When a hurting woman goes to church, the assumption is she will get the help she needs, right? Well, in most cases, it is true that the woman gets help and support that can carry her through tough days.
However sometimes in the name of spirituality, and I will say, lack of knowledge, some women actually get hurt by going to church looking for help.
I mean, the woman who is physically abused and threated by the father of her kids, when she goes to church for help, who will say, “Give us his phone number so we can pray for him?” What? Really?
Well, that is what is happening in our community. Is this spiritual maturity? Is this woman a field for the so called a spiritual man or woman to practice their spiritual strength?
Spiritual advice, guidance is given to spiritual people, not to the people of this world or those who profess to believe in Jesus Christ but deny Him by their actions.
“They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.” Titus 1:16
And the Bible says, the “law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners” 1 Timothy 1:9
Do you see that?
For example, the law that says, “Do not murder,” does not work for a righteous person. A righteous person has a different law to follow after, namely, love your God and love your neighbor as yourself.
So “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:2 – Reprove, rebuke, exhort – who???? The righteous! Not the ungodly, the lawless.
The lawless has to be handled by the civic law, “Don’t murder!” and other laws. All government bodies, just because they are not in church buildings, we shouldn’t think that they are servers of the devil. Well, there are definitely devil disciples in the government as well as in churches. However generally speaking, the church leaders and government bodies (police officers, judges, and all) are ministers of God. Don’t take my word! Read your Bible!
“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.” Romans 13:1-6 NASB
The lawless receive help and all the rebuking and discipline appropriate for their action from the governing authorities. The righteous receive help, guidance, reprove, rebuke, exhort from the church, by ministers, spiritual people who use the word of God to do these service.
Why is this confusing? I personally don’t know why.
Advising a woman to stay in an abusive marriage while some church folks are promising to pray for her is not biblical advice! This is insane! Showing to them her fresh scars on her face didn’t even do a thing for them to change their minds. They actually preached to her how God rewards her patience, and how sinful divorce is and how she is sinning against God by leaving the man even for a day. They even told her that those people who go to court to divorce their spouses are against God because of what one passage says (the passage they wrongly apply to all cases):
“Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?” 1 Corinthians 6:1-6
This passage is talking about saints, not about the lawless and the rebellious!
Everybody who goes to church is not a Christian. The Bible does not say, “You will know they are Christians if you see them going to church or sing in choir or preach.” NO! It does not say that!
Rather the Bible says:
“You will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:16
What does the Bible say about those who go to church but, for example, abuse their wives? Listen:
“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.” 2 Thessalonians 3:6
“But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.” 1 Corinthians 5:11
Do you see it?
Please my friends, let’s strive to study the word of God carefully so we can understand the whole counsel of the word of God. Let’s not lead our lives by one verse or passage and let’s not guide others to do the same. Rather, let’s strive to live according to the whole counsel of God and teach others to do the same.
This thing is a bit going out of control in our diaspora communities. I don’t think it will be any different back in our country, Ethiopia.
Oh, LORD, please help us to read, study, know and understand Your word so we can rescue the next generation from being ignorant of Your truth! ///