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I have been hesitating to write about Mark Sanford and John Ensign because I wanted to first take stock of the log in my own eye before I addressed the speck in the eyes of others. However, I think that both of these individuals are examples of how easily we can all be led astray by the fruits of the flesh, specifically; sexual immorality, impurity, and sensuality, as well as pride.
It is important to note that this is not a Republican vs. Democrat issue, or even a Christian vs. non-Christian issue. When Eliot Spitzer got caught going to prostitutes, he was pressured to resign because he used state money to protect and hide his activities. He never claimed or took refuge in being a Christian, and therefore, he was only accused of hypocrisy because of his seemingly relentless drive as Attorney General of New York against prostitution. However, when we look at Sanford and Ensign, both known and promoted as evangelical Christians, the media accusations of hypocrisy not only stick to them, but splashes back on all Christians. But the question is, “Is that a bad thing?” I believe that even though it is a sad state of affairs, and tends to color all Christians as potential or actual hypocrites, it does serve to KEEP US ON OUR TOES, because all sin and fall short of the glory of God, and therefore, we must all stay focused on the only one able to strengthen us to the point of resisting temptation. As Christians, we can never get so comfortable as if to say, “It can’t happen to ME!” Sin happens to us all the time. A careless word, thought, or glance can place our feet on a downward slope that soon has us mired and wallowing in the worse type of sin and degradation. Oftentimes we catch ourselves, or someone that we hold us accountable catches us, or God makes it very plain to us the path we are going. At other times, especially when we are surrounded by people that tell us how wonderful we are, and puff up our pride to the point that we think we are above ALL THAT, our ability to remained focused on Jesus Christ is compromised, and then as a result, we wander off into sin. This is the way of the world, and we must continually hold ourselves accountable to remaining focused on Jesus Christ. If we don’t, then the sexual sins of Mark Sanford and John Ensign will pale in comparison to our own sin, because thought they will have to answer to God in Christ for what they do, when we are called to answer for what we do, our sin, no matter how major or minor it might seem in the grand scheme of things will be all that matters TO US! In Christ,
Pastor Bob |
