In recent months and years,
there have been waves of shameful disclosures of sin within churches, denominations,
and Christian organizations. Pastors and church members are splashed across the
news while the innocent cry for justice. With the advantage of social media and
news articles, Christianity is once again in the public eye for all the wrong
reasons. Angry voices rise in protest and mockery while schisms tear the church
apart and heresies leave her bleeding in the dust.
Deep emotions churn on all
sides, including within me. There’s real connection to those who claim the name
of Jesus. I feel physically sick when years of suppressed truth in churches and
pastors finally hit the fans. In times like this, it feels as though God
accidentally fumbled the ball and Satan scored. It causes me to
look at my own church leaders and wonder if we’ll be next. Old feelings of restlessness
and insecurity rise once again when the place that’s supposed to be safest of
all is compromised.
It’s moments like this
that I’m ashamed to be a Christian. I’m ashamed to be associated with the churches
splattered across the news as unsaved people evaluate the situation and then
snub their noses at all Christians everywhere. I’m ashamed of my own admiration
and respect toward certain pastors who impacted my spiritual growth for good
but have lately slid into heresy, pilfering, and abuse. As Jesus has drawn me
closer to Him in my daily walk, I have grown to love the gospel and value the
truth. When I see years of cover-up and denial within the bride of Christ –
even intentional promotion of the accused in order to “save face” and blatant avoidance
of investigation – my heart breaks.
The truth not only pains
the guilty, but also the ones involved, including those looking on who
fervently pray that the gospel would prevail. And this is one of those times.
As someone who has wrestled
with loving and trusting individuals in the church, it has been a long journey
for me. Only in recent years do I finally see what God intended the church to
be in spite of its ongoing struggles. It is beautiful in all its glory, but it
is the glory of a bruised and battered woman redeemed and being redeemed from
her sin by a beautiful Savior. From generation to generation, the church is
growing as God adds saints from every nation. But within her walls, situations
continue that demand purity, wisdom, reconciliation, forgiveness, and
discipline because it is a body of people who are not yet glorified.
When stories of abuse and
sin within the church pop up, it often triggers old, familiar feelings. Betrayal
by those I trusted. Anger against evil. Jealousy for the purity of the gospel.
Grief for the innocent. Relief in sin’s exposure. Pain with triggers. Fear of
the unexpected.
It is difficult to see the
shaming of the church yet again. But warring according to gut reactions enables
the enemy even more. Conversely, doing nothing at all means sliding into the
trap of hard-heartedness and discouragement.
As a Christian –
especially as a Christian – there must be a response. To pretend it’s not my
problem and ignore it simply because I’m not directly involved in these crises
is to forget the bigger picture of the family of God. But to act without hearing
the entire matter or thoroughly investigating the evidence makes me just as
guilty as rest of the mud-slingers in the world.
As imitators of God, we
have no excuse to stand by and ignore the issues. God Himself is very active in
justice and truth, and we should be too. But when the sidelines are precisely
where I happen to be standing, what should be my response? How do I responsibly
bear the burdens of my spiritual family without sticking my nose where it
doesn’t belong?
What I want to do is give seven
ways in which we can be encouraged in the midst of darkness in the church, and
how these truths should focus the clamor of emotions in a way that honors God.
1.
God hears His
children when they pray.
Psalm 6:9, The Lord has heard my supplication, the Lord receives my prayer.Proverbs 15:29, The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.Romans 8:26-27, In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.Ephesians 6:18, With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.Philippians 4:6-7, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The fact that God is with
us is one of the greatest comforts we have. Through salvation, we have access
to our Creator in a hugely meaningful way as His precious adopted children. With
that access is a meaningful relationship with our Redeemer. We are not to pray
hypocritically as though God answers our prayers by sheer flattery, nor are we
to pray repetitiously as though God were a magic genie to grant our wishes. True
prayer is the cry of a humble and contrite heart. It assumes complete dependence
on God in everything and expects Him to answer according to His will. God
delights in hearing our praises and requests. In fact, He commands us to pray “at
all times” (Eph. 6:18) no matter how frail and messy and broken our prayers
are, and the Holy Spirit redeems those prayers with the urgency we lack. In
return, He calms our anxiety and grants us peace.
2.
The truth cannot
be suppressed.
Isaiah 42:8, “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another.”John 8:31b-32, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”1 Timothy 5:25, Likewise, also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.Hebrews 4:12-13, For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
The truth cannot be
suppressed indefinitely, and this should give us hope. With the exposure of sin
comes an awareness of guilt and the need for forgiveness. The exposure of sin also
brings consequences that are intended to lead the individual to see their need
for a Savior, which leads to Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life. God
is powerful over all, even over years of deception and pride within His church.
He does not allow sin to ultimately prevail and wickedness to triumph. Like an
inflated beach ball held under water, it’s only a matter of time before
perpetrators within the church come face to face with exposure of their sin. This
is a relief for the helpless, but should produce holy fear in those who would
try to suppress the truth anyway.
3.
Nothing
surprises God.
Psalm 103:19, The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.Isaiah 25:1, O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.Isaiah 45:6b-7, I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.Romans 9:22-23, What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory.
The whole question of “If God is good…?” arises when evil
happens to innocent people, and it is difficult to justify God’s character when
chaos seems to reign instead. But God is not standing off to the side,
frantically arranging coincidences as chaos happens. He is not helplessly
experiencing history as it happens, like we are. God is not only good and
loving and compassionate, but also sovereign over all, including evil. We are
too quick to look at the here-and-now, blaming God for the pain of abuse and
split churches. In reality we are part of a bigger picture in which God is
the sovereign cause behind all events for His glory. Our minds are too limited
to see every angle and understand every reason, and it’s truly difficult to
watch things happen to the innocent. But God is infinitely wise in everything
He does, including His arrangements of dark valleys and miry pits. Faith puts
its fear in the hands of the One who is truly sovereign over all, and looks at
God’s unchanging character and past faithfulness as guarantors for the future.
4.
God will never
allow His children to perish.
Psalm 51:14, 17, Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God the God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.John 10:27-30, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”1 John 1:6-7, If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The psalmist David was a
worthy role model of faith as a young man, but when he yielded to sexual
temptation in the prime of his career, one thing led to another and before you
knew it, his entire reputation was tainted by adultery, murder, and deception. If
you feel uncomfortable with the fact that David remained “a man after God’s own
heart” even until death, you don’t understand the power of true repentance and true
forgiveness. God never excused David’s sin. In fact, there were consequences long
after he died. But when confronted with the word of God, there was no ruse of
cover-up. David was heartbroken over his sin and saw the far-reaching
consequences as sobering reminders that God was disciplining him for his good
while saving his soul. This should encourage us as we think about truly
regenerate brothers and sisters in the church. God loves His children too much
to let them get away with sin. God knows every intricate detail of the
situation and will sovereignly discipline His children for their good while
saving their soul. Even if that discipline includes far-reaching consequences
in this life, it is nothing compared to the blessing of eternal life in the
next.
5.
God often uses
pain and suffering to draw us closer to Him.
Psalm 33:18, The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.Romans 8:28, And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.Philippians 1:6, For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.2 Corinthians 12:9, And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.Hebrews 4:16, Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Pain and suffering were never
part of God’s original creation, but when sin entered the world, catastrophic pain
and suffering followed. Often we lose sight of this broken reality in our
driving obsession for escape. Too easily we assume we are masters of our fate. Helplessness
eventually causes us to look to someone stronger. Seeming coincidences point to
the fact that someone greater is in control of circumstances outside of human
choice. There’s nothing like suffering to drive us to our knees, and this is
exactly where we need to be. It is here in our brokenness that God comes and provides
His strength to trust His timing. Slowly but surely, He is working all things
together for the good of His children – whether it feels like it or not – and
nothing can stand against Him.
6.
God does not
let the guilty go unpunished.
Deuteronomy 10:17-18, For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.Psalm 89:14, Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; lovingkindness and truth go before You.Proverbs 19:9, A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will perish.Romans 12:19, Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.Hebrews 2:2-3a, For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?Hebrews 10:31, It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
This is not only one of
the most reassuring truths when it comes to injustice in the world, but also one
of the most sobering. Even though the guilty seem to go unpunished for a time,
the nature of sin is that all sin is ultimately against God. Because of His
goodness and holiness, He cannot turn a blind eye to sin. Unlike many human
courts or institutions, God does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He
doesn’t ignore those who twist His word to their benefit. All people are
sinners no matter their crimes, and all are equally deserving of Hell – and
that includes you and I. But God is also compassionate, and we can see His
grace through the coming of Jesus Christ who took the consequences of our sin
upon Himself. He is loving and extends forgiveness to any sinner who turns away
from their sin and believes in Jesus as the only way to be saved. His heart is not
only toward orphans and widows, but also murderers, abusers, and thieves. The
question, “Why does God allow evil?” should be replaced with deep gratitude
that He extends His mercy toward sinful mankind at all. He is impartial and
grants even the worst of sinners time to repent before it’s too late.
7.
God has
forgiven us.
Mark 11:25-26, “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive you transgressions.”Galatians 6:1-4, Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when is he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load.Ephesians 4:30-32, Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.James 5:19-20, My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
This is one of the hardest
things to do when innocent people are painfully hurt, especially if that person
is me. In humiliating situations, we’re quick to look for excuses as to why we shouldn’t have to forgive, because let’s
face it: forgiveness seems to cheapen the wrong done. But the biblical concept
of forgiveness challenges us to look in the mirror. I’m not saying we should
ignore sin; the Bible gives plenty of resources for how to confront sin rightly.
But as Christians, God has forgiven us an eternal debt of sin and brings us
close to Him through Jesus Christ. The weight of our sins against God is
infinitely greater than the sins of our fellow man against us. In light of the
cost of God’s forgiveness toward us, we have no excuse to withhold forgiveness
from others.
NO SIDELINES IN A WAR ZONE
These things aren’t easy
to say. I live every day with triggers and reminders that require constant
heart-checks and prayer. Sin against the innocent is heinous in God’s sight –
but so also is a bitter response from His children who have been forgiven much. The way we respond to fellow sinners
within the family of God is a sobering indication of whether God has truly
changed our heart or not.
It’s vitally important
that we as Christians don’t lose sight of the fact that the media is not an
accurate portrayal of reality. When pastors and churches are dragged through
the wringer and names are flung in the mud, there is a very real spiritual
battle at stake. The forces of darkness are warring for the souls of mankind
and their main aim is Christian men and women, including those unintentionally
on the sidelines like me. It is absolutely vital that we check to make sure our
armor is in place before we fire a single weapon. We must hone our instincts to
jump in defense of the truth rather than jumping to conclusions.
The more I think about it,
there are no sidelines in a war. Pulling back in shame would play right into
the enemy’s hands. What we see in the news is sobering and requires action for
many. But the truths of God’s word will continue to stand firm through wars,
political turmoil, and human depravity of the ages. The power of the gospel is greater
than the worst sinner. We can raise our heads in confidence because Jesus is
Lord of all. He is in the process of making all things new (Rev. 21:5). These
painful circumstances in the life of the church are another reminder that the
family of God is in a war together.
The timeless words of
Samuel Stone’s hymn, “The Church’s One Foundation”, rings true even today:
Though with a
scornful wonder men see her sore oppressed,
By
schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed,
Yet
saints their watch are keeping, their cry goes up, “How long?”
And
soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.
‘Mid
toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war,
She
waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
Till
with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blessed,
And
the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
FURTHER RESOURCES:
Bible Study –
Read Hebrews 11 and 12:1-3
and notice the pattern of heartache and sin, but also notice God’s faithfulness
to redeem and preserve His people. We are not alone in our pain and suffering
as God’s people. Even God Himself experienced the agonies of this life for our
redemption. Notice how Hebrews 11 beautifully refocuses our attention on our battle
leader in Hebrews 12:1-3: Turn your eyes
upon Jesus.
Books –
Borgman, Brian and Rob
Ventura, Spiritual Warfare: A Biblical and Balanced Perspective
Lloyd-Jones, D. Martin, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure
Spurgeon, Charles, Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare (6 of Spurgeon’s Classic Books on Prayer)
Tripp, Paul David, New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional
Tripp, Paul David, A Shelter in the Time of Storm: Meditations on God and Trouble
See also my previous post “Lambs and Wolves: Sexual Abuse in the Church” (12-12-18) for further resources.
Note: All Scripture
references from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.
Public domain photo
credits:
Wolf and the Moon – Mohamed Mahmoud Hassan
Man and Cityscape – CC0 Community
Green Plastic Toy Soldiers – Icon0
