Christ arrived for one reason: To die on the cross for our sins.

What are your expectations? The Israelites expected a king, but Jesus came first as a Savior. 

Light into darkness is a big theme in Scripture. We know this world is very dark, but we also know this: Light has come into the world. 

I think now how the first requirement in 1 Timothy 3 is that a bishop must be blameless. That’s an interesting word. When i was taught it, it was pretty well just said that you were never alone with someone of the opposite gender. If you were, there might be accusations and you wouldn’t be blameless. But I am realizing as I have looked at and studied this and other Scriptures, that blameless means so much more. Jesus has a higher standard for spiritual leaders and that’s why he was so strong on the scribes and Pharisees in condemning them.

“Jesus used his harshest words for the religious crowd.”

This phrase is often said many times. As you read the Gospels, certainly you could come to that conclusion. But what if there was more to Jesus’ words than just anger? We certainly want to be balanced on this and not ignore the whole of Scripture, but Jesus’ biggest condemnation when He was on earth was condemning unbelief. His rant, if you want to call it that, here in Matthew 23 was more than just a rant. Certainly, it was a condemnation of the religious system that existed and it was incredibly harsh, but there was more to it. So let’s look at that today, because as we approach these woes Jesus says in Matthew 23, you may be surprised at what is being communicated. 

“The best revenge is not to be like that.” —Marcus Aurelius.

When you have come out of a spiritually abusive environment, it becomes easy to focus on the wrong they did. This is especially true when it may have been pointed out time and time again, but either it is swept under the rug and ignored, or when you get someone who can do something about it, it is only halfway dealt with. This becomes frustrating, and once again, you can focus on what they did wrong, how they sinned against you. We can definitely see the marks of a spiritually abusive environment here in Matthew 23, and we will see some more as Jesus condemns them. Still, for today, we will focus on ourselves and what Jesus instructs us to do to be different from these kinds of environments. I’m Ben Johnson, now let’s get biblical. 

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Is spiritual abuse biblical? Abuse is a buzzword nowadays, especially in light of the #metoo movement that has taken place. Because of that, to some degree, I believe it has lost some of its meaning. What I mean is that it gets thrown around so much that people are starting to dismiss it. Of course, we know about physical, sexual, and verbal abuse. That's typically what people mean when they say abuse. But what about spiritual abuse? What is that, and what does it mean? Those are good questions, but the real question we have to ask ourselves is this: Is spiritual abuse biblical? In other words, do we see it in Scripture, and how should we approach it? So let's take some time and answer that today. 

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Books on Spiritual Abuse

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by David Johnson and Jeff VanVonderan

Something’s Not Right by Wade Mullen

When Narcissism Comes to Church by Chuck DeGroat

Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church by Diane Langberg