resolute in our desire to reflect the nature of Christ in our behavior. 1st Peter 1 says:
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
We sin because we do not rely on the power of God in our daily behavior. We allow temptation to get the best of us and the enemy lures us into making an errant choice. If we don't recognize the potential to live a holy life, we run the risk of falling short of how God wants us to live. We must develop a "zero tolerance" mentality against sin and recognize the incredible resources we have in order to walk in purity and holiness. He provides victory and enables us to overcome.
+++++
God is the restorer who brings hope for the broken - and we really need to keep this in mind, especially when the brokenness, the perversion, among those who call upon His name, who abuse power to plunder or to permanently damage innocent lives. In Hebrews 12, we can see a passage that calls us to pursue holiness:
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.
17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
We have to keep our eyes on the restorer. It can be tough sometimes.
As WORLD Magazine reported last week:
Catholics around the world are calling for an independent investigation into sexual abuse by the U.S. Catholic hierarchy after a grand jury report released this week detailed horrific allegations against priests in Pennsylvania. The 18-month investigation revealed more than 300 “predator priests” raped and molested more than 1,000 child victims, all identified from hidden church records. Those numbers are likely understated due to destroyed records and silent victims.The revelations date back to the 1940's, according to the report. The story continues:
“Pennsylvanians can finally learn the extent of sexual abuse in these dioceses,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said during a Tuesday news conference. “The abuse scarred every diocese. The cover-up was sophisticated. The church protected the institution at all costs.”WORLD also reported on the Pope's statement issued yesterday. He wrote, "With shame and repentance, we acknowledge as an ecclesial community that we were not where we should have been, that we did not act in a timely manner, realizing the magnitude and the gravity of the damage done to so many lives,” adding, “We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them.” The article added:
The pope’s critics pointed out that the letter did not list specific ideas for punishing abusers and those known to have protected them. Several cardinals implicated in sex scandals around the world, including in Australia, Chile, and Honduras, still serve on the pope’s Cabinet of close advisers.In a recent Breakpoint commentary, John Stonestreet of the Colson Center had this response:
Now, I’m not Roman Catholic. Some of my dearest friends and colleagues are. To watch how this abuse and institutional cover-up is tearing them apart is awful. Shepherds trusted by millions have failed them in the worst way possible. Their futures include millstones around necks.
Simply put: The Catholic Church needs to clean house. Clergy at every level must cooperate with independent investigations into all allegations of abuse. No more bishops handling these charges. This needs to stop, now. Our nation’s 70 million Catholics have to demand it.
And all Christians should be praying for the victims—some of whom haven’t had justice for their entire lives.
In fact, across our culture an historic reckoning is afoot. We see it at U.S. Gymnastics, we see it in college football. And lest Protestants be tempted to gloat, evangelical megachurches and entire denominations are being force to confront pastors and leaders who abuse their spiritual authority for sexual gratification.He called out those who should have spoken up in these cases who did not. He said, "This epidemic of sin has cost more than a thousand victims their innocence and trust in church, and for many – in Christ Himself. It’s a sin that will cost us all—Catholic and evangelical alike—credibility in this culture we can’t afford to lose."
And, church bodies are taking steps to address abuse. The entire elder board of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, including the two people who were set to serve as co-lead pastors of the church, have resigned in the wake of the sex scandal involving the church's founding pastor. There has been a recent announcement about a Southern Baptist task force that has been assembled to deal with abuse allegations, following a strong resolution about the topic at the recent Convention.
There are several words and concepts that come to mind.
First of all, abuse is never right. Never. It arises from sinful desires, and in so many of these instances involves a person in power who preys on the vulnerable. We have to be clear in the Church that this type of behavior, which takes many forms, is unacceptable and certainly not representative of the character of Christ.
And, the atmosphere has to change. The word, "safety" has been used, and I think that's accurate. Sin thrives in secret, and sinful acts that are committed are often covered up due to intimidation and shame. It is important that the light is shone on the deeds of darkness in which people's lives are being destroyed.
Now that so many revelations have occurred, the action necessary to confront this behavior is of a primary concern. Those who have been found to be acting sinfully must repent and be dealt with Biblically. We, as the Church, can't afford to have the name of Christ dishonored; we have to send the message that this is unacceptable.
As Greg Laurie states, accountability is important. Leaders should seek to build a firewall that would prevent them from taking advantage of others, and all believers should have the necessary safeguards built into our lives so that sinful desires are not allowed to grow and fester and ultimately be expressed, to the destruction of multiple lives.
Finally, we can adopt the mindset of an ambassador. Even though the Church has taken a hit due to indiscretions that have been made public. Laurie calls for changing the narrative. He is quoted by the Christian Post as saying, "I am not excusing anybody of their actions," adding, "I am simply saying I wish I could hear the other stories because it can seem sometimes like there are all these scandals but they are not taking into account the thousands and thousands and thousands of faithful pastors and faithful leaders that never had even a hint of scandal in their life of ministry." That is the standard - a standard of holiness, of Godly character, of showing the world we love Jesus and are demonstrating His light through our obedience.
Greg Laurie, speaking to The Christian Post last week, prior to the SoCal Harvest Crusade, shared his views on leaders who fall, as well as the importance of accountability. He said: "It is a great disappointment to me when a pastor falls...A pastor needs to be a good example. He is a spiritual leader. People expect pastors to live morally and to be honest. That is a realistic expectation. They expect it of Christians, certainly they have that expectation of a Christian leader."
He also commented on the vulnerability of all believers:
"Though we are sad when leaders fall, the Bible says, 'When a brother or a sister is overtaken in a fall, we who are spiritual should seek to restore them. ... ' It goes onto say, 'lest you also be tempted,'" Laurie explained. "So the reality is we all have the same weaknesses and vulnerabilities. So don't be too high-handed to say, 'that could never happen to me.' Because, it could happen to anybody."He has taken steps to preserve transparency with his wife and has a group of men to whom he is accountable.
There are several words and concepts that come to mind.
First of all, abuse is never right. Never. It arises from sinful desires, and in so many of these instances involves a person in power who preys on the vulnerable. We have to be clear in the Church that this type of behavior, which takes many forms, is unacceptable and certainly not representative of the character of Christ.
And, the atmosphere has to change. The word, "safety" has been used, and I think that's accurate. Sin thrives in secret, and sinful acts that are committed are often covered up due to intimidation and shame. It is important that the light is shone on the deeds of darkness in which people's lives are being destroyed.
Now that so many revelations have occurred, the action necessary to confront this behavior is of a primary concern. Those who have been found to be acting sinfully must repent and be dealt with Biblically. We, as the Church, can't afford to have the name of Christ dishonored; we have to send the message that this is unacceptable.
As Greg Laurie states, accountability is important. Leaders should seek to build a firewall that would prevent them from taking advantage of others, and all believers should have the necessary safeguards built into our lives so that sinful desires are not allowed to grow and fester and ultimately be expressed, to the destruction of multiple lives.
Finally, we can adopt the mindset of an ambassador. Even though the Church has taken a hit due to indiscretions that have been made public. Laurie calls for changing the narrative. He is quoted by the Christian Post as saying, "I am not excusing anybody of their actions," adding, "I am simply saying I wish I could hear the other stories because it can seem sometimes like there are all these scandals but they are not taking into account the thousands and thousands and thousands of faithful pastors and faithful leaders that never had even a hint of scandal in their life of ministry." That is the standard - a standard of holiness, of Godly character, of showing the world we love Jesus and are demonstrating His light through our obedience.
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