Abuse

The deliberate misuse of gifts or privileges, and the insulting of individuals. Scripture stresses that neither God's gifts nor his people are to be abused.

The abuse of God and his people

Of God himself

2 Kings 19:16

Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see. Listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God.

Of God's people

Nehemiah 4:1–4; 1 Peter 4:4 See also Matthew 5:11; Acts 2:13, Acts 17:32, Acts 18:6; Revelation 2:9

Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!” Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you.

Of God's servants

Acts 2:13 See also 2 Chronicles 36:16; Psalm 22:6–8, Psalm 69:7–12, Psalm 123:3; Jeremiah 20:7

But others mocked them and said, “They are drunk on new wine!”

Of Jesus Christ

Luke 16:14 See also Luke 23:11

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.

The abuse of Christian freedom is condemned

Believers are required to resist sin

Romans 6:12 See also Romans 6:14; Hebrews 12:1–2; 1 John 5:16–18

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.

Grace does not give believers the freedom to sin

Romans 6:1–2 See also Romans 6:15, Romans 3:5–8; Galatians 2:17–21

What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?

The dangers of abusing Christian freedom

1 Corinthians 8:9–12 becoming a stumbling-block to others; Galatians 5:13 indulging oneself; 1 Peter 2:16 as means of covering up evil

Examples of the abuse of Christian freedom

Sexual excesses

1 Corinthians 5:1–2 See also 1 Corinthians 6:12–20; Revelation 2:20–22

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and have removed from your fellowship the man who did this?

Abuse of giving

Acts 5:1–2

Abuse of the Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians 11:20–22

Now then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat. For as you eat, each of you goes ahead without sharing his meal. While one remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have your own homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? No, I will not!