WHY IS THE CHURCH SO FILLED WITH HOLLYWOOD-LIKE SCANDALS?

(Unless otherwise noted; all Bible quotations are from the New International Version).[1]

Sex scandals, money laundering, abuse cases, corruption. It seems like every day we are hearing about scandals in the church. Are things getting worse? Is it more corrupt than ever? The Bible does say that the last days will be evil:

Ephesians 5:16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

2 Timothy 3:13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

However, it is important to note that scandal is nothing new among God’s people. Corruption has been happening from day one:

1.               One of the patriarch’s (who had offered to allow his daughters to get gang raped) got drunk and had sex with these two daughters and got them both pregnant.

Genesis 19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof."

Genesis 19:31-32 31One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children-as is the custom all over the earth. ³²Let's get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father."

2.               A highly respected patriarch had sex with a prostitute; only to find out it was his son’s widow.

Genesis 38:15-16 15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. ¹⁶Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside
and said, "Come now, let me sleep with you." "And what will you give me to sleep with you?" she asked.

3.               A large group of God’s people all got publicly naked as they worshipped a foreign god.

Exodus 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

4.                 The king’s son raped his sister.

2 Samuel 13:8-14 8So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. ⁹Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat. "Send
everyone out of here," Amnon said. So everyone left him. ¹⁰Then
Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand." And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. ¹¹But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, my sister." ¹²"No, my brother!" she said to him. "Don't force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don't do this wicked thing. ¹³What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you." ¹⁴But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.

5.                 A church member was having sex with his father’s wife.

1 Corinthians 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father's wife.

6.                 Church members were getting drunk at communion.

1 Corinthians 11:21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk.

You see the Bible does NOT only teach us what TO do; it teaches us what NOT to do. These instances in Scripture that we have mentioned are horrendous. They are recorded for our learning. But, God commands us to repent and not follow these examples.

Acts 17:30-31 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. ³¹For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead."

The reason why it seems like so much more corruption now is because this is the information age. The information age thrives on shares, likes, comments, view, etc. Even for Church people, the juicier the gossip, the stronger the tea; the more “God’s people” view, comment and share. It is quite sad.

If God’s people did not support hearing all of this “junk,” then perhaps it just might go away. There is such a thing in economics as “supply and demand.” If there is no demand; there will be no need for supply. When it comes to good news; the people ignore it. When it comes to bad news; it goes viral.

Perhaps not only those guilty of scandal are to blame for the “soap opera” culture in the church; but the people that thrive on getting this information and sharing it are also to blame. The Bible speaks of the wickedness and sinfulness of always wanting the latest bad news:

Proverbs 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Proverbs 26:20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.

1 Corinthians 13:6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

Remember, that the culture we have now; is that some preachers see themselves as celebrities. Celebrities will do obnoxious things to keep themselves in the limelight.

A few years ago a young secular artist did a lewd act on stage. There was such a large outcry and discussion about it from the public. It was all a publicity stunt; because soon after, the young artist debuted a new album.

Perhaps if we preach the truth, live the life, spread the Gospel and ignore the antics of these “Hollywood preachers,” they would not have the ratings to continue this outrageous behavior.

Matthew 15:14 NLT.[2] ...Ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch."

Scandalous people love attention. Starve them out. Do not give them what they are looking for. Stop giving them attention. Stop feeding into it.

Romans 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

Ephesians 5:7 Therefore do not be partners with them.

Perhaps if we stop putting scandals and scandalous people at the top of the news and take their audience away; either they will get right or move on. But, regardless of all the bad news; God has a remnant of people who are going to live right. Are you in that number?

Romans 11:5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.

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[1] Holy Bible, New International Version, 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica, Inc.

[2] https://biblehub.com/matthew/15-14.htm. (Accessed, December 28, 2018).