Post by The Ambassador on Jul 14, 2019 21:01:37 GMT
Love and Justice in the Face of Wickedness
Part 3 of 4
“For You are not a God enjoying wickedness; nor shall evil live with You.” —PS. 5:4.
God hates all forms of wickedness. "For You are not a God enjoying wickedness; nor shall evil live with You. The boasters shall not set themselves before Your eyes. You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those speaking lies; Jehovah will despise the man of blood and deceit." ~Psalm 5:4-6. How he must hate child sexual abuse —an especially repugnant wicked deed! In imitation of God, we as his people, abhor child abuse and do not tolerate it in the Christian congregation. —Rom. 12:9; Heb. 12:15, 16.
[Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptural quotations are from Green's Literal Translation (LITV)]
Any act of child abuse is absolutely opposed to “the law of the Christ”! (Gal. 6:2) Why can we say that? As we learned in the preceding article, the law of the Christ—that is, all that Jesus taught both by word and by example—is built on love and promotes justice. Governed by this law, true Christians treat children in a way that makes them feel safe and genuinely loved. But child abuse is a selfish, unjust act that makes a child feel unsafe and unloved.
Sadly, child sexual abuse is a worldwide plague, and true Christians have been affected by this plague. Why? “Wicked men and impostors” abound, and some may try to enter the congregation. (2 Tim. 3:13) In addition, some professing to be a part of the congregation have succumbed to perverted fleshly desires and have sexually abused children. Let us discuss why child abuse is such a grave sin. Then we will consider how church administrators should handle instances of serious wrongdoing, including child abuse, and how parents can protect their children.
A GRAVE SIN
Child abuse has far-reaching consequences. It affects the victims as well as those who care about the victims—their family members and their Christian friends. Child abuse is a grave sin:
- A sin against the victim: It is a sin to inflict unjust pain and suffering on others. As we will see in the next article, the child abuser does just that —he hurts the child in devastating ways. He betrays the child’s trust, robbing the child of his or her security. Children must be protected from such a wicked deed, and those who have been victimized by it need comfort and help. —1 Thess. 5:14.
- A sin against the congregation: When someone who is a part of the congregation becomes guilty of child abuse, he brings shame on the congregation. (Matt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 2:12) How unfair that is to the millions of faithful Christians who are putting up “a hard fight for the faith”! (Jude 3) We do not tolerate in our midst individuals who unrepentantly commit wicked deeds and who bring shame on the good name of the congregation.
- A sin against the secular authorities: Christians are to “be in subjection to the superior authorities.” (Rom. 13:1) We prove our subjection by showing due respect for the laws of the land. If someone in the congregation becomes guilty of violating a criminal law, such as by committing child abuse, he is sinning against the secular authorities. (Compare Acts 25:8.) While the church administrators are not authorized to enforce the law of the land, they do not shield any perpetrator of child abuse from the legal consequences of his sin. (Rom. 13:4) The sinner reaps what he has sown. —Gal. 6:7.
- Above all, a sin against God: (Ps. 51:4) When a human sins against another human, he also sins against God. Consider an example from the Law that God gave Israel. The Law said that a man who robbed or defrauded his neighbor was behaving “unfaithfully toward God.” (Lev. 6:2-4) Certainly, then, when an individual who is a part of the congregation abuses a child —robbing that child of his or her security— he is behaving unfaithfully toward God. The abuser brings great shame on God's honor. For that reason, abuse must be condemned for what it is —a gross sin against God.
Over the years, the Christian Church has provided an abundance of Scriptural information on the subject of child abuse. For example, articles in Christian literature have discussed how those who have been sexually abused can deal with emotional scars, how others can help and encourage them, and how parents can protect their children. Church administrators should receive detailed Scriptural training on how to handle the sin of child abuse. The church administration continues to review the way congregations handle the sin of child abuse. Why? To make sure that our way of handling the matter is in harmony with the law of the Christ.
HANDLING INSTANCES OF SERIOUS WRONGDOING
When church administrators handle any matter involving serious wrongdoing, they keep in mind that the law of the Christ requires that they treat the flock with love and do what is right and just in God’s eyes. As a result, they have a number of concerns when they receive a report of serious wrongdoing. The church administrators are primarily concerned with maintaining the sanctity of God's honor. (Lev. 22:31, 32; Matt. 6:9) They are also deeply concerned with the spiritual welfare of the friends in the congregation and want to help any who have been victims of wrongdoing.
In addition, if the wrongdoer is a part of the congregation, church administrators are concerned with trying to restore him/ her if that is possible. (Read James 5:14, 15.) A Christian who gives in to wrong desire and commits a serious sin is spiritually sick. This means that he/ she no longer has a healthy relationship with God. In a sense, the church administrators are spiritual physicians. They endeavor to make “the sick one [in this instance, the wrongdoer] well.” Their Scriptural counsel can help him/ her to restore his relationship with God, but this is only possible if he is genuinely repentant. —Acts 3:19; 2 Cor. 2:5-10.
Clearly, church administrators have a weighty responsibility. They care deeply about the flock that God has entrusted to them. (1 Pet. 5:1-3) They want their friends to feel secure in the congregation. For that reason, they act promptly when they receive a report of serious wrongdoing, including child abuse.
Do church administrators comply with secular laws about reporting an allegation of child abuse to the secular authorities? Yes. Church administrators endeavor to comply with secular laws about reporting allegations of abuse. "Let every soul be subject to higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, but the existing authorities have been ordained by God." ~Rom. 13:1 Such secular laws do not conflict with God’s law. (Acts 5:28, 29) So when they learn of an allegation, church administrators immediately seek direction on how they can comply with laws about reporting it.
Church administrators assure victims and their parents and others with knowledge of the matter that they should report the allegation of abuse to the secular authorities. But what if the report is about someone who is a part of the congregation and the matter then becomes known in the community? Should the Christian who reported it feel that he has brought shame on God's honor? No. The abuser is the one who brings shame on God's honor.
As far as the congregation leaders have authority in the matter, before the church administrators take action, why are at least two people required? This requirement is part of the Bible’s high standard of justice. When there is no confession of wrongdoing, two people are required to establish the accusation and authorize the church administrators to take action. (Deut. 19:15; Matt. 18:16; read 1 Timothy 5:19.) Does this mean that before an allegation of abuse can be reported to the authorities, two people are required? No. This requirement does not apply to whether church administrators or others report allegations of a crime.
When they learn that someone in the congregation is accused of child abuse, church administrators endeavor to comply with any secular laws about reporting the matter, and then they conduct a Scriptural investigation. If the individual denies the accusation, the church administrators consider the testimony of people. If at least two people—the one making the accusation and someone else who can verify this act or other acts of child abuse by the accused—establish the charge, a committee should be formed. The absence of a second witness does not mean that the one making the accusation is untruthful. Even if a charge of wrongdoing cannot be established by two people, the church administrators recognize that a serious sin may have been committed, one that deeply hurt others. The church administrators provide ongoing support to any individuals who may have been hurt. In addition, the church administrators remain alert regarding the alleged abuser to protect the congregation from potential danger. "Then take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit placed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased through His own blood." ~Acts 20:28.
What is the role of the committee? The decision they make does not mean that the church administrators rule on whether the abuser should be punished by the authorities for breaking the law. The church administrators do not interfere with law enforcement; they leave criminal matters to the secular authorities. (Rom. 13:2-4; Titus 3:1) Instead, the church administrators determine whether an individual can remain in the congregation.
When church administrators serve on a committee, their role is spiritual, or religious—not judicial. Guided by the Scriptures, they determine whether the abuser is repentant or not. If he is unrepentant, he should be expelled from the congregation, and an announcement should be made to the congregation. "And you shall put out the evil one from you." ~1 Cor. 5:13, see also Deuteronomy 17:7 If he is repentant, he may remain in the congregation. However, the church administrators will inform him/ her that he may never qualify to receive any leadership privileges or to serve in any position of responsibility in the congregation. Out of concern for the welfare of children, the church administrators may privately warn the parents of minors in the congregation of the need to monitor their children’s interactions with the individual. When taking such measures, the church administrators are careful to maintain the privacy of those hurt by the sin.
Parents protect their children from sexual abuse by sharing with them appropriate information about sex. To do so, parents should use the information and literature that the Christian Church has provided.
Who have the responsibility to protect children from harm? Parents do. Your children are a sacred trust, “an inheritance of Jehovah.” (Ps. 127:3) It is your responsibility to safeguard that trust. What can you do to protect your children from abuse?
- First, educate yourself about abuse. Learn about the kind of individuals who abuse children and the tactics they use to deceive them. Be alert to potential dangers. (Prov. 22:3; 24:3) Remember that in most cases, the abuser is someone the child already knows and trusts.
- Second, maintain good communication with your children. (Deut. 6:6, 7) That includes being a good listener. (Jas. 1:19) Remember that children are often reluctant to report abuse. They may fear that they will not be believed, or they may have been threatened by the abuser to keep the abuse secret. If you sense that something is wrong, kindly draw them out with questions and then patiently listen to their answers.
- Third, educate your children. Share with them age-appropriate information about sex. Teach them what to say and do if someone tries to touch them in an inappropriate way. Use the information that the Christian Church has provided on how to protect your children.
As God’s people, we view child sexual abuse as a gross sin and a wicked deed. Governed by the law of the Christ, our congregations do not shield perpetrators of abuse from the consequences of their sins. Meanwhile, what can we do to help those who have suffered abuse? Next week, we will answer that question.
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