Today I want to discuss all of these sexual assault accusations that are in the news. The Bible tells us the importance of a good name:

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. (Proverbs 22:1)

Having a good name is more valuable than having great riches. We live in a time when many names are being soiled.

The problem with this type of allegation is that we will probably never be able to prove or disprove the facts, but the mere suggestion can destroy a reputation forever. It will haunt the individual for the rest of his life, even if he is innocent.

Actors

In the entertainment world there are many who have fallen from grace:

Harvey Weinstein – Producer Hollywood – has been accused of prolonged harassments. At least he has had the courage to confess.

Louise CK – Comedian / Actor – Confessed

James Toback – Screenwriter – Denies

Ben Afleck – Hilarie Burton accused him – He Apologizes

Kevin Spacey – Actor – Apologized for Drunken behavior

Brett Ratner – Actor

Chris Savino – subject of dozen of accusations wrote, “Although it was never my intention, I now understand that the impact of my actions and my communications created an uncomfortable environment.”

Jeffery Tambor – Actor Denies that he would do anything deliberate abhorrent.

Roy Price – Producer

Journalists

Mark Halperin – MSNBC Journalist Apologized for aggressive / crude behavior

Charlie Rose – CBS – Journalist

Eric Boiling – Rude Text messages to Yashir Ali, He denied it and is suing her

Michael Oreskes – NPR Editor – Apologized

Politicians

Rep John Conyers (D- Michigan)

Sen Al Franken (D-Mnn) – Multiple accusations – Apologizes.

“women who feel that I have done something disrespectful and hurt them and for that I am tremendously sorry. I know that I am going to have to be much more conscience when in these circumstances, much more careful, much more sensitive, and that this will not happen again going forward.”

Roy Moore Allegations —

• 5 ladies come forth weeks out from the election

• Accused of actions 40 years previous.

Judge Moore has been a public figure for many years. He has held the highest position as a judge in the state of Alabama. He stood very strongly for the Ten Commandments. He is a very strong, devout Christian. He is extremely conservative.

Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, does not want Moore in the Senate and has said he should drop out of the race. We can suspect that the real reason he doesn’t want Moore in the Senate is that he is a strong conservative.

We must ask, could this possibly be a political attack to destroy his reputation? They did this successfully with Herman Cain. I really liked Herman Cain. I was so disappointed when he stepped out of the race in 2008. I knew that it would be hard for the Democrats to present Obama as the black messiah if Herman Cain was his opponent. I loved Cain’s policies. They took him out with sexual harassment allegations.

This is as old as Joseph in the Book of Genesis. Potiphar’s wife fancied him, and when he rejected her advances, she falsely accused him of trying to take advantage of her. They believed the master’s wife over Joseph the slave. Could this same thing be happening in some of these allegations?

False accusations can destroy a person. It doesn’t matter whether or not they are true, they tarnish a person’s reputation, and place a cloud over the rest of his life.

A missionary friend of mine spent 10 years in jail because he was accused of inappropriate touching of a little girl. There was a family that was disgruntled with the missionary and left the church. The next thing you know, the girl was saying that the preacher touched her inappropriately. It went to court and he was found guilty. How do you prove you didn’t do something? How do you prove your innocence?

Ten years latter, when the girl had grown up, she confessed that her parents had put her up to this. She lied, and my friend not only spent 10 years in jail for something he didn’t do, his reputation and his ministry were destroyed.

Remember, just a few months ago Vice President Pence was mocked for his policy of not going out to dinner alone with a woman other than his wife. It is this kind of policy that saves a persons reputation.

I have the same policy in my life. My wife and I put this policy in place because we are in the ministry, and we need to be above reproach. Our policy says we will not be alone in the presence of someone of the opposite sex if it can possibly be avoided. On the rare occasion when it cannot be avoided, we make sure that the other knows about it. It is a necessary policy to keep our reputations from being soiled. This policy keeps the other person from being able to make false accusations against us.

Let not then your good be evil spoken of: (Romans 14:16)

We are not to let our good be evil spoken of. This means keep our name and our character above reproach. We are not to give others the opportunity to speak ill of us.

Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22)

One of the reasons to never be alone with someone of the opposite sex who is not a family member is so temptation does not arise. It not only keeps others from making false accusations, it also prevents anything wrong from happening.

Neither give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:27)

We are not to give the devil the opportunity to bring about the temptation. As I said above in Proverbs 22:1, a good name is more valuable that great riches. We, as Christians, need to work hard to ensure that we have a good testimony before the world.

Some months ago I was invited by one of the donors to our ministry to come by her house so she could make a donation to our ministry. I did what I always do, I took another preacher along with me. I not only needed to protect my testimony, I also needed to protect the donor’s testimony. Some of you may not think that it is wrong to be alone with someone of the opposite sex. If you don’t, think of the testimony that is involved.

One of my favorite professors in Bible College used to say:

Good horse sense makes makes for stable thinking.

The principle of not being alone with someone of the opposite sex who is not a close family member is just good horse sense. Thinking ahead can keep us out of a lot of trouble.

Here is what God has to say about false accusers and bearing false witness:

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. (Exodus 20:16)

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Not bearing false witness is one of the Ten Commandments and one of seven things God hates.

And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. (Deuteronomy 19:18-19)

A false witness is to receive the same punishment he intended to have put on the one he falsely accused

A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape. (Proverbs 19:5)

Those who bear false witness are not to go unpunished. Liars shall not escape punishment. This is a basic principle of proper justice. A person who falsely tries to harm another with false accusations must not be allowed to get away with it.