The Sentencing of Jack Schaap, as observed by a witness in the court room
I think they took it down.
Even in the horrible situation he is in, Schaap continues to speak of himself in grandiose terms.
“I have brought great shame and reproach on my church and family”
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“Shame and humiliation are my constant companions.”
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I became a fool. I failed you. I betrayed you,
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“To Cindy, I apologize for sinning against your love.”
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To his parents: several statements, but these were the most poignant “I abhor myself for bringing you shame and reproach in your senior years.”
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To the public: “I have shamed my profession”
If what Schaap said is true and heartfelt, and he’s legitimately repentant…then I hope that he does well and can rebuild his life while in prison. I hope that Cindy and his family forgive him and they can rebuild that which has been ruined by Schaap. That would be a miracle of grace.
If he’s just making excuses or crying crocodile tears…well, I don’t want to believe that, so I won’t go there.
Time and truth go hand in hand. We’ll see what happens.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
I have more compassion for words of repentance provoked by Holy Spirit conviction than for those following legal conviction.
"Some things are of that nature as to make one's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache." John Bunyan
[Ron Bean]I have more compassion for words of repentance provoked by Holy Spirit conviction than for those following legal conviction.
Perhaps (and I don’t know the man - never met him and probably never will!). Aside: I don’t think”being a Baptist” = “being a Christian”!
Perhaps:
- He is a Christian
- He really is repentant
Would not those statements be indicators of repentance? (He’s got 12 years to figure it all out!)
Caveats and standard disclaimers:
- He raped the girl. She is a true victim
- He should never pastor a church again! Never ever!
I’ve seen repeated situations like this over the years. Once, and only once, did I observe a pastor who sinned with a woman act appropriately. The one-time event happened on a Thursday, he resigned on Friday, surrendered to church discipline on Sunday and left to be ministered to at another church. In all the other instances, including this one, there was denial, delay, spinning, excuses, etc. until there was no place to hide. Then, repentance was finally expressed.
"Some things are of that nature as to make one's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache." John Bunyan
I’ve seen repeated situations like this over the years. Once, and only once, did I observe a pastor who sinned with a woman act appropriately. The one-time event happened on a Thursday, he resigned on Friday, surrendered to church discipline on Sunday and left to be ministered to at another church. In all the other instances, including this one, there was denial, delay, spinning, excuses, etc. until there was no place to hide. Then, repentance was finally expressed.
Have no idea whether Jack Schaap is truly repentant or not, but given the biblcial testimony of King David and others, I would say very few find true repentance before some of the consequences of their sin comes to bear.
We must be somewhat fair here. We always deny our sin, whether it is publicly or in our heart. That fact that he denied his sin makes it no greater than if he hadn’t, the denial is a result of the sin. How many examples are in the Bible of the great men of faith who denied things. It doesn’t excuse anything by any stretch of the imagination, but David went to great lengths to cover up his sin with Bathsheeba, even resulting in more sin, but when God looked back on his life he commented that he was a man after his own heart. We cannot possible see inside Jack’s heart, but his actions are not that unlike the response any of us have to our own sin.
With that said, he probably got too light of a sentence in my mind, but it is up to the legal institutions of this land. With that said, the article above brought back memories of when I sat in the courtroom while my dad was sentenced.
[Ron Bean]I’ve seen repeated situations like this over the years. Once, and only once, did I observe a pastor who sinned with a woman act appropriately. The one-time event happened on a Thursday, he resigned on Friday, surrendered to church discipline on Sunday and left to be ministered to at another church. In all the other instances, including this one, there was denial, delay, spinning, excuses, etc. until there was no place to hide. Then, repentance was finally expressed.
And that somehow makes it less than genuine? God uses all sorts of things to bring one to repentance. I’m thinking that, perhaps, you’re teetering on the edge of playing the Holy Spirit here. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.”
Lee
His statements prove that he is still a delusional fool. For example:
““I wanted to be this family’s savior. In trying to be a good pastor, I became a fool. I failed you. I betrayed you, though not in my heart.”
He still has no understanding how the heart works. He betrayed her in his heart before he ever did anything else to her. That’s where all his filth began according to Jesus.
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
Verse 19 sounds like almost all of Jack’s pastoral career except for maybe murder.
Here’s another one: “I was trying to rescue you, and I took great risks in trying to save you.”
He must really think that somehow he is a victim of his own noble, risk taking, man-of-god attempts to be the savior. He called himself a knight that fell off his horse? If he still thinks he was all that before this happened, he still hasn’t fallen far enough. Hopefully 12 years of the big house will help him really see what a worm he really is.
How blessed we would be to really see what worms we all are without having to go through such a disgraceful situation.
[Ron Bean]Oh, so you know this isn’t repentance provoked by the Holy Spirit? Dare say just how you imagine you can imply having such knowledge. But let’s look at what the Bible says, the book you profess to preach.I have more compassion for words of repentance provoked by Holy Spirit conviction than for those following legal conviction.
Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
Galatians 6: 1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
The Bible sets no such standard as yours. Your invented standard is both ungodly and to be condemned. God the Holy Spirit uses men, clearly and specifically, to bring people to repentance in many cases. Their instrumentation is critical to God’s plan.
“To Cindy, I apologize for sinning against your love.”
What does that mean? This is not an example of humble repentance. Jack sinned against his wife (& God, and others); not against her love.
I will leave the genuineness of his repentance to God; but for me, I do not trust him.
My stomach churns with great anger and disgust when I read Jack’s words.
I separated from the Hyles branch of fundamentalism long ago.
I am sure that is one of many different apologies toward his wife. But still, you are wrong.
One often says, “I broke your trust”. In other words, we understand it is against the person but specifically a matter of against the person with regard to breaking their trust. Love is quite the same. He sinned against the love she gave with the understanding it is against her person but more specifically, her love. Your point is inconsequential I am afraid.
Discussion