Why is it sinful for a church to cover-up abuse? | GotQuestions.org

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June 28, 2022

What is a biblical response to abuse and cover-ups in the Church? What does the Bible say about abuse in the Church? In this video, Pastor Nelson with Bible Munch answers the question, “Why is it sinful for a church to cover-up abuse”? *** Source Article: https://www.gotquestions.org/church-abuse-cover-up.html *** Check out, Bible Munch! @BibleMunch https://www.youtube.com/BibleMunch *** Recent Bible Munch Videos: James 1:2-4 - How to Face Trials in Life & Find Joy https://youtu.be/MnxnQ92ikYk John 4:24 - Is there a wrong way to worship? https://youtu.be/spWZfc2pje4 Philippians 4:13 - What this misused verse really means. https://youtu.be/6DlZAWOvSDU *** Recommended Resource: Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused Edited By: Brad Hambrick https://bit.ly/398eoUo *** Related Questions: What does the Bible say about abuse? https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-abuse.html How should sin in the church be handled? https://www.gotquestions.org/sin-in-the-church.html What is spiritual manipulation? https://www.gotquestions.org/spiritual-manipulation.html Intro/Outro Music: https://www.purple-planet.com Note: Some links may be affiliate links that cost you nothing, but help us share the word of God.

00:00: Today's question is, why is it sinful for a church to cover up abuse? In this video
00:05: I'll answer that question from a biblical perspective. Then afterwards, as always, I'll share some helpful resources, so stick around until the end.
00:22: Actively hiding, disguising, or keeping a mistake or sin hidden rather than correcting it is referred to as a cover -up.
00:30: The church should not be involved in cover -ups. Anyone with knowledge of abuse or who suspects abuse is morally obligated to act on such information.
00:40: In many cases, there is also a legal obligation to report the abuse to the proper authorities.
00:46: State laws clearly define abuse and detail when, how, and to whom to report it.
00:52: Churches and Christian ministries are required to follow state laws in this matter Romans 13, verses 1 -7.
01:00: Beyond the legal requirement is the moral requirement to deal with incidents of abuse. When abuse is suspected in a church or Christian ministry, the organization should carefully and thoroughly investigate the matter.
01:13: The goal should be to discover truth and seek justice, not to prioritize reputation.
01:18: Cover -ups seek to evade consequences while ignoring the harm caused by an incident. Covering up abuse is sinful because it perpetuates wrong, exalts what
01:28: God hates, and ignores state law. In the long run, covering up abuse will have far worse consequences than dealing with the truth immediately.
01:37: Any professing Christian individual or organization who participates in a cover -up of abuse, as legally defined, is guilty of sin.
01:46: To identify oneself with the Lord while enabling sin violates the command not to take His name in vain.
01:52: Denying victims justice through crafty deflections is a rejection of the Lord's will,
01:57: Isaiah 10, verses 1 -2 and Mark 7, verses 9 -13. Such actions lead to people blaspheming the
02:05: Lord, Romans 2, verses 23 -24. God's people are called to protect the weak and vulnerable, not exploit them, see
02:13: Exodus 22, verse 22. God hates any attempt to use good things as a cover -up for sin and evil,
02:21: Proverbs 21, verse 27. Those who participate in a cover -up often claim good intentions.
02:28: A common excuse for creating these smokescreens is guarding the faith -based group's reputation.
02:34: By covering up one person's sin, the organization reasons it can continue proclaiming the gospel or doing other good work.
02:42: This thinking is misguided. Christians are called to protect the weak and hurting, Proverbs 31, verses 8 -9, and should be committed to the truth.
02:52: Another rationalization for cover -ups is the idea that grace and forgiveness should trump correction, but true repentance never dispenses with justice.
03:02: Biblical commands to rebuke, correct, or excommunicate some people provide the very means by which heinous sin is to be resolved, 1
03:11: Timothy 5, verse 20. Dodging the consequences of abuse is done at the cost of those who have been harmed,
03:18: Proverbs 19, verse 5. Confronting abuse can be painful, but few things interfere with evangelism more than professing
03:27: Christians using deceptive, cynical schemes to protect their reputation. Most attempted cover -ups will be found out in this life, and those who think
03:37: God will look the other way are sorely mistaken, Psalm 10, verses 11 -15.
03:43: God is aware and cannot be fooled, Hebrews 4, verse 13. Jesus pointedly warned hypocritical religious leaders that their secret actions would be uncovered,
03:53: Luke 12, verses 2 -3. Secret sins will eventually be exposed,
03:59: Ecclesiastes 12, verse 14. Once discovered, cover -ups will always make the church or group look worse.
04:06: It is better to be criticized while repenting of sin than to protect one's reputation while lying.
04:13: Never should we allow sin to continue and victims to suffer. Cover -ups erode trust in everything an organization says.
04:21: Abuse involves a violation of trust. A cover -up only magnifies that violation and worsens the scandal.
04:28: After a cover -up of abuse is discovered, whatever moral statements the person, church, or organization makes are rightly seen as hypocritical, even if they are biblically correct.
04:39: It would be foolish to assume leaders who enabled or hid abuse in a church should be trusted to suddenly do the right thing after they have been caught.
04:48: A good way to prevent cover -ups is to establish a clear sense of accountability. This applies to individuals and to organizations.
04:56: Transparency and integrity are important standards to uphold to prevent abuse from happening in the first place.
05:02: 2 Corinthians 8, verses 20 -22. Nothing enables abuse within the church more than leaders who sense they are not truly accountable.
05:12: The Bible holds leaders to high standards. James 3, verse 1, and they are to be called to account if they fail.
05:19: Galatians 2, verses 11 -13. Believers are to carefully compare all things, including the words and actions of leaders, to God's truth, regardless of who those leaders are.
05:30: Proverbs 18, verse 17. If abuse does happen, the only acceptable remedy is truthful humility.
05:39: Care for the victim is paramount, far more important than preserving the reputation of the abuser. Ideally, victims of abuse should feel empowered to speak up.
05:48: This needs to be part of a church's fundamental culture. Those guilty of abuse, whoever they are, should be confronted.
05:55: In a church situation, they should undergo proper church discipline. Matthew 18, verses 15 -20.
06:02: In all situations, they should also be referred to the proper legal authorities. Romans 13, verses 1 -5.
06:08: Care and restitution for victims must be important parts of the process. Abuse is a clear violation of God's will.
06:16: Both abuse and cover -ups are twisted opposites of God's command for Christians to be known for their love towards others.
06:23: John 13, verse 35. There is nothing loving about disguising sin or failing to address it with integrity.
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06:40: I recommend, along with links to several related questions. If you'd like to learn about Bible Munch, or if you're interested in Bite -sized devotionals, subscribe to Bible Munch on YouTube, it's linked right here.