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NASB | Jeremiah 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it? |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Jeremiah 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love [to have] it so! But what will you do when the end comes? |
Bible Question:
I have a question or rather a comment concerning domestic violence that I would like to hear others perspective on. My husband was an evangelical minister in the church. Our entire family, including our six children, were heavily involved in ministry. Two years ago, I left my husband and moved to another state almost 500 miles away because he became more and more violent. He was psychologically, emotionally, mentally and even sometimes physically abusive to me and the children. He was also sexually abusive to me. When I went to my pastor about the issue, I was made to feel as if it were my fault. Sadly, most women in communities of faith are made to feel this way, thus they stay in abusive marriages. I thank God for his power of deliverance through His word. It was only through the Holy Spirit's revelation of the word that I learned that my Father in heaven did not condone my husband's behavior or the church's turning a deaf ear to my cries and the cries of my children. I have forgiven my husband, my pastor, and all those who kept silent. My question is this: The Bible speaks very clearly about domestic violence, yet communities of faith still treat women as if they are cursed. When will the body of Christ wake up and realize that the curse Eve (woman) was cursed with in Genesis, was removed at the cross? Why do we continue to teach women to be "submissive" under any and every circumstance and yet not teach men that submission, as Ephesians speaks about it, is a two-way street. Biblical submission is not just commanded of women, but of men also. Sumbission is also not synonymous with subservience and dominance. One submits out of love and respect. It is not submission if it is forced. There are many women sitting in churches today condemned to die with plastered on smiles and spirits that have been destroyed. What is the church going to say, what is the body of Christ going to do about the issues of domestic violence that are running rampid and largely unchecked in communities of "faith". |
Bible Answer: This is a good example of the differences we experience among different denomoniations and groups among those that we call the church. Of all the churches I have fellowshipped with since I was born again, the pastor would have told you to leave and include the law to help protect you and your family, and also provided a place to live while you needed it. Of all the churches that I have belonged to they would have said that this man needed to be born again. We do not believe that a born again saint will abuse his family. A born again man can fall into sin, but will not stay there and must be dealt with as soon as they surface if the man is sincere with the Lord. So it is sad that you experienced such darkness among those that would call themselves saints. I have never known a christian that interpreted the submission scriptures as an excuse to abuse their wives or family. I know it happens but I have never fellowshipped with such people. The churches I have been a part of rightly understood this as a voluntary submission in matters of spiritual leadership and even then the wife's opinion is well respected and decisions are not made without her agreement. Those that belligerantly make important decisions whether the wife agrees or not have always been told in my churches that they were wrong and were misinterpreting the submission scriptures. So you see how I have never seen this as a "big" problem in the church, becuase I have never seen this in the church. If a person fellowships with some denominations and "churches" they will think there is an important need to proove that Homosexuals should not be allowed to preach in the pulpit. When others hear about it they are almost speachless with shock and incredulous wonder that anyone would ever even think it is worth arguing about. If a church is so blind as to argue about that, or to discuss it as a possiblity then they are not the Church at all, they are some group of men that are calling themselves a church but are not even born again. So it is with this question of abuse. Do we really need a movement to convince pastors that they should intervene and help women being abused, and quit telling them to submit to it? No, the true church is shocked that an idiot would suggest such a thing to you. The answer is to find a real church with a real pastor that is really called by God to pastor, a shepherd of the sheep who feeds them the Word of God and is anointed by the Holy Spirit to rightly interpret the word of God. It does not take a theologian to know that you should not submit to abuse. May God Bless You as You Grow in His Word. |