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Why do some people sexually abuse those close to them? Abuse is rampant in too many families. In this message we will see more characteristics of abusers, to help us understand what makes them tick.

To understand why people become sexual abusers, we need to understand the “why” of dysfunctional families. Let’s look at a Bible family scandalized by abuse and its damage. Then, we’ll see how God can heal the deep scars left behind.

Victims of sexual abuse live in an awful mix of shame and regret, and often have a desire to get even. Let’s examine why only the Word of God can re-orient our minds and give us a spirit of forgiveness toward those who’ve wronged us. 

When the young are sexually abused, psychological and emotional scars are left that may never be fully healed in this life. One common experience is grief – that gnawing sadness that is always just below the surface.  

Those with sexual abuse in their past often live with repressed anger. Some strike out at others hoping to lessen their pain. Let’s look at why only the grace of God can redeem the past for those who have been abused. 

Sexual abuse does terrible damage. Relationships all through life suffer due to early experiences children should never have. In this message we find hope for the abused, and even for the abuser.

During the Reformation in the 1500s, religious disputes caused great persecution, even by the Reformers. Many died for what they believed. In this message, we again meet the Anabaptists, a group persecuted even by believing Reformers for rejecting infant baptism.

Whether Catholic or Protestant, the church as the state has a sad history of persecuting those who hold differing views. The Anabaptists were persecuted even by the Reformers for rejecting infant baptism, a practice they felt wasn’t found in scripture.

During the 1500s many European believers gave their lives for their faith, as political forces used religious conformity to control the masses. Here is more about the Anabaptists, who were persecuted for rejecting infant baptism.  

As the Protestant Reformation developed, a group called the Anabaptists faced great opposition because of their beliefs regarding baptism. The battle was fierce, taking its toll in human lives. Let’s examine what it means to die for the truth of scripture.

Martin Luther stood for truth and reason in the face of tradition and corruption. His stand caused a fundamental change in the direction of the church worldwide. Luther could not reconcile the church practices of his day with the Bible.

A reborn Martin Luther faced a hostile crowd of church leaders who demanded that he recant his writings. Knowing he could be signing his death warrant, he said “no.” In the Germany of the 1500s, Martin Luther faced the supreme test of his faith.

Martin Luther unleashed a firestorm of controversy as his 95 theses attacked many corrupt practices in the church of his day. That controversy became a revolution, and a reformation. Let’s learn more about how far away from scripture the church had gotten.

Martin Luther fought an uphill battle to bring the Bible back as the prime rule of faith and life in the church of his day. His efforts brought about the Reformation. He boldly confronted the unbiblical idea of indulgences, by which money would release a soul from purgatory.

Martin Luther was a monk torn in spirit, uncertain if God accepted him. His journey to find peace with God led him to the Bible, where he found the transforming way of faith. Let’s look at Martin Luther confronting a crisis of soul.