Memo to Robert 2

(Some thoughts on child molestation by Christians)

One of my Bible teachers taught a series on grace.

Near the end of the series he expounded on something I had never heard of at that time. He called it “Greasy Grace.” This type of grace is the responsibility of the church as they “Let it slide.”

The pervaders of this greasy doctrine are very liberal when it comes to forgiving and moving on, while leaving human wreckage behind.

What ever the case, they believe the church is to be gracious and to forgive and ignore.

This attitude is validated by the caveat of. “Go and sin no more,” but our forgiveness must be enlarged to accommodate the seven times seventy concept which virtually is to allow an unlimited number of offences to occur.

Matt.18:21-22 Then Peter came up and asked him, "Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? Seven times?" No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven!

So according to this scripture the guilty man has 489 more molestations to go.

I have grown weary of people trying to act against common sense by finding a scripture and applying irrationally to a situation.

If you are of sound mind, you will reject these who are always ready to "blame the church professors."

In the case of the man molesting a ten year old, the opinions are varied, coming down on the church to one degree or another but all declaring the church to be guilty of sin if they did not accept the man’s statement “I have changed” and receive him as if it never happened.

The problem I have with unconditional acceptance of the offender is that the offence continues with the victim, forever until GOD wipes away all tears.

The loss is permanent not a temporary issue.

The perpetrator has suffered loss and the child has also suffered a loss neither of which can be restored.

There are on going issues that can never be resolved and at best can only be mediated. The church has not been commanded to ignore them.

If the man cut off his finger and likewise cut off the girl’s finger it would be a constant reminder that an injury had occurred. Likewise the memory of the molestation/rape is embedded in the memories as long as life exists.

The repentant molester wants something that is not available to him and that is restoration. He may receive forgiveness from GOD but since the act cannot be undone, he must bear the consequences of his deed forever, because the offence cannot go away.

Repentance does not remove responsibility and repentance does not exonerate a guilty party it is merely the first step in a long process in restoring confidence in the offender.

What can the offender do? That is his problem to work out with GOD.

It is not the responsibility of the church to solve his problem, where ever they can be of help they should be of help.

I recall many years ago a Youth for Christ Director who was well liked and respected had an affair with his secretary, and because he was a leader the effect was profound. After he had been divorced and left the ministry he returned to church and he would sit in the back. The brethren were cordial toward him for which he was grateful, but he never tried to minister because his offence, though forgiven could not be undone.

The very idea that one can violate a child and then erase the damage by an act of repentance is untenable.

Saying I'm sorry is as worthless as spitting into the wind, as far restoring the child to what she was before the desecration.

Jesus was NOT as sympathetic toward child offenders as some would think.

Matt 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.