Excusing Sin

Why do church leaders excuse lying, adultery, extortion, and other serious sins when committed by their political allies?

Early in my Christian life, I was taught to strive for holiness in every area of life whether private or public, and as a disciple of Jesus, I must be separate from the ways of this fallen world, not physically, but spiritually and morally. As the Apostle Paul warned the Church of Ephesus, “But fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you!”

[Photo by jesse orrico on Unsplash]

Jesus warned that anyone who loves a father, mother, or child more than him is unworthy of his Kingdom. His followers are called to “deny themselves, take up his cross, and follow after him,” to live righteous but humble lives of service to others, especially the poor and marginalized. As Paul also wrote, “Should we continue in sin that grace may abound?”

Any notion of committing evil to achieve some supposed greater good is contrary to the life, example, and teachings of Christ. “Woe to those men who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness!”

Most if not all church leaders will agree with such stated principles. However, implementing them is rather different and difficult, or at least, when applying biblical mandates to the political arena. At the critical moment, the Great Political Exception always raises its ugly head, and once more we hear how the end justifies the means.

In politics, pragmatism prevails over principle. This becomes especially so when politically active “Christians” turn to partisan politics and coercive government power to push their social and political agendas and otherwise rally around their favorite political leader.

Paul warns us not to be “deceived,” for “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.” This category includes “fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, covetous, revilers, extortionists,” and so forth, and more politicians than we might care to admit are guilty of at least three or four of the sins on the Apostle’s list. They certainly do not represent God’s Kingdom and are excluded from it by their unrighteous deeds.

Or take the list of sins from the Book of Revelation that will put sinners in the “Lake of Fire” – The “fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderer, the fornicator, the sorcerer, the idolater, and all liars will have their part in the Lake that Burns with Fire and Brimstone.”

So, if lying and adultery condemn a man before God, why is it that in our partisan political system, prodigious liars and serial adulterers get a free pass if they support the correct “Christian” agendas?

Our political system is part of the existing evil age that even now is “passing away.” Like the other institutions of this world, it is under the dominion of sin and inherently corrupt. The politician who is a committed disciple of Jesus and “follows the Lamb wherever he goes” is rare.

However, it is not the sin of the politician that is so troubling, but the excuses made for his offenses by his “Christian” allies. If he promotes programs approved by his allied Church leaders, they will ignore, rationalize, and justify his actions, perhaps even celebrate his rougher edges.

What is intolerable is not the sin of the unregenerate politician, but when “Christian” apologists heap praises on him as if he is God’s anointed holy vessel of righteousness.

HYPOCRISY

Compromise, sin, and hypocrisy are the inevitable fruits of participation in an inherently corrupt system, and Jesus has called us to something far higher, namely, holiness. If you remain in the system, inevitably, you will make excuses for your preferred politician, party, ideology, or government, you will rationalize and even justify sins of the worst sort.

Hypocrisy is the defining characteristic of church leaders who replace the biblical mission of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and living for his Kingdom with an agenda of social, political, and national “reformation.”  If resorting to partisan politics necessitates compromise and sin, that answers the age-old question - Should disciples of Jesus be involved in politics?

Human society is in trouble due to sin, not because the wrong set of sinners is running the government. Sooner or later, politically active Christians will find themselves sleeping with very strange bedfellows in a system already judged on the Cross of Christ and therefore doomed to destruction.

Paul warned of the coming “Apostasy” that he linked to the “Man of Lawlessness” who will seat himself in the House of God. Over the decades, I have watched and waited for this Master Deceiver to appear, but it is distressing to witness this very thing beginning to unfold before my eyes as so many church leaders climb into bed with parties and agendas that are contrary to the “Word of the Cross.”

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SEE ALSO:

• Kingdom Power - (True greatness in Christ’s Kingdom is found in self-sacrificial service for others, not in exercising political power over them)

• Serve His Kingdom! - (The message of Jesus is centered on the Kingdom of God, a political reality that bears little resemblance to the systems and ideologies of this age)

• An Idolatrous Conceit - (‘Christendom’ is the idolatrous term used to invoke God to support national and political institutions, programs, agendas, and ideologies)

• An Overwhelming Flood - (The New Testament warns of a future apostasy caused by deceivers, false prophets, and the Lawless One before the return of Jesus)