Letters 

TO ONE ABUSED AS A CHILD

Dear M. H.                                                                                                         May 10, 1994

      It was so good to see you again after so many years! In your junior high school days, I believed you were an excellent young lady. I have not heard anything to change my mind.

     I write because I discern that you are still laboring under a very heavy spirit. M., you were not at fault for what has been done. Guilty folks very often attempt to transfer their responsibility and guilt to the people they injure. It is a lie: and no lie is of the truth. This is clearly evidenced by your tenacious clinging to what you know to be right, and to the truth of God, and is further evidenced by your desire to be with the people of God. These three things do not characterize ungodly people.

     G., the young lady who was with us, had almost an identical experience in her youth. At that time, she was attending a solid, Bible-preaching church. When Pastor J. O. heard what had happened, he did what was so wise: unlike modern psychiatrists and psychologists who want people to utter all their mind, and to rehash their traumas over and over again, Pastor O.—without a doubt governed by the wisdom of God, told G. ...that he did not want to hear anything more about it. He then exhorted her to forget the past because it was past. He was so wise in doing this.

    Today, G's brothers are not Christians, but G. is an excellent young lady. She is now engaged to an excellent young man, and they plan to be married next August. The Lord saved J. about a year ago.

    The fact that G. has no apparent scars is evidence of the wise words of Bro. O. Therefore, M., bury the past. It is gone forever. Do not allow it to rob you of your potential in the present.

     I am enclosing a copy of a tract we first published in our local newspapers entitled, "The Forgiveness of God, and the Forgiveness of Each Other." I believe it will be a blessing to you.

    In closing, G. asked me last year if she was sinning by not forgiving the person guilty of so great a crime. I answered, "No We are not responsible to forgive anyone until they repent of their sins. God Himself does not forgive anyone until there is repentance."

     I do not mean to meddle: I am simply concerned about you. I will pray for you.

Dear J. M.                                                                                                          May 10, 1993

     ...You speak of abuse, and of your feelings of being unable to "hold up your head alongside women who have been raised `normally.'" This I perceive to be a very great sore on your soul, and the thing that dampens your spirit.

    First, the advice of the Apostle is simple: "forgetting those things which are behind" (Philippians 3:13). The great damage of psychology is that it counsels people to "talk it out." The problem is that it never gets "talked out." Such things ought to be erased from our mind, consigned to the sea of forgetfulness, or, to use Poe's words, "quaff, O quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget ...." It does no good to remember past offenses against you. Set your thoughts upon good things, and forget those awful things.

     Second, when God saves us, and even as Christians when He forgives us, He cleanses us. The Greek word is that He "catharizes" us. He not only pronounces us to be clean, but He, in truth, makes us clean. Believers are not more clean from their past than other believers: they are alike CLEAN. This is a grace freely given.

    Third, it is on account of this cleansing that the Lord accepts us. No saint is a second-class citizen on account of his past. And, if the Lord God Almighty receives us, and communes with us, then we are clean indeed.

    Forget the past. It will only continue to haunt you and to make you feel inferior as it feeds your unbelief. Paul knew whom he believed, and was persuaded that He is ABLE to keep that which he committed unto him against that day. The Apostle committed his life, his sins, his salvation, and his ministry unto Him who is able to keep us from falling. He knew Him; and, therefore, he knew Him to be able. Must go.

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