CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE
At this very hour, many high-profile evangelical leaders are being exposed for sexual sins they committed against their parishioners. A growing number of podcasters on Youtube air interviews with victims of these men and how they have been hushed in the past to protect the reputations of the perpetrators of these crimes.
What is most frightening about the uncovering and publishing of these awful clergy crimes is that when the truth is made known to the public, the men or, in some instances, women without exception deny their involvement or water down what victims claim actually happened.
In some cases, these ministers are painted by their inner circle to look like martyrs who are suffering unjust censure by mere laypeople. They say their reputations are doubted and disgraced unjustly.
Were it not for the podcasters who assiduously let the victims tell their sides of the story, these cases of sexual abuse would be swept under the rug time and time again, while the women involved would be shamed for discrediting men of God.
Each of the cases currently being examined under the microscope of truth involves esteemed men, many of whom claim to be prophets or apostles. In their own right they are charismatic individuals with knowledge of the Bible and its commands. They know from studying for sermons and prophecies what God demands for holy living. They have preached these very truths to those under their influence and ministry, but have not lived according to them themselves.
They have been and are living double lives. While they have kept an impeccable facade before the public, their private lives are sordid and totally opposite to what the Word of God teaches, totally reprehensible.
Years ago, Sid Roth interviewed an elderly prophetess on his radio program. She told about a trip to or vision of hell in which she saw famous personages, some of whom she called by name during the interview. However, when she said she also saw preachers of the Gospel in hell, the Holy Spirit would not let her say who they were...but they were there, nonetheless. Will that be the case for some or all of the men whose lives are being scrutinized right now? Assuredly, yes!
Hebrews 6:4-6 describes such individuals and their frightening future:
"For in the cse of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God andput Him to open shame."
The Example of Judas
We see the sequence of events listed in the Scripture passage above illustrated in the life of Judas Iscariot, one of the original twelve apostles of Jesus. Judas walked with Jesus for three and one half years. He saw Jesus perform miracle after miracle. He listened to Him teach what we call the Sermon on the Mount and the Mount Olivet discourse, when Jesus clearly taught about holy living for those who are true followers of His and what the end times will look like, which is where we are now.
Judas carried the money bag for Jesus' entourage of thirteen men. Judas knew full well how Jesus distributed coins to the poor, because it was he as the 'banker' who actually put the coins into the recipients' hands.
He knew Jesus was glorified on the Mount of Transfiguration. He heard Jesus pray. He saw Him weep at Lazarus' tomb and watched as Lazarus walked from the tomb still encased by grave clothes. In fact, Judas helped remove them from the resurrected body. Judas was involved with all the activities of Jesus' group: the feeding of multitudes and Peter's walking on water.
Judas watched and listened when Jesus took the hypocritical Pharisees to task for their legalism and burdening of the faithful common people with laws impossible to keep in their entirety. He saw it all.
Yet, it was he who censured the woman who spilled an entire container of expensive nard on Jesus' head. Knowing the market value of nard, Judas howled his criticism that the perfume should hae been sold and the price deposited into the money bag he carried, so he could pilfer it for his own profit. What duplicity! Holy, precious Jesus meant less to Judas than a few metal coins!
Among his fellow apostles, Judas maintained a front of camaraderie and faithfulness. Beneath the surface, he was a thief who held little regard for Jesus after all. It was the money that captivated his heart and fueled his intentions and actions.
It was on the same day after the woman anointed Jesus' head that Judas conceived a different route to getting more mone. He would go to the chief priests and, for a price, connived to betray Jesus to them. And, yes, he did get thirty pieces of silver to keep for himself, rather than depositing them in the bag.
But he gained much worse, as well. The verses in Hebrews describe his heart. He had tasted the good things of God as one of a privileged minority who lived and walked daily with Jesus and was an active participant in His ministry of preaching and performing miracles. In spite of what he knew and experieinced, Judas was able to sell out Jesus secretly and come back to the group as if nothing had happened, slyly performing as one with them.
It was Judas who enabled the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus. He betrayed the Son of God! By description Hebrews says that once Judas had known Jesus as he did, it was impossible to change his heart in repentance. During the Last Supper, Jesus illustrated the set of Judas' heart against repentance when He handed Judas the sop. He gave Judas one last chance to repent! Instead, without a flinch, Judas left the Upper Room to do his dirty work!
After the crucifixion, the Bible tells us that Judas was filled with remorse and hanged himself. He had crossed a line from which there was no recourse. Today, Judas suffers in the worst of hell forever!
Hardening Their Hearts!
So, too, Judas' story and the passage from Hebrews describe the course of actions the lives of today's alleged clery predators have taken. It is probable that every one of them was born again at the start of their history. As success overtook them and they became more 'prominent' in church circles, popularity and human acclaim sapped their love for Jesus and God. They became demagogues, idols of the people who trusted them implicitly...and that very trust became the curtain behind which these same men hid their sexual crimes.
They have known and preached the truth! Many or most of them know what it is to have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. They have seen God work miracles. One of these alleged predators was an active leader in the Brownsville revival over 25 years ago, around the same time his exposed abuses began. He witnessed and participated in a revolutionary move of God that for seven years drew multitudes of people from across the planet to Pensacola. He cannot deny what he tasted there! After experiencing the power of God's holiness in such demonstration, how can he justify sexually abusing young women under his leadershop!?
Yet, now he, and the others, negate their alleged actions, minimizing or totally denying what they did. Their sexual sins are bad enough, but to then deny that they happened as they did is a lie, and we know the devil is the father of lies! And, the Bible clearly says there will be no liars in heaven!
Jesus allowed Judas to keep up his charade with the money bag right to the Last Supper gathering. So clever was his cover-up that the other eleven apostles were clueless about what Judas was up to. But Jesus knew, and during the meal, He gave Judas one more opportunity to repent and confess what he had done. It still wasn't too late for Judas to confess his treachery and avoid a trip to Gethsemane where the mob would be waiting to arrest the Savior.
Even as Jeus handed the sop to Judas, the eleven didn't get it, but it was already too late for Judas. He had knowingly, intentionally betrayed the One who could forgive and restore him to true fellowship with Him...but it was too late. Although Judas knew all he knew about Jesus, he had sold Him out for a mere thirty pieces of silver. He had crossed the line from which there was no return. He had sold out to the devil!
Like Judas, these accused ministers of the Gospel crossed that unseen line from which there is no return, no repentance. They are more concerned about their monetary gain and reputation. Their image matters more to them than their eternal soul or the souls of their victims.
They fit the Hebrews description too well. Though they might end up legally convicted of their sins, any repentance on their part will be superficial and not to the depths of their souls. They will have remorse for their loss of status and embarrassment over their actions being made public, but before Jesus they will have crucified Him afresh. They have sold Him out again for their own gain, measly acclaim and popularity. Hell is their only future...eternal condemnation and suffering of the worst kind. All for a few big houses, lots of money and notoriety.
When all is said and done, when the cases of clergy sexual abuse have been thoroughly investigated and the evidence produced, these men hopefully will meet justice. They may give the impression that they are repentant. However, Hebrews 12:15-17 cautions us:
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God...that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.."
These men sold their souls to satisfy their lust. Sadly they will find that they have lost their day of grace. Only condemnation awaits them. Weep for them, for they have carved out a place for themselves in hell!
As for their victims who have had to live with their shame and abuse for years, they will have been requited as their stories are brought forth into the light. Their true healing from sexual and spiritual exploitation will lead to restoraton as they see justice replace their injury. May none of them choose to remain silent or to cloak themselves in bitterness against God. Because of their once being abused, may none of them lose their faith in Jesus and be lost!