Hyprocrisy
The world has been brought closer to Christendom these past few weeks. I don't know of many more scenarios that could bring more negative attention to the Christian church than the suprising sins of Ted Haggard. The world has been brought face to face with blantant hyprocrisy from another Christian leader. This time, the pastor of a 14,000 member church has draped himself in homosexuality, drug use, and false witness. Many would not be as outraged if he wasn't one of the most influential and respected evangelical leaders that verbally opposed some of those same sins. Hypocrisy? Yes.
I have seen many lash out at Ted Haggard because of his double-mindedness. That bothers me somewhat because it's very easy to have a backseat morality. By that I mean, not claiming a significant moral compass of your own (except "openness" or "do no harm") yet judging and calling out anyone who is trying to live up to the high standards of their God and subsequently failing. There has always been a gap between God's perfection and His people's imperfection. Pastors, seminarians, and Christians have every facet of their lives wrapped up in "morality". To act on a temptation, to fall into an addiction, just one bad decision, and the personal and professional aspects come tumbling down. So to me, it is easy to have backseat morality because it positions you into the perfect place to rebuke, yet leaves you little to no room for error or hypocrisy on your end.
Many non-Christians in particular are using this unfortunate incident as underlying evidence and proof of the impotence of the Christian faith and church. They have all caught a glimpse of the many ways Christians continually miss their Maker's mark. The world has seen very colorfully the situations in which man and God do not meet up in action or purpose. At some level, hypocrisy is built into the faith. I hold to a perfect God and a pure faith, yet I myself can only strive after perfection- I cannot attain it. So for the Christian, they can believe the things God declares and even preach them knowing it is truth, but that doesn't mean it will always be fully congruent with their life.
Although Tedd Haggard committed the sins and then lied about it, he finally admitted to it all. His response seemed genuine. He mentioned struggling with a dark side of himself. He mentioned that his church lovingly and appropriately made him step down in ministry. It is apparent that he was fearing being caught, being found out for who he truly is, dark side and all. But in that vulnerable exposure, the same Gospel that he preached for years comes into illumination for us all. The condition of many Christians and churches is to hide all signs of sin and pretend that we are not sinful people who live in a fallen world. If we did acknowledge that, we would be forced to confront the suffering that goes on in us and others. To give off the idea that we are good enough people and not in desperate need of God's love, grace and repentance, is to believe that the Gospel isn't necessary. God died to save all, that means sinful Billy Graham, Chuck Swindoll, and yes, even Pat Robertson. If anyone comes off as if they don't need the blood of Christ on the day they meet the Maker, their pride and unbelief will be thier downfall. Yet, when we acknowledge our dependence on Christ's sacrifice, it does not matter the sin, God is faithful in forgiving. To be fully known, fully accepted, fully forgiven, and on the way to being fully transformed- that is where true freedom resides. This mega church pastor screwed up royally, but he can still know that it is not his actions that dictate salvation, but it is the Lord's. God's faithfulness is much more powerful than Ted Haggard's unfaithfulness.
posted by A Developing Integrationalist @ 6:40 PM
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