Some preliminaries

First, I am assuming you have taken steps to get help with the effects of the crime on yourself. I am assuming you have disclosed the crime/s to several other people, have sought counsel if necessary, and have sought medical help where required. I am assuming you are well on your way to putting the pieces back together.

Second, it is not my intention to give legal advice in this post. Nor is it my desire to trump the advice of your medical, mental health, or spiritual advisors. Each person is different and each situation is different.

Finally, I am assuming the guilt of the person that is accused. In other words, while the person is only an alleged criminal until proven guilty, I am responding to these objections based on the assumption that the person actually did commit the crime of which they are accused.

My intention in this post is to address some objections to pursuing prosecution which tend to arise in the context of Christianity.

I’m sure those who raise these objections are well meaning, but it is not enough to be well meaning. Especially when such important matters are at stake.

Common objections to pursuing prosecution

I’ll address these common objections under four main headings.

1) WHAT OTHERS WILL THINK

People will think it’s revenge > The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter what other people think. God says that vengeance is his, but he also set up government and gave them the sword to exercise for the protection of the innocent and the punishment of evildoers.

People will say I’m bitter > Unfortunately, this is almost certain to happen. This has become the stock answer in some corners of Christianity when someone raises concerns. Of course it’s a juvenile response. People give, preach, pray, and sing with bad motives but it would be childish to accuse everyone who does these things of bad motives. The key is to check your motives and guard your heart. There is nothing inherently “bitter” about pursuing justice.

Someone I respect doesn’t believe I should prosecute > Ok. My advice is to understand his/her concerns deeply and then make a decision about their validity. If you decide to proceed, try to help him/her understand why you’ve come to your decision and if possible, maintain his/her support. You will need all the support you can get.

2) SCRIPTURAL OBJECTIONS

We should forgive and forget > Scripture never teaches that we should forgive and forget. In fact, the proposition is entirely unreasonable. I may forgive an employee who steals from me, but I will not be entrusting money to their care any time soon. It would be foolish to do so. The importance of the point is magnified ten thousand times when the crime is sexual abuse and the context is ministry. This error is the result of confusing forgiveness with reconciliation.

1 Corinthians 6 forbids prosecution > This passage addresses civil disputes in the local church context. A crime is neither a dispute nor is it a civil matter. In short, it does not apply to criminal prosecutions in any way. I address this matter in more detail here.

We should love our enemies > We should. This only presents a difficulty if love is defined as niceness. But niceness is often unloving and love is often not nice. For instance, if a wife is being threatened with harm, a husband who is nice is not being loving. He is sinning. Or if a young person is experimenting with drugs, love is not nice. Love confronts and does battle for the well being of the person he loves. There is nothing inherently unloving about pursuing prosecution.

We should turn the other cheek > When Jesus was struck in John 18:22-23, he defended himself in a legal context. So clearly his comment does not mean we should not pursue justice. Rather, he spoke of a meek willingness to suffer criminal assault without criminal retaliation.

It is not Christlike > Additional to Christ’s self-defence referred to above, the Apostle Paul made full use of the legal options available to him. Jesus Christ is both loving and just. Jesus went to the cross because justice matters. Jesus will come again to pour out judgement on all who do not obey his gospel. Any view of Jesus Christ that cannot reconcile the meek lamb before Pilot with the angry display in the temple has failed to grasp all that God is.

3) AFFECTS ON RELATIONSHIPS

It will hurt the person who committed the crime > That is not really your concern primarily. It is the nature of crime that it is not committed against individuals, but against society and the state in general. That is why it is the state that prosecutes the crime, not the individual. This is different from a civil lawsuit where it is one person vs. another. In criminal law, it is the Crown vs. the criminal. And that is as it should be. The Crown is, in this instance, “God’s minister to you for good… he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Romans 13:4).

I love the criminal > Good. That is the second commandment. It demonstrates that you have forgiven others as God has forgiven you. But that has nothing to do with whether you should prosecute or not.

It will hurt my relationship with the criminal > If the criminal has not repented, your relationship with the criminal cannot be healthy. If they have truly repented, prosecution will not hurt the relationship.

It will hurt my relationship with mutual friends/family > It might. This is something you need to weigh up. But ultimately, healthy relationships are based on honestly and truth. If family or friends doubt your story, this will invariably put strain on the relationship. Pursuing prosecution could clarify the matter. Or not.

It will cause division in the church > If the pursuit of legal justice causes division in the church, there are bigger problems than division at play. Perhaps God intends to use you to shake up a church that loves comfort more than truth and justice.

It will hurt the testimony of Christ > What hurt the testimony of Christ was the crime, not addressing that crime the way God authorised it to be addressed. Sure, others may find out about it. But what better place for the gospel to shine than in a situation where great sin is being addressed? What hurts the testimony of Christ is when crime is hidden and criminals are protected under the banner of “testimony.” This adds more sin (and sometimes crime) to the original crime and often results in deserved scandal down the track.

4) PERSONAL RESERVATIONS

It will cause more trauma for the victim > It might. I could be accused of being “pat” up until now, but at this stage I’m backing down. There are times when pursuing prosecution just isn’t worth the cost. There are many issues to consider and I can’t make that decision for you. Some general things to consider are whether prosecution would result in so much more damage to the victim that it is unreasonable to pursue, whether the criminal is a risk to others, and the severity of the crime.

It will cost me time and effort > It will. If there are others at serious risk, then it is your duty to pursue it if you can. But under other circumstances, you will need to wrestle with the costs versus the benefits. Remember that you will not be the prosecutor. The Crown will be. Still, no man builds a tower without first sitting down and counting the cost.

Prosecutors might not be willing to pursue it > True. That is their decision to make.

The criminal might be found not guilty > True. But remember, a “not guilty” verdict does not mean the jury/court believes they didn’t do it. It just means that there was not enough evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they did do it. You can’t control the outcome. Nor should you try. All you can do is fulfil your responsibility in the matter.

They’ll get off easy > Maybe. Again, that’s not your concern. Your job is to do your job. But even if they get off easy, there are many benefits to a guilty verdict in terms of justice and protecting others in the future.

No good can come of it > God loves truth. Hiding, pretending, evading, avoiding, and denying have no place in God’s nature. Bringing the truth into the light of day has merit in itself. Other benefits might include a sense of closure for the victim/s, helping other victims come out of hiding, helping the criminal face reality and get help, protecting potential future victims, cooperating with government in fulfilling their God-given role, deterring future criminals, spending time in “the house of mourning,” etc.

Conclusion

If you conclude that you need to pursue prosecution of a crime, past or present, the first step in that process is to contact your local police.

Ultimately, there are complex issues that need to be addressed at multiple levels (spiritual, legal, personal, etc.). I pray that these thoughts will help some.

I have addressed a difficult topic so I’m confident there are things that need to be clarified or corrected. As always, I appreciate those who contribute to that end in comments.

God loves mercy, justice, and truth. May we as well.

Grace to you.

A common answer to this question is a straightforward—and sometimes emphatic—no.

The Apostle Paul addressed the question directly in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8.

1 Corinthians 6 — ¹When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? ²Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? ³Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! ⁴So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? ⁵I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, ⁶but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? ⁷To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? ⁸But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!

While I won’t be able to fully exposit the passage here, I will make some observations that I hope will be helpful in wrestling with the question.

Observations

1) This passage deals with brothers.

This passage addresses “a dispute between the brothers” (v. 5). This is confirmed by the statement “brother goes to law against brother” (v. 6).

2) Not everyone who says he is a brother is a brother.

While we know that there will be “tares among the wheat” (Matthew 13), who has the right to judge such a thing? The answer to this question is complex in situations between the members of two churches, or where one or both parties are not connected with a church, but what is clear is that the church is authorised to mark members in prolonged, unrepentant sin and to treat them as unbelievers. This authority is explicitly defended in Matthew 18:17-20. This is important because once someone is to be legitimately treated as an unbeliever, he is not the sort of person to whom 1 Corinthians 6 applies.

3) This passage deals with disputes.

The text calls it “a grievance” (v. 1). The KJV translates it “a matter” which effectively communicates the idea in the Greek of a business matter or a contractual disagreement. In verse five, the text refers to it as “a dispute.” The Greek here speaks of someone judging something in between two brothers.

One or both parties feel that to let the situation drop would result in them having to “suffer wrong” or “be defrauded” (v. 7).

4) This passage deals with civil matters.

The passage addresses one brother taking another brother to court over a dispute. By very definition, this is a civil matter.

It is crucial here to understand the difference between a civil matter and a criminal matter. In the legal tradition passed down to us from the Roman world in which Paul lived, a civil matter is a dispute in which one person argues a case against another person. The underlying assumption in a civil case is that one person has allegedly wronged another and the two people are in need of someone to judge between them. This is reflected in the way a civil case is named in our legal system (Bloggs v Smith); the terms used for the parties in a civil case (plaintiff¹ and respondent); and the way the outcome is worded (the court rules either for or against the plaintiff).

A criminal matter, on the other hand, is not a dispute. It is an alleged offence. The underlying assumption in a criminal case is that someone has been accused of committing a crime against the Crown. The purpose of the case is to give the Crown a chance to prove the alleged offence was indeed committed by the accused person. This is reflected in the way a criminal case is named (R² v Bloggs); the terms used for the parties (Crown prosecutor and defendant); and the way the outcome is worded (the defendant is found either guilty or not guilty of the charges).

These definitions help to clarify that 1 Corinthians 6 is clearly addressing civil matters, not criminal matters.

5) This passage cannot apply to criminal matters.

The text says “brother goes to law against brother” (v. 6). As noted above, this cannot be a criminal matter because a crime is not committed against a person—it is committed against the state, against society. Individuals cannot prosecute crimes. Only the Crown can prosecute a crime.

A criminal matter is not a dispute. “I think you owe me $100 but you think you only owe me $50″ is a dispute. I think you broke the law in X way is an alleged crime.

That is why in a civil case, the judge rules either for or against the plaintiff (the complainer). The plaintiff has brought a complaint (i.e. a dispute) against another person and the court either agrees with it or doesn’t. A criminal case does not seek to settle any dispute. There is no plaintiff. Rather, there is the prosecutor and when the judge rules, it will not be for or against the prosecutor, but rather will be a judgement regarding the defendant: guilty or not guilty. The question in a criminal case is not which side is right but whether the defendant has broken the law in the way in which they were accused of breaking the law.

Some thoughts on the final observation

To apply 1 Corinthians 6 to criminal cases not only takes it well beyond what is being taught in the original context, but also opens the door to all sorts of problems. For instance, if I should suffer the wrong, shouldn’t children who are being sexually abused be told to suffer the wrong as well? Is justice only for the world and foreign to Christianity? Should I report a stolen car? Should I report a sexual predator? Should matters of abuse be dealt with through a church tribunal? What about murder? Should churches own jails? Should they perform capital punishment?

This brings us to another important passage.

Romans 13 – ¹Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ²Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement. ³For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, ⁴for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. ⁵Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

It seems to me that this passage directly calls for us to view the state as “God’s servant” who “carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” God intends the state to pursue and prosecute crimes because that is what a just state will do. God has placed the sword in the hand of the state to be used for the protection of the innocent and the state “does not bear the sword in vain.”

Clearly, the church cannot and should not usurp this God-given authority. Nothing in Paul’s instruction to the Corinthians contradicts Paul’s instruction to the Romans and visa versa. This is a crucial point in interpreting 1 Corinthians 6 and sets a solid foundation for the conclusion argued in my recent post 16 reasons crime should not be handled in-house.

While these observations do not resolve all of the interpretational difficulties with 1 Corinthians 6:1-8—indeed, they hardly begin to address them—they do, I hope, give some helpful insights on what the passages does and does not mean.

A precise understanding of this passage will allow us to know when we have the option of handling a situation in-house and/or allowing ourselves to be defrauded and on the other hand, when we have the option or even the obligation to go to the law and seek justice.

Grace to you.

¹I.e. the complainer.

²The “R” refers to the Crown and stands for Rex in the case of a male monarch and Regina in the case of a female monarch.

In response to Kristie’s proclamation, it seemed somewhat pompous to declare that “she” has it wrong and “I” had it right.   If truth does not matter, or if it is determined in my our own minds, how could I say that my opinion is any more righteous than her opinion – or vice versa?   Even though I had previously tried, it was impossible to have a relevant discussion about Jesus, until we establish that there is a universal truth established by a universal God.

However, if absolute truth exists outside of our minds, then there cannot be seven billion different interpretations on this earth.    If truth has an origin outside of my opinion, then and only then, can I say a certain belief or action is right or wrong.   In that scenario, I am not assuming my opinion is better, but I am being a messenger for a pre-set and self-existing standard of truth.  In that scenario, the paradigm has shifted from being a journey of ‘self-discovery’ to one of ‘God-discovery’.  In order to make such a declaration, I must have a few things in place.

1. External evidence of truth which transcends a Mexican standoff of opinion equality.    (Scripture itself and Creation in general)

AND

2. An attitude which does not exalt my opinion above her opinion.    (Genuine love and compassion)

One of the taglines of In Focus has been “Truth in Large Doses”.   It is essential that we seek truth, not as defined by ourselves, but as defined by the Creator of truth (Genesis 1-3).    Furthermore, it is possible to mentally understand truth, while failing to live and communicate truth.    How many times have the most bold proclamations of gospel truth been lacking love and compassion and consistency?   In other words, how many times have we proclaimed the right message in the wrong way?   I see a few possible dangers at this point.

1. We can berate the lost with Scripture as our weapon under the guise that Scripture will not return void.
2. We can try to become so ‘loving’ and so ‘compassionate’ that we fail to adequately declare truth at all.

Both of these responses are wrong when we are trying to be right.   We must confidently give an answer of our Hope, without elevating ourselves with pride.   Becoming ‘unashamed of the gospel’ is an Art not a Science.   It is an Art that the Holy Spirit teaches, not one that is ‘canned’ in a 4 step gospel tract.

My spiritual conversations with Kristie have been ongoing for several years.    The nature of our relationship is one where these conversations will continue.   I have no idea whether the Holy Spirit will lift the veil on her eyes so she can see truth.   However, I do pray for this.    I also pray for God’s wisdom for not only the right message, but also the right medium.   I ask that you would join me in praying to this end.

Blessings

- JC

The Inner Twirl

1.  It should be normal in the body of Christ to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16).  Why are we reticent to admit that we are struggling with sin in our lives?  Mothers may struggle with a complaining spirit.  Dads may struggle with self-discipline.  Teens may struggle with fears.  No matter who we are we all stumble in our daily walk and need one another’s help to get up again.  The Greek word used in James 5:16  for “confess” means to acknowledge something that is already true.  The fact that all of us have to fight against sin in our lives is true so why don’t we stop hiding our secret battles and speak up about our needs?

2.  It should be normal in the body of Christ to encourage one another (2 Corinthians 13:11).  Encouragement means taking another person’s concerns seriously and giving her “courage” to keep doing what God wants her to do.  When I acknowledge the validity of my friend’s struggle and come alongside her with God’s truth in word and action, I hold her hand in the battle against the world, the flesh and the devil.  And I hope she will do the same for me.

3.  It should be normal in the body of Christ to read the Bible together.  Paul commands corporate Bible reading in 1 Thessalonians 5:27, but reading the Bible together doesn’t have to be limited to formal church gatherings.  Bible reading can happen at backyard barbecues too.  Opening God’s Word, reading a few verses and discussing them together ought to be as natural to Christians as talking about State of Origin football.

4. It should be normal in the body of Christ to pray together (James 5:16).  How often do we tell a brother or sister  “I’ll be praying for you” when we could just bring it before the throne of grace together on the spot?  One of my most tender recollections of spiritual encouragement was when our family was on missionary deputation.  Discouragement and insecurity must have been written all over my face as a grandfatherly figure approached me in the midst of the Sunday morning crowd.  Putting his arm around my shoulders he simply prayed for me, committing my family and our needs to the Lord in prayer.  Two minutes later he was gone.  But that shaft of heavenly light warms me to this day.  Prayer like that should not be unusual amongst the family of God.

Let’s leave our awkwardness and Aussie bravado behind.  Let’s open our hearts to encourage and be encouraged.  Let’s turn those coffee dates and backyard barbecues into moments of heavenly fellowship.

** Aussie Barbecue photo by Ladymaggic at Flickr

What should a Bible-believing Christian do when he or she finds himself or herself attracted to a person of the same sex?

The Gay Christian movement answers, “If you have feelings for that person, go for it.  There is nothing wrong with a monogamous loving relationship regardless of sexual orientation.”

But that conclusion ignores the plain meaning of Scripture when it says, “Male and female He created them.”

Aussie Bible-Believer, who commented on my last post on this topic declares: “There is NO verse to prove that God loves Sodomites . . . give them some hell-fire preaching which they and the rest of this country needs [sic].”

However, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” clearly has no exception clauses—either for “Sodomites” or for those who hate them.  God’s love for the world covers the most obscene and the most seemingly benign of sinners.   Aussie Bible-Believer has forgotten that “fornication and lewdness” (not just the homosexual variety either!) is listed with “hatred and outbursts of wrath” in disqualifying us for the kingdom of God.  In the book of Proverbs pride is listed multiple times while homosexuality is not even mentioned.  If mere cowering at the wrath of God were enough to purge homosexual feelings, same-sex attraction wouldn’t be such a hot topic.

So what should a man do when his feelings for other men just won’t go away?  Or what should a woman do when her feelings for other women persist?

Take a look at this website:  http://www.truefreedomtrust.co.uk/

 True freedom Trust (TfT) is a confidential Christian support and teaching ministry for men and women who accept the Bible’s prohibition of same-sex practice and yet are aware of same-sex attractions, or struggle with other sexual and relational issues. We also offer support to families, friends and church leaders of those who face these issues in their lives.

 Based in the UK, TfT offers help for both homosexuals and those who want to help them.  Clearly taking the stand that “any sexual relationship outside of marriage between one man and one woman falls short of God’s plan for His creation”, TfT also questions the assumption that healing for a person with same-sex attraction means replacing it with opposite sex attraction.  TfT contends that “contentment and wholeness are found by trusting and following Jesus Christ, rather than being defined by the absence of same-sex attractions.”  The fact that the ministry was founded in 1977 by Martin Hallett, who himself lived a homosexual lifestyle until Christ radically transformed his life in 1972, lends real credibility to the message of TfT.

I don’t know of any ministries like this in Australia, but perhaps some of you do.  Please let us all know in the comments section.  Helping a brother or sister who struggles with sexuality is following the command to “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

I didn’t fully understand it then – but I do now.  My mother was modeling and teaching truth every day.  Only a servant would spend two hours in the car each day driving back and forth from school.  She used that time to share her faith and to encourage me to ask the big questions of life.  She showed me how you could rise above the immediate trouble and see God’s purpose.  She helped me to see the preciousness of others.

To my own mother – I love you and I am thankful for you.  To mothers – know that your children are learning from you every day.  Before they can talk and read they have the opportunity to learn about God through your reactions and through your actions.   Above the tears and the sleepless nights – your children will rise up and call you blessed (Proverbs 31:28).

~ Jeremy

“You’d have to be blind not to see it!”

“The fact that you can’t see your wrong is worse than the wrong itself!”

These are the kinds of thoughts that sometimes go through my head as I interact with a person I believe has wronged me or hurt me.

In the home, in the church, in the workplace—we all have situations where we are absolutely sure that the other person is wrong. We can see it. Others can see it. But the person themselves simply cannot see it… or won’t.

It’s frustrating. It’s disheartening. We might be tempted to just give up on the relationship and walk away… but then there’s the gospel.

The patient Father

We don’t do this type of thing to God, right? Go for days, weeks, or even years totally blind to the ways in which we are wronging him? Unable to see our wrongs… or unwilling to?

Of course if you’re a believer, you have already admitted that you, like me, do exactly that. Yet the Father patiently bears with us, gently teaching and at times chastening.

The patient Son

Jesus Christ was patient with us as well. In fact, his work on the cross was immediately preceded by thirty odd years of living with us rebels. Throughout the entire process of his atonement work, we were there demonstrating our defiance at every turn as if to rub his face in the shame of the sin he was bearing in our place.

But he patiently taught, gently rebuked, and loving restored us time after time, all the while his face set steadfastly toward the cross.

The patient Spirit

Perhaps more striking than either of the above is the Spirit of God who lives in us and bears with our spiritual insensibility day after day. How we must grieve him as we move through our days with repeated manifestations of our inner rebellion.

But the Spirit is patient with us. He bears with us. He gently convicts and patiently reminds us of the truth time after time.

Living it

It may take time for others to see things that we see clearly. It may take time for others to realise the ways in which they have wronged us. Even when people admit wrongs against us, there is no guarantee that it won’t happen again.

Living the gospel means being patient with others just as God has been patient with us.

May God help us to live this grace.

Written several years ago while watching a family interact in a busy airport terminal.

Parental love is firm. It rebukes and confronts in spite of personal discomfort. It rebukes again.

Parental love is patient. It explains that which should be obvious. And then it explains again.

Parental love is gracious. It forgives the failure that bespeaks hopeless stupidity. And it forgives again.

Parental love is understanding. It stoops to soothe the irrational fear. It bothers to comfort the petty hurt. Over and over again.

Parental love is the realm of the pastor, the parent, the counsellor, the mentor. Parental love is undeserved and usually unacknowledged.

Of all things the human heart may experience, parental love is most God-like.

Grace to you.

The name was unusual. I’ve seen some interesting and even bizarre names in all of my teaching years but this one really surprised me. Her name was Precious.

 Precious. What does that word mean? My dictionary says “of great value, costly, of great non-material worth, beloved”

It made me think on the circumstances for parents to name their daughter, Precious.

I wasn’t to know or even ask the details but it gave me cause for contemplation. Maybe they had troubles leading up to the conception of their child, or complications during the pregnancy, or a difficult birth. Maybe even a family death or drama at the time of her birth. Maybe the circumstances weren’t anything extraordinary. Maybe she was just wanted and her parents were eagerly waiting for her to join the family.

Whatever it was- she was named such, because of her parents’ view. They knew what they knew and to them – she was precious. Maybe they knew what God knows- that every child is precious.

All of us have children around us- whether we are parents, teachers, coaches, pastors, Sunday School or Youth Group workers. We all have opportunities to live our lives in the presence of children.

Parents- mothers and fathers…. When’s the last time you looked into the eyes of your children and saw how precious they are- not just look at their outward behaviour or their attitude that needs working on….but look at them as a human being, created by a good God who gives good gifts?

Those who teach and minister to children… when did you last look at those children under your instruction and then act in a way that demonstrates that they are precious?

If we did this, I’m sure it would change how we train, discipline or spend time with them. It may change the way we go about giving instruction. We might even lose some of our tense and uptight “adultness” and slow down a bit.

Enjoy the years. Enjoy the time. Enjoy the moments of spilled milk, falls off bikes, more paracetamol for a coughing child or teaching that lesson yet again. Enjoy them.

Parents, ask any person who has lost what you have and you will know what it means to see your child as precious.

You don’t have to name your child, Precious. He or she just is.

Your job is to treat them like they are.

 “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.” Proverbs 24:3,4