While the truths of the gospel are essential for every believer, they are uniquely profound for victims of domestic abuse. Abuse of any kind is life altering and tends to be identity shaping. Thankfully, the gospel speaks to our deepest questions of who we are and where we stand with God, rooting both of these realities in the perfect person and work of Jesus Christ.
We should not assume that the indicative truths of the gospel are clearly understood or readily embraced by the victim we are counseling. If spiritual abuse has been a tactic leveraged by the abuser to maintain control, it’s likely that these truths have been warped and weaponized against her. If this is the case, be prepared to patiently and compassionately uncover the specifics of the spiritual abuse she has endured. Only after gaining a clear picture of the spiritual abuse will you be able to engage with how her abuser’s actions have particularly affected her hearing and understanding of the Scriptures and God Himself.[1]
One of the ways we can help a victim more clearly see the (possibly unfamiliar) truth and goodness of the gospel is to contrast it with the (very familiar) deceptive
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