When dealing with sin in the church, two ditches on either side of the road exist that we must avoid. On the one side is the ditch of greasy grace in which sin is minimized, overlooked and even covered up. On the other side is the ditch of haughty holiness in which the sinner is condemned without a shred of mercy. We must avoid both ditches if we are to find spiritual health and vitality. However, this is easier said than done.
Greasy grace is horrifically destructive since it allows a deadly spiritual cancer to spread unchecked, putting a pretty bandage on a lethal disease. In the words of the Lord via Jeremiah, “They superficially treat the fracture of My poor people, saying, ‘All is well! All is well!’ when nothing is well” (Jer. 6:14, my translation).
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Greasy grace fails to either confront sin or correct the sinner, and without any real evidence of true repentance and change, it sweeps everything under the rug.
Not only is this a stench in God’s nostrils, making a mockery of Christ’s blood, but it is also a terrible disservice to the offending party who, rather than being given life-giving and life-saving correction, receives a pat on the back and a smile. This is anything but love. We give the dying person a bill of good health.
As for those who have been sinned against, including those who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of their spiritual leaders, the situation is far worse. They are simply told to get over it. “After all, who are we to point a finger?” the compromised leaders say. “Just forgive and move on. Plus, you don’t want to hurt the ministry of this powerful man of God.”
In the worst, most extreme cases, a sexual predator is allowed to continue hurting others while the victims of abuse receive condemnation as the guilty parties for daring to bring an accusation against “God’s anointed.”
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