The “Do-Nothing” god of our Day Promotes Evil in the Church

UPDATE Sept 2021: I have come to believe that Jeff Crippen does not practise what he preaches. He vilely persecuted an abuse victim and spiritually abused many other people in the Tillamook congregation. Go here to read the evidence. Jeff has not gone to the people that he spiritually and emotionally abused. He has not apologised to them, let alone asked for their forgiveness.

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[October 1, 2022: There have been some changes made to this post. For more information, read the Editors’ notes at the bottom of the post. Editors.]

No one can disobey the Lord and not suffer consequences. But just as it was in the days of Jeremiah the prophet, so it is today among many who profess to be Christians. Such people sin, turn to their own way, twist Scripture to justify their sin, and then announce that God will do nothing, no disaster will come upon them.

They have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine. The prophets will become wind; the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them!'”  (Jeremiah 5:12-13  ESV)

We know that the fundamental mindset of an abuser is a profound sense of entitlement. He or she sees himself as entitled to….well, to be the center of the universe. Entitled to power and control. Entitled to be blessed regardless of what he does or does not do. The god of such people is a false god created by them. A god who will do nothing. A god who will not punish.

This subject came to my mind recently as I was reading this Scripture. Let me give you an example of people who I have had contact with in the last few years who serve just such a “do-nothing” god. All three were women. All three claimed to be Christians. Two of them had left abusive marriages, and the third was widowed. In each case they began to pursue immoral and even adulterous relationships, knowing full well that such acts are serious sin.

Now, each one of these women told me what they were doing. Two required a bit of pointed questioning before they confessed, while the third phoned me and told me she had actually moved a man into her home and bed. And what was common to all three of these people is that there was no sense of brokenness. No real grief over their sin. Oh, they acknowledged with their mouth that it was wrong, but that is as far as it went. Compare that to David’s experience of genuine repentance:

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.  Selah. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.  Selah.  (Psalm 32:3-5  ESV)

What I ultimately realized is that all three of these people expected me and our church to gladly pronounce God’s forgiveness upon them, to welcome them back into our midst all the while singing praises to how gracious and forgiving God is. They had a profound sense of entitlement, you see. Entitlement to be forgiven by God, entitlement to have other Christians smile and tell them no disaster will come upon them. They expected it from their “do-nothing” god.

And what do you suppose happened when we told them otherwise? When we told them that they must genuinely repent or the Lord was not going to forgive them? The smiley face and pleasant tone turned and the fangs came out! One said “Well, just go ahead then and kick me out of your church! That’s what you want to do anyway!”

Do you see how a “do-nothing” god promotes evil in the church? How abusers are able to be protected and excused by such wicked theology? After all, even the abuser need not fear disaster or judgement from such a god. When the prophets become wind and God’s Word is not in them, you can be sure that just such a false god will soon become the object of worship in such a place.

[October 1, 2022: Editors’ notes:

—For some comments made prior to October 1, 2022 that quoted from the post, the text in the comment that was quoted from the post might no longer be an exact match.
—For some comments made prior to October 1, 2022 that quoted from the post, the text in the comment that was quoted from the post might no longer be found in the post.
If you would like to compare the text in the comments made prior to October 1, 2022 that quoted from the post to the post as it is now (October 1, 2022), click here [Internet Archive link] for the most recent Internet Archive copy of the post.]