Psalm 11:1, 7

The LORD tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.

Church is regarded and expected to be an institution that represents truth, stability, peace and love among other things; well at least from an outsider’s point of view. People outside the church would like to believe that those who are in the church have no problems in their lives but contrary to this believe incidents to suggest otherwise have been witnessed many times. Many times people discover that as they continue staying in the church they are not exempted from normal trials and turmoil of life.

Being born again and being members of a church does not remove us from the normal struggles of life, we are not in heaven yet, therefore we find that we are the same people that we were when viewed from outside but changed from inside. We find that the problems and shortcomings we had prior to conversion are still there and sometimes we find that we are ruled by our own judgments and standards. However when something about us changes, the change should incorporate the whole person with peace that can only be achieved by growth in the Word of God. At least this is the ideal expectation of each one of us.

Domestic violence is in our midst, it is a vile vice that continues to dominate the media world over, it is not isolated to one region but a universal phenomenon, both in and outside the church. The church and its members would like to believe that such things as domestic violence does not happen; but this is only an elusive and futile believe, the reality is quite different. Silence is akin to abetting this heinous crime, domestic violence is not only a crime that is punishable by the laws of the land but also a sin before God.

The truth is that we have brothers and sisters in the church who are habitually battering their spouses and yet come to church as if nothing happened, bearing very innocent faces; surprisingly some are leaders in their respective churches. A serious question begging to be asked and answered by such people is ‘who is fooling whom? Can a man fool God? You can fool people who don’t know the misery you are causing your family members but God knows the truth.

Another aspect of this vile vice is slowly cropping up; contrary to the normal believe that only wives are battered, evidence has come up to prove otherwise. Men too have become victims; they’ve come forward and confessed to have been battered by their wives. Traditionally men have suffered in silence due to the notion that they will become a laughing stock, chauvinistic ego demands that they fight back or shut up in their shame. This is a Satan’s way of keeping them subdued and abused in silence.

What I am saying is that domestic violence is not one way traffic any longer. We should look and address it from all perspectives. From whichever angle we look at it remains a debasing and dehumanizing action that needs to be condemned by all with contempt it deserves. Traditionally we understood this to be violence against women, well, this has since changed, and the tides have turned, but whichever side it has turned, it is still a vice that needs to be addressed as soon as it is noticed.

Though a universal problem, the church has not come out to acknowledge existence of such problems in its midst and strongly condemn this practice in the strongest terms possible. It (church) also has to put in place workable guidelines regarding treatment of people who are in its midst that practice such vile acts and ways to adequately deal with the victims of such violence.

The biggest problem is silence and lack of guidance from church leadership world over, I am hundred percent sure that no church leader today can stand and deny knowledge of such a thing coming to their attention at one time or another. I am not questioning the integrity of men of God but what I am saying is that we need to speak loud enough; acknowledge such things are happening in our midst if and when they do happen;  keeping quite and burying our heads (individually and collectively) in the proverbial  sand while wishing the problem away won’t take it away. Postponing the inevitable is not a solution because the same will rare its ugly head when it is least expected.

When AIDS was discovered, the church could not speak about it. The church took a stand that this was a problem for the philanderers and adulterers, it serves them right, and such was the reaction and judgment of the situation. It was their problem, we are safe, nothing can touch us; to the consternation of the church this was not to be because even the people in the church too got infected or affected one way or the other. The medical services personnel and resources were extended beyond limit in every country around the world, was the church spared? Definitely not. Until the church took its rightful place and declared its stand did a solution to that impasse realized.

I thank God today for many HIV-AIDS programmes world over are sponsored by the church based organizations, why is it so? Because the church realized that it was not safe anymore. AIDS is not a question of morality of those affected because even medical service providers were also infected just to name a few.

Just like the HIV-AIDS campaign, the church is being assaulted from left right and center by the vice of domestic violence. The world sits unsure of what to do; all fingers are pointed at law enforcement agencies, hey do something, the law enforcement agencies are pointing their fingers at the church, why aren’t you teaching them that to fight among themselves is bad? Both are looking at legislators to put in place legislation to deal with the problem. The vicious cycle goes round and round with no end in sight meanwhile the church sits back and watches in the periphery; as long as it is not a threat to its comfort zone then all is okay.

I am not speaking as an outsider but as one who is inside the same church, having observed rampart abuse being perpetrated by people who stand on or before the pulpit Sunday after Sunday without any remorse at all and expect to be blessed and bless others as well. The Bible says that the Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates; after committing such offence do you feel you’re okay with God? This is a question we need to seriously answer, or when you witness such acts and keep quite about them can you in your good conscience surely say nothing happened? Suppose the victim is your brother, sister, son, daughter, father or mother, what then?

Anger in whatever shape or form is sinful; however it is natural for a human being to be angry from time to time. In fact God knows that we cannot avoid getting angry, Cain, out of envious anger murdered his brother Abel without cause and God cursed him for it. Christians should understand what the effects of anger are and the repercussions of succumbing to the same.

God has addressed issues of anger exhaustively in Ephesians 4:25-27, Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.  “Be angry, and do not sin” do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. In these verses God does not tell not to be angry or to suppress our anger because He knows that no matter how much we would try it would be futile and sheer hypocrisy to pretend otherwise.

What God is saying in other words is that it is your right to be angry if and when you so wish (speaking to people who are preoccupied with their rights whenever anything they don’t ascribe to is mentioned), yes He says you can be as angry as want to be; BUT He has a problem with what you do in your wrath and the length of time you take in your anger. He clearly states that your portion of time that you should dedicate to anger should not go beyond the sun set, if you are angry beyond then make you prey for the devil.

However anger or lack of it is not an excuse to hurt those around you at any time, never. Anger for whatever reason should be managed soberly and if this is not possible one should seek help in anger management as early as possible. No Christian should use anger as reason for practicing domestic violence, man or woman; it is inexcusable before God as it is before men.

Though we would like to blame the devil for everything wrong in our society, justifiably so, but we too have to take responsibility for accepting him in our lives for the Bible is very clear that we have the ability to resist him. The Bible speaks very clearly that God has put in us a power to resist the devil and the same spells it out in James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Through this scripture we see that those who practice domestic violence cannot find any reasonable excuse for their actions at all. Their spouses are not punch bags in a gym but people with feelings like every other human being. Treating any member of one’s family like objects is completely dehumanizing and ungodly to say the least; people in church, still practicing this vile vice should know very clearly that they will at one time stand before the seat of judgment and answer for their crimes. No shortcuts or consideration of whatever title one held in the church, they might hide under hypocritical piety before men but before God there is nothing of that sort, the truth will judge truthfully.

James 1:19, 20

So then my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

While in church we should be guided by this scripture; this applies both at home and at every other level we interact with fellow human beings. Let us be guided by the Word of God to maintain peace in our individual and collective homes, let’s not create excuses to hurt others, whether they are right or wrong. Let’s not forget that the church is the guiding light to the rest of the hurting world, a refuge, salt to the tasteless world whose systems are slowly but surely coming to grinding halt.

Ephesians 4:20-24

But you have not so learned Christ,  if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

After one receives the truth of Jesus Christ one can not afford to remain the same again because the Word changes one completely. The gospel upsets every foundation that is ungodly and replaces it with a Godly oriented one. One can not be ignorant of the fact that Jesus transforms completely all those who are willing to be changed in such a fashion. This is true when one accepts to be totally guided by the standards of Jesus Christ; however this is a process that requires one to be patient and cooperative. Unfortunately this is an ideal case scenario only. Some people come into the church for various reasons other than seeking and receiving true salvation. It is from such people (members of the congregation) that leaders should focus attention; teach them to follow Christ in wholeness of their hearts.

I want to reiterate that church leaders who do not practice what they preach should first resign those posts and seek God’s guidance before they can resume such positions. God’s name is blasphemed every time one teaches or preaches at others instead of to others. What is the difference between the two, at and to; preaching at people is means one gives a set of rules to be followed that do not apply to the preacher. Whereas preaching to others means that the same standards apply to the preacher of such as well. If any change is necessary it is to apply to all alike.

Lamentations 2:6, 7
He has done violence to His tabernacle, As if it were as garden; He has destroyed His place of assembly; The LORD has caused the appointed feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion. In His burning indignation He has spurned the king and the priest. The Lord has spurned His altar, He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has given up the walls of her palaces Into the hand of the enemy. They have made a noise in the house of the LORD As on the day of a set feast.

Violence against any member of a congregation while hiding under the disguise of Christianity is an assault on the sanctity of the tabernacle of God. Therefore God warns all who hide such acts whether leaders or the led that He is going to destroy such places. Many would expect this destruction to be upon building structures that are called church (es) but contrary to this notion, the human heart is the temple of God.

This is what He is going to destroy, our heart, no matter how much we follow religious rites and traditions, no matter how much we obey, pay tithes and support other projects. Outward religiosity does not interest God, acting on His word and strengthening your relationship with Him is what interests Him most.

Many people are moved by how much money they give to support church activities, though good for its purposes, it does not exonerate them from judgment of God. That is why Jesus was quick to say that not all who call Him Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of God. The leaders of such congregations become perpetrators of such violence by association, when such actions come to their attention as church leaders and they chose to keep quite, are slowly removed and lose favor with God.

What we are seeing in the world today has a great impact and bearing on what the church is doing to avert violence in its midst. As I have written in another article, the action or inaction of God’s servants is critical to the survival of a nation(s). They might feel cowed by whatever is happening around them; and may feel inadequate to address the problems besetting their nation(s) (congregations), but God has given them authority to speak and put to a stop to whatever is happening as long as they do not practice such themselves.

Let us all consider verse 7 and be guided accordingly, we might continue saying that we are a church and yet God’s presence has departed and abandoned our sanctuaries long time ago. We are witnessing such things in the world today, and we stand in awe, what is wrong, what is happening; where is God in all this? What happened to this or that servant of God? These are questions can be answered if we are bold enough to check the scriptures. Whenever the church leaders lose focus on God and concentrate on matters that glorify man instead of God; when the church is so much concerned its financial matters and relegate propagation of the Word to the back burner; when the church forgoes speaking about sin so as to placate its benefactors who continue sinning.

This ceases to be a house of God because His presence left long time ago and are in a state of being inchabod (the glory of God has departed) and yet they pretend otherwise. This happened in 1 Samuel 4:21, Then she named the child Ichabod saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. ²² And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

I know that the church needs finances to run its various programmes but its main occupation should not be centered upon fund raising activities. God is able to support His work across the world, may be somebody might call me naïve, well that is your right too, what I am saying is that the main focus of a church is to preach the Word of God and His righteousness and the rest shall be added to it. Many preachers today go after the last part of that verse that is why they can’t authoritatively comment on important matter as domestic violence.

Proverbs 21:7
The violence of the wicked will destroy them, because they refuse to do justice.
As I said above when evil is covered, either knowingly or through ignorance of the people involved, the same brings destruction to the perpetrators of the same. When perpetrators are covered up for whatever reason, with or without justification, justice is denied to the victims of such violent acts.

Therefore whether the perpetrators are members of a fellowship, leaders of fellowships or pastors, bishops, they should be held accountable for their actions. No amount of argument or counter argument can exonerate them until justice is done for the victims.

God’s judgment is not only on those who do it but also on those who conceal such heinous acts under whatever disguise. Let the church stand to be counted first before pointing a finger of blame in any other direction for it is the custodian of God’s instructions on what ought and what ought not to be done. Jesus said; do unto others as you would like them to do unto you. Would like you to be battered, I don’t think so; therefore do not batter others as well or hide batterers for that matter.

Malachi 2:16
“For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,” Says the LORD of hosts. “Therefore take heed to your spirit that you do not deal treacherously.”

I am an ardent believer of lifelong marriage relationships as God intended from the beginning, but I never condone domestic violence in any shape or form whether physical, spiritual or emotional. Domestic violence is as evil as it is a crime in whatever forms it is practiced. Whether violence is actually committed or threatened on people is in itself abhorrent to all well intentioned and people of good will. Perpetrators of such are to be set aside and given help as violence only beget violence.

In as much I don’t encourage divorce; I also can’t be ignorant of the dangers and long lasting effects of abusive relationships on the abused. What I would advise is help is provided to both parties at their different levels of involvement. Where possible, as those involved may agree, be encouraged to come together. The willingness to change is the key to the offending party and the ability to forgive on the offended party is also important. I also would not be quick to judge any of them should they fail to reconcile after the fact.

To prevent such extremities I would encourage all to come out immediately they suspect or realize that their spouses are showing signs of becoming abusive in any way at all and seek professional help, irrespective of their status in the society. I know that one might be tempted to say it is a one off incident but I would advise caution here. Being Christians or not is besides the point, this is an action that should be exposed at the earliest possible opportunity, say what is happening, and help can be sought at an early stage for both. Don’t wait until the matter is out of hand.

God says “Therefore take heed to your spirit that you do not deal treacherously.” Treachery can take many forms and shapes. Turning against an oath one took before God to love and to cherish a loved one is treachery of the highest order according to me. Let’s not deal treacherously with our spouses, both male or female for violence can be practiced by both, gender aside. Violence can never be a solution to whatever difference that might be there, dialogue and consideration of each others feelings is more effective; all Christians should desist from such temptation at all costs.

Romans 1:21-23

Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

When one ceases to acknowledge God as God and ventures into thinking that they can do whatever they want, God let’s them go ahead. People are wondering what is happening in the world today, whereby fathers are waking up one morning and hacking their wives,  children and later committing suicide simply because they were frustrated at work or fired from such work and they see the only way out is to vent their anger and misery on their spouses, children and themselves.

The same applies to women, some have been know to chop off their husbands organs on mere suspicion that they have been unfaithful, others murder their husbands, poison their own children and later take their own lives. This is a clear indication that the hearts of such people are darkened by futility of their minds and thoughts. We should be thankful to God for abundance of all things that He has given to us.

No matter how much we marvel at what is happening in the world, and all the violence that is happening in the name of love, should make us realize that it is as a result of lack of acknowledging God in our dealings with one another has a lot bearing to what is happening. People in church who refuse a complete change of their lives will always tend to react violently to any challenge to their authority in marriages, whether male or females.

The church too in its complacency condones such activities in the hope that such people will change by themselves, change has to be purposeful and guided, a change can be positive of negative depending on the direction of the change agent in place. The church is the change agent in this world and as such when it doesn’t take its rightful position in directing people in the right direction the enemy takes over. He leads people to resist the Word of God and yet remain in the church. They are Christians in name and not in deed, they think they can do anything they want according to their judgment of what is right or wrong.

The church needs to do much more in eradicating this vice from its midst and directing the people of God in the right direction. In conclusion of this commentary I will want to ask all church leaders worthy their salt to come out strongly and condemn this vice that so badly tarnishes the Name and the house of God. Such people in our midst are to be exposed for the sinners that they are, no matter whom they are or whatever role they play. Recognize God as God and act accordingly. May the Lord continuously guide us all as we move out to break this stalemate and unlock this impasse.

This commentary was written by Bishop Joseph Koburu Mukiira of Maximum Victory and Joy Worship Centre Nairobi Kenya and brought to you courtesy of Journey 2 Joy international Ministries Inc. USA

©All rights reserved by Bishop Joseph Mukiira