom.

When a husband rules according to his own law, for his own selfish purposes and glory, then the marriage becomes bondage, not freedom. That kind of ruler is what we call a tyrant whose yoke is heavy and oppressive. This kind is not one which the Lord calls wives to respect and submit to. The whole design is broken you see. It doesn’t function correctly. To submit to a tyrant (sometimes by the way the wife is the tyrant)…to submit to a tyrant has similarities to what Paul rebuked the Galatians for:

Gal 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Submit to Christ’s yoke, not to a yoke of slavery. That instruction, I maintain, captures what Paul’s words in Ephesians 5 teach.

Your Thoughts on this Question

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On August 27, 2024

In Abusers, Getting Free

Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. (1Co 7:15)

The question I would invite your comments on is not exactly parallel to the verse quoted above, but there is some correlation. Here is the question:

Why would a person demand to remain married to a spouse who does not want to be married to them any longer”

In other words – here is the common scenario where a RASN is involved – The victim of the RASN announces that he/she is leaving the marriage. Does not want to be married to the RASN anymore. You know how typically this situation plays out – the RASN fights the divorce energetically. Puts all kinds of roadblocks out there to force the departing spouse to remain. Threats – economic, child custody, church discipline, etc. But, I am asking, WHY? Why would anyone want to continue in a marriage when their spouse does not want to be married to them any longer? I mean, what kind of “marriage” is that?

What do you think? What motivates a RASN to demand that the marriage be continued?

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