The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser

Tag: 1 John 1:9

  • How Evangelicals Escape Accountability for “Sins” Committed Before Salvation

    david-wood

    David Wood is an Evangelical evangelist and a psychopath. Wood readily admits he is a psychopath, though he does not think this disqualifies him from the ministry. Recently, Wood admitted raping several girls years ago.

    Wikipedia states:

    After a livestream in November 2025, Wood confessed to having partaked in sexual activities with two minors when he himself was 18 years old. In the livestream, he described in graphic detail with Ridvan Aydemir, claiming that the 13-year old “flung herself at” him, and with respect to the 15-year old, said that he: “had anal sex with that girl”, before rhetorically asking: “do you know what that would be in court?” In response to a commenter saying that he should face consequences, Wood asked whether: “think they’d send me to prison based solely on me saying I did something?”

    Julie Roys, an investigative journalist, criticized Wood’s confession as egregious and seemingly having a “lack of remorse”, for: attempting to minimize the weight of his crimes; by describing the girls as if they were willingly participants; insensitively describing the girls’ physical features; and describing the events flippantly.

    Wood is a disgusting human being, unfit to be in the ministry. Yet, many of his devotees think he’s still qualified for the ministry; that his crimes were committed before Wood became a Christian, thus his past sins are under the blood of Jesus, forgiven and remembered no more. According to 1 John 1:9:

    If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NSRV)

    And 2 Corthinthians 5:17 says:

    Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (KJV)

    According to the Bible, if any person is “in Christ”:

    • He is a new creature (creation)
    • His old life passes away
    • All things become new

    To Evangelicals I ask, are you really a Christian? Are you a new creation in Jesus? Has your old life passed away? Do you live in a way that shows all things have become new?

    As I read through the comment sections on various posts and videos about Wood’s immoral behavior, I was shocked by how many Christians defended Wood’s actions; that his crimes were committed before he was a Christian, so they have been wiped away by the wondrous blood and grace of Jesus. And yet these same people pompously say that Christianity provides them a superior moral and ethical framework by which to live by. Sorry, but defending a rapist and justifying his crimes as mere blemishes on his record before Jesus saved him is beyond disgusting. And for those Christians who think Wood is qualified to remain in the ministry as an apologist, would you let your teen daughters spend the weekend at his house?

    Wood uses his psychopathy to justify raping the girls. According to Wood, these girls wanted it, so he didn’t really rape them. Wood claimed:

    [One girl] “flung herself at me.” [With the other one, he had anal sex.] “I did nothing against their will. I didn’t forcibly do anything.”

    Should Wood be given a pass for his past sex crimes? Should he be expelled permanently from the ministry? Is psychopathy a justification for criminal behavior? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

    Bruce Gerencser, 69, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 48 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

    Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

    You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

  • Against God Alone Have We Sinned

    god

    Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy,
     blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.     Against you, you alone, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.(Psalm 51:1-4 NRSV)

    If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NRSV)

    Have you ever wondered why some Evangelicals are arrogant, self-righteous pricks who relish in misusing, abusing, and lying about unbelievers. Without mentioning any names, who comes to mind when you think about this description of some Evangelical Christians? Right, me too. THOSE assholes, and no matter how you respond to or challenge them, their behavior remains unchanged. If it is evident — and it IS evident — that these believers live lives in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Bible, how is it that they consider themselves Christians? Are they not walking, talking contradictions to the commands that explicitly teach believers how they should behave and treat non-Christians? When challenged, out comes self-justification or claims that “everyone makes mistakes” or “God isn’t finished with me yet.”

    Granted, Evangelicals who are psychopaths will not see anything wrong with their ill-bred behavior, but most followers of Jesus will recognize bad behavior in themselves. “But, Bruce, if this is true why do most offending Evangelicals not apologize or make amends to those they have attacked, offended, or harmed?” Good question, and here’s the answer.

    Evangelicals are taught from the get-go that bad behavior requires confession to God so he can forgive them of their sins. 1 John 1:9 says: If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Note that believers in this text are NOT required to apologize or make appropriate amends to those they offended. All that matters is receiving God’s forgiveness and him wiping the sin slate clean. This a process that many Evangelicals practice multiple times A DAY! Does not the Bible say, “Pray without ceasing”? The late John R. Rice said about this verse that believers should keep their prayer lists short. So if you cast your eye towards Sister Bertha’s shapely ass and have a lustful thought, you should immediately avert your eyes and ask God for forgiveness. And just like that, your slate is wiped clean, though it may take longer for your erection to subside. No need to admit your misogyny and sexism and take steps to NOT have perverse thoughts (and I am not saying a momentary thought = perversion. If it does, we are ALL perverts) about Bertha’s ass. All sorts of bad Evangelical behavior is wiped away with a simple prayer: Lord, I am sorry. Please forgive me. That’s why some preachers who commit sex crimes think forgiveness and restoration to the ministry are but a prayer away. If God forgives them, so should everyone else, including the children, teens, and women they abused and sexually molested.

    David, a man after God’s own heart, raped Bathsheba and murdered Uriah, her husband. David’s punishment? God killed his child and raped, through the hands of Absalom, ten of his concubines. Did David confess his sins to Bathsheba or his family, apologizing for the rape of Bathsheba and death of their child, the murder of Uriah, and the rape of his concubines? Of course not. David was a good Evangelical. Note this words in Psalm 51: Against you, you alone, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. Not one word about those whom he harmed.

    So it is with many Evangelicals. No need to apologize, make amends, or restitution. Just shoot a prayer to God, asking for forgiveness, and in the blink of an eye your bad behavior is wiped away and remembered no more. Awesome, right? No need to be a decent, thoughtful, caring human being. As long as you have settled the score with God, all is well.

    Bruce Gerencser, 69, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 48 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

    Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

    You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.