BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF SPIRITUAL ABUSE
Spiritual Abuse occurs when a prominent religious or spiritual person, such as a prophet, appointed priest, or cult leader, uses authoritarianism, legalism, spiritual intimidation, manipulation, deception, exploitation, and excessive discipline against a congregation of people who are seeking God for guidance and blessing. In short spiritual abuse is the abuse of authority in the context of Christian fellowship. Spiritually abusive leaders twist or withhold the truth of God's Word, and instead they teach lies to their followers, while simultaneously oppressing their followers through legalism and extorting them of money through dishonest gain. Some spiritually abusive leaders may give their followers false promises of peace and prosperity (Isaiah 56:11, 12; Jeremiah 6:14), in addition to teaching them doctrines that promote the converting of God's grace into a license to sin (Jude 1:4). The Bible informs us that the signs of spiritual abuse are clear and identifiable. In addition, both church history and the history of Israel testify greatly that all of these issues have been ongoing problems ever since God began calling people to walk with Him. According to the Bible, false prophets and corrupt religious leaders are the greatest perpetrators of spiritual abuse. These corrupt leaders attempt to take on the exalted spiritual role that rightfully belongs only to Jesus Christ as Lord, Savior and Mediator. The real truth is that all people among the Church are simply servants of Jesus Christ, and of one another (Matthew 23:8-11). Believers are commanded to be on guard and avoid spiritually abusive leaders and their churches/organizations.
One of the first accounts of spiritual abuse recorded in the Bible pertains to the high priest Eli and his sons, where God said "Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?" --- 1 SAMUEL 2:29
OTHER EXAMPLES OF SPIRITUAL ABUSE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT INCLUDE SCRIPTURES FROM ISAIAH, JEREMIAH, EZEKIEL, AND HOSEA.
"How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers. Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them." --- ISAIAH 1:21-23
"The LORD stands up to plead, and stands to judge the people. The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of His people and His princes: 'For you have eaten up the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing My people and grinding the faces of the poor?' Says the Lord GOD of hosts." --- ISAIAH 3:13-15
"'Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless. What will you do in the day of punishment, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory? Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, and they shall fall among the slain.' For all this the LORD's anger is not turned away, but His hand is stretched out still." --- ISAIAH 10:1-4
"His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant." --- ISAIAH 56:10-12
"For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?" --- JEREMIAH 5:26-31
"For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace;' when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD." --- JEREMIAH 6:13-15
"And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 'Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, 'Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them." --- EZEKIEL 34:1-6
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD." --- HOSEA 4:6-10
THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES ARE A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL ABUSE RECORDED IN THE BIBLE, SPECIFICALLY AT MATTHEW 23:1-28.
The Pharisees imposed a highly legalistic system of man-made laws and traditions on God's people, causing them to feel overburden and confused as to whether they can do enough to please God. This same kind of spiritual abuse involving legalism is still committed by leaders among today's churches and religious organizations. >>> "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, saying 'The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.'" --- MATTHEW 23:1-4.
Spiritually abusive leaders are obsessed with outward appearance. They have a lust for power and prominence with lofty titles, plus they set up authoritarian rule that demands unquestioning obedience. >>> "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant." --- MATTHEW 23:5-11.
Spiritually abusive leaders hypocritically use prayer and other religious rituals as a way to exploit their most vulnerable followers (including widows), depriving them of financial and material assets. This made the abusive leaders richer and richer, and made their deceived followers poorer and poorer. >>> "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." --- MATTHEW 23:14.
Since most spiritually abusive leaders take the place of Jesus Christ as Savior and Mediator, the way to salvation is blocked to their followers, who cannot be saved under their leadership. Spiritually abusive leaders go to great lengths to proselyte or recruit new followers; they even use traveling ministers, deception and control. Due to the deception, the spiritual condition of the followers ultimately turns out to be worse than that of their spiritually abusive leaders. >>> "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in...Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves." --- MATTHEW 23:13, 15.
Spiritually abusive leaders constantly fill their followers' minds with illogical ideas and irrational feelings of responsibility and guilt by twisting scripture and applying scripture in irrational ways. >>> "Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, 'Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!' Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, 'Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.' Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon." --- MATTHEW 23:16-22.
Spiritually abusive leaders major in minor doctrines and place greater emphasis on tithing and man made rituals than on the letter and Spirit of God's law. >>> "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel." --- MATTHEW 23:23, 24.
Spiritually abusive leaders are obsessed with formalism; that is, trying to appear godly, righteous, and holy through outward appearance instead of having a genuine relationship with God and changing the inner person. >>> "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." --- MATTHEW 23:25-28; 2 TIMOTHY 3:5; TITUS 1:16.
The religion of ancient Judaism had degenerated into a corrupt system that abused the lowly and poor people of Jewish society, and it abused them on a spiritual level, because it falsely professed to lead people to God's blessing while it abused them. All aspects of religion were used to deprive the poor and needy (including widows and elderly parents) of good economic benefit. The priestly office, quotes from the Torah, prayer rituals, and vows of monetary donation to the House of God were used to divert or extract economic benefits away from the poor and lowly people and into the hands of prominent religious leaders that were getting richer and richer. >>> "And He said unto them, 'Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother;' and, 'Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:' But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye." --- MARK 7:9-13
Jesus watches a poor widow donate the last of her money to a corrupt, abusive religious system that regularly sought to "devour widows' houses" for dishonest gain. >>> "And He said unto them in His doctrine, 'Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And He called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.'" --- MARK 12:38-44
OTHER REFERENCES TO SPIRITUAL ABUSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." --- MATTHEW 7:15
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep." --- JOHN 10:10-13
"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." --- ACTS 20:29
"Now I urge you, brethren, mark those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple." --- ROMANS 16:17-18
"And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage." --- GALATIANS 2:4
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." --- 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-3
"For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." --- 2 TIMOTHY 3:6-8
"For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. One of them, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons.'" --- TITUS 1:10-12
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." --- 2 PETER 2:1-3
"For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage." --- 2 PETER 2:18, 19
SPIRITUAL ABUSE IN THE FUTURE GREAT TRIBULATION
The greatest perpetration of spiritual abuse in world history will occur during the Great Tribulation, when the Beast or Antichrist will establish an oppressive, cult-like religion that will encompass the entire world. This is prophesied in Revelation 13:1-18 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12. The Beast, together with his false prophet, will deceive billions of people into following him as their religious leader. Billions of people worldwide will be forced to take his mark and worship him under the threat of death.
