Reflections:
The Sorrow That Leads to True Repentance

Part I & II

by David H. Lane
President
Wellington Christian Apologetics Society (Inc.)

Republished from Challenge Weekly
Vol 59 (7) February 27, 2001, pp. 8-9 (Part I)
Vol 59 (8) March 6, 2001, p. 8 (Part II)

Part I

1. Introduction

With the constant revelations in the secular media of scandals (sexual infidelities, financial frauds, etc.) involving Christian bishops, ministers and pastors, how can we as Christians continue to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 3) with sincerity and integrity, when so many non-Christians constantly accuse the Church and its leadership of sheer hypocrisy and deceit? Are these '"Christian" individuals and groups exposed for immorality and corruption really Christian at all? Christ said "You will know them by their fruits . Every good tree bears good fruit, but the rotten tree bears bad fruit" (Matt. 7:16-17). Is the Christian community expected to just sit idly by as their so-called leaders who they support financially, and claim to uphold regularly in prayer, are often justifiably pilloried by the secular media for their lack of moral rectitude? Are the immoral actions and lifestyles of some of these leaders in some way an indictment of their sometimes unthinking and doting supporters and to what extent does such immorality demean the God-ordained "offices" they hold. The qualifications required of those who aspire to the office of overseer, elders and deacons are laid out clearly in Scripture (e.g. 1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9), and it is the God-ordained duty of the Church's leadership to ensure that all leaders live up to these high callings. 

Witness the recent revelations involving the 59-year old Baptist Minister Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr, the famous black civil rights leader, one-time aide to Martin Luther King Jr., married man with five children (to his lawful wife of 38 years), politician, and a high-profile promoter of Christian moral values, especially to black youth. Regularly referred to as the "conscience of the nation" for challenging America to establish just and humane priorities, Rev. Jackson is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Rainbow/Push Coalition Inc.

It was only recently when he was informed that the National Inquirer intended publishing an article on his secret adulterous affair with a former top aide, that he issued a one page press release (17 January) admitting for the first time to the affair. Jackson was quoted in the New York Post (18 January) as saying: "I am father to a daughter who was born outside of my marriage.This is no time for evasions, denials or alibis. I fully accept responsibility and I am truly sorry for my actions."

A cynic might say that he was certainly "sorry" that he had been found out and when confronted with the evidence he was effectively forced to confess. Normally, keen to share his views on all manner of subjects on camera with the doting media, he ducked for cover and said nothing further to them on the affair beyond this press release.  In it he admitted to having had an adulterous affair with a Rainbow/Push Coalition employee, Ms Karin Stanford, 39, with whom he fathered a child. Ms Stanford apparently met Rev. Jackson in the mid-1990s when she was teaching at the University of Georgia and he became the subject of her doctoral dissertation and a book by her.

Rev. Jackson has been financially supporting the now 20 month old baby girl (born May 1999) - his  "love child" -and her mother, Ms Stanford, since the girl's birth. Recent disclosures by Ms Stanford to The Enquirer newspaper of the huge pay-outs he has secretly made to her, and is still making, have raised the hackles of those who are working for the Rainbow/Push Coalition, a non-profit organisation.

Rev. Jackson gave Ms Stanford, the former director of the coalition's Washington office, US$40,000 in "moving expenses" just before she left the office for Los Angeles on maternity leave. She is now living in a US$365,000 home and receives US$10,000 (NZ$22,600) a month from Jackson in child support. The New York Post reported that he had reached an agreement (hush money?) with her that she would not reveal that he had fathered her child. She still works as a consultant for Rainbow Coalition, the civil rights group he heads. The affair has apparently been devastating to Mr Jackson's 38-year marriage to Jackie, who has stood by her husband publicly.

In a shocking revelation we read that the now disgraced Rev. Jackson took Ms Stanford, into the White House to meet President Clinton, at the time he was counselling him and his family "spiritually" over the Monica Lewinsky adultery scandal, and at a time when Ms Stanford was pregnant with his child. He did this to secure a photo opportunity with Clinton for his mistress.  Rev. Jackson has prided himself in being the "spiritual" counsellor to Hillary, Bill and Chelsea Clinton throughout the tumultuous Lewinsky affair and ensuing impeachment trial.

In an article published in Newsweek on 31 August 1998 he wrote:

I arrived at the White House shortly after 10:30 Sunday night. Hillary and I had spoken by phone and she said that Chelsea wanted to see me..Hillary, Chelsea and I sat down in the living room and began to talk. Bill dropped by to say hello. After a few minutes, Hillary told him to go upstairs and finish preparing for his testimony. "When we're done talking, then we'll come up and see you." After he left, I told Hillary and Chelsea that I was reminded of another First Family in crisis, in the very first Rose Garden. When Adam and Eve transgressed from God's will and sinned, they immediately covered up in shame and embarrassment. Sin and shame and lies tend to go hand in hand. We talked about King David, who, like Bill, was talented and gifted and tempted by the forbidden fruit. So were some of the greatest American leaders in history.

Following revelations of Clinton's affair, Rev. Jackson spoke publicly on national television of the urgent need for him to truly repent and be reconciled with his wife, at a time when his own adulterous affair remained well hidden Throughout the impeachment proceedings and events leading to the publication of the "Star Report", Rev. Jackson never once confessed to the public or church leaders his own immoral behaviour. Nor did he step down from any church leadership position. Meanwhile, he was more than content to capture the headlines presenting himself as the Clinton's spiritual counsellor and as "the moral conscience of America".

His 'struggle for justice' on the streets of Florida during the Bush/Gore vote count debacle and the ensuing litigations provided him with many opportunities to attack the integrity of George W. Bush and his party and steal more self-aggrandisement opportunities before the cameras.

Always punctuating his Christian sermons with calls to moral integrity, tragically he remained blind to his own hypocrisy, proving true the wisdom of the Biblical words: "The heart [of man] is more deceitful than all else and desperately wicked, who can fathom it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). Following recent revelations of his extramarital affair, there is some real point to the words of Holy Scripture: "Let judgement begin in the House of the Lord."

2. Are the secular press agents for the Lord's rebuke?

The question needs to be asked: Is God using the secular press today to force into the light of day so-called Christian ministers and pastors who are lovers of darkness - the self-deluded who engage in the works of darkness, deceiving the elect, and pilferring and squandering the Lord's money etc; - at a time when Church leaders are failing and refusing to deal with the evils in their ranks? It would appear so.

 The Sunday Telegraph recently published a report on a Christian fundamentalist church which "has made tens of millions of pounds by offering to rid demons from devotees from across the world". These "deliverance" ceremonies are "just one of a number of services provided by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) to adherents who are expected to hand over 10 per cent of their income". On its website, it claims that Jacques Cousteau, the French underwater explorer, discovered the location of hell and it offers visitors the opportunity to hear the "screams of hell" on a cassette tape which is available for NZ$6.55.

The Telegraph report, republished in the Dominion (22 January) tells of Anna Climbie, just eight years old, who was tortured to death by her caregivers. They took her to a service at a British UCKG church to be exorcised, at a time when church leaders were oblivious of the fact that she was dying as a result of the abuse. The "deliverance" failed and a later police investigation found that she had been "brutalised, beaten, burned, abused and starved" by her great-aunt and her boyfriend. The panacea offered by the church, where the troubled girl and her aunt had visited on a least three occasions, days before she died, was exorcism. She was referred to a hospital by a church assistant only after the failed exorcism, and died there shortly afterwards. The UCKG, a Protestant evangelical church which claims to have 4500 regular members in Britain, has attracted worldwide controversy and its founder has been investigated for alleged tax fraud and links with the cocaine industry. According to reports, the movement which was founded in Brazil in 1977, has 200,000 members, more than 2000 churches and a daily income of $3 million.

Here in New Zealand the Sunday Star Times (6 January) recently exposed the shocking case of a Korean Assembly of God minister, Rev. Yong Lee (also known as Rev. Luke Lee) of Auckland, who led an exorcism which resulted in the death of the Korean woman prayed for. The woman's decomposing body, which remained where the failed exorcism took place on December 9 last year, was prayed over by Lee's supporters for days in the belief, based on so-called prophecies by Church members, that the death was "ordained of God to reveal His Glory". This would happen, it was claimed, when the woman was bodily resurrected on January 9, 2001. With no such resurrection witnessed by this date the AOG leadership was reported as expressing confidence in Lee's continued suitability as a pastor, if he admitted his behaviour was unaccepable. Following two coroner's reports into the case, the Police laid charges of man-slaughter against him. He entered no plea when he appeared before the Auckland District Court on the charge on February 2.

In the clamour of calls from televangelists to their flocks to discover "the secret to getting out of debt" and onto "the pathway to financial blessing", is it in any wonder that the simple call to true biblical repentance and holy biblical living is not being heard. So-called "prosperity gospel" preachers - the name-it-claim-it-hype-artists - rarely, if ever, expound the Scriptures related to the Gospel call to do an honest day's work and fulfil our God-given vocational callings with Christian integrity and diligence.

So what will Church leadership do about the Rev. Jesse Jacksons of this world? The secular media is raising the question: Will anyone treat as credible anything he now has to say on Christian morality, values etc.? We can add: Will anyone treat as credible anything the Church has to say? Jackson's immoral behaviour has harmed the Church world-wide especially in the black church communities of North America. If Church leaders such as him are so self-deceived on matters relating to public decency, marital fidelity etc., how can they be trusted when they teach on any matter related to the Bible?

3. The sins of deceit and apathy

Jackson's biographer, Marshall Frady, says that Rev. Jackson's rumoured affairs have been "pandemic" with a "galaxy of ladies." Frady politely observed that Jackson "is a passionate being and has never been skilled in applying calculated economies to his emotions." Bill Clinton, a professing Christian and regular churchgoer, received ongoing counsel following his public confessions over the Monica Lewinsky affair, from a fellow adulterer (Jackson), who was still ensnared at the time in the same sinful deceit. The failure of Church leadership generally to deal effectively with such immorality proves that they are not only inept, apathetic, foolish, and deceived, but guilty by association in terms of every wrongdoing they refuse to deal with. By its very inaction and apathy church leadership, at the very least, condones the sin.

One wonders whether some church leaders even comprehend the concept of biblical "sin". When I discussed this subject over lunch in Wellington several years ago with the senior minister of a large conservative and "successful" church in Wellington, I was told that he consciously chooses not to use the term "sin" in any of his sermons. When I asked him what term or concept he used instead, he became flummoxed and told me I had "caught him on the hop" and he had no answer. He seemed incapable of grasping the Bible's teaching about the wrath of a Holy and Righteous God directed at sin and the need for substitutionary atonement leading to forgiveness and salvation, through the death and bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

While the Church - Christ's body - lies suffering, bleeding, and humiliated at the side of the road - because of the widespread nature and effects of the onslaught of evil, the official leadership appears content to walk by on the other side ignoring the tragedy. Meanwhile, the secular press, in a strange twist of irony, at least attempt to confront the problem and address the issues.

A few years ago many Christian leaders heard the public 'confessions of repentance' made by tele-evangelist Rev. Jimmy Swaggart, following public revelations of his long-term involvement with prostitutes etc. His confessions were broadcast here in NZ on Christian radio and applauded at the time by the then programme hosts for the "evident sincerity" of the man. Few dared to raise the question: Was he perhaps (as well as maybe Rev. Jackson) just sorry he had been found out ? Some months later, as reported widely in the American media,  Rev. Swaggart was found to be up to his old 'tricks', this time caught 'red-handed' by a State highway patrolman in the backseat of a car with a well known local prostitute. And no, he wasn't ministering to her the way of salvation !

The Church has underestimated the deceitfulness of sin that corrupts the human heart. It has failed to see that holy living, diligence in work, faithfulness and fidelity to one's spouse, commitment to family, self-sacrifice in works of compassion, poverty of spirit as opposed to the hubris exemplified by self-righteous "spirit-filled" hype-artists; are paramount virtues which mark a man or woman as "God-fearing" and "Christ-like".

4. The cost of redemption: no cheap grace!

The Good Samaritan is a picture of the Christ of Compassion who bore the full burden of a spiritually lost and dying world. He paid in FULL the sin-debt owing in order to secure our well-being (salvation) and secured our eternal well-being. He dealt with the predicament caused by sin, the actions of evil men, which leads to death, by bandaging up our wounds and providing His healing balm - "By His stripes we are healed" wrote the prophet Isaiah. Christ is our good neighbour - One who sticketh closer than a brother. He partook of flesh and blood, as the writer of Hebrews wrote, so that He might understand and empathise with our every weakness and deal with it in the flesh: - "He who knew no sin was made sin on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21) . He bore in his own body on the Cross, our sin" (1 Pet. 2:24)

The 'gospel' of cheap grace tickles the ears of many today. It is NOT the Gospel. The sorrow for sin that leads to repentance is that which first and foremost acknowledges that one has sinned against a Holy God. It recognises that high treason has been committed against the King of Kings, His heart has been broken and the redeeming blood of Christ has been trampled underfoot. As Scripture states: "For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death." (2 Cor. 7:10).

Church leaders who commit shameful acts betraying their spouses and breaking the covenant vows of marriage must step down from leadership or else be removed by Church leadership. Church discipline must serve as a warning to others and provide the framework for a path to true repentance and restoration for the sinner.

Part II

5. The deceit of Jesse Jackson - Clinton's "man of God" *

Independent Counsel, Kenneth Star, the author of The Star Report which documented a White House moral scandal, was accused by Clinton's "spin-doctors" of being obsessed with sex. When the viciously deceitful campaign of character assassination and buck passing collapsed with Lewinsky's confessions to the Starr grand jury, the Clinton White House immediately changed its tactics [in its bid to defend the President]. They called off James Carville and his original "spin" and character assassination teams, and sent in the "Reverend" Jesse Jackson. In a sense, Jackson became Clinton's "man of God."

Rev. Jackson, whose reputation as a con man, unscrupulous political manipulator, and shady businessman is thoroughly documented in Barbara A. Reynold's book Jesse Jackson: The Man, the Movement, the Myth, "prayed with the Clintons" in their hour of need. In the light of recent revelations about Jackson's affair, one wonders whether that "prayer" even made its way above the ceiling of the room in which it was uttered!

Jackson then went on national TV in an attempt to divert the public's attention from Clinton's multitudinous problems. However, what Jackson didn't say was much more important than what he did say. Without citing chapter and verse, Jackson drew an analogy between King David of ancient Israel and President Clinton (see II Samuel 11:1 to 12:1-14). God, he said, had forgiven David for his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. He then strongly implied that it would be the godly thing if the American public were to "forgive" Clinton for his adulterous relationship with Lewinsky -- not to mention his hundreds of other illicit relationships over the years.

As far as that analogy went ol' Jesse was on solid ground. However, not being one to stay an unnecessary amount of time in such unfamiliar territory, the "Reverend" Jackson immediately veered off on another tack in an effort to mislead the public still further.

To understand the REAL truth we need to know the rest of the story -- the part of the David-Bathsheba story that the deceitful "Reverend" conveniently left out. David did commit adultery with Bathsheba. In a desperate effort to cover up the truth (Bathsheba was pregnant with David's child) and prevent it from reaching a nationwide audience, he deliberately had Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, killed. The child, he thought, could now be passed off as belonging to Uriah -- and no one would be any the wiser. As with Clinton in modern times, truth, honesty, and integrity were never the issue. The goal was always to deceive, to misled, to cover-up. But the Sovereign God of heaven works in wondrous ways. He sent a true man of God, Nathan, to confront David with his sin. Nathan laid everything on the line. He told David that although he had done this wickedness "secretly," God would deal with him "before all Israel and under the sun" (II Samuel 12:12). And he did!

But here's the bottom line -- and the all important part that Clinton's "man of God" very conveniently and very deceitfully left out. How did King David react when his sin was exposed? Did he send out an army of "spin doctors" and "damage control experts" to manipulate "public opinion"? Did he send out character assassins to smear Nathan and his friends who were obviously "obsessed with sex" and "had a vendetta against the king"?

No! David said: "I have sinned against the Lord." Later, as the author of Psalm 51, he made no excuses.

He came completely clear. Read his words:

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy loving kindness, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgression; and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned...."(v.1-4)

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.... "(v.7)

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise...." (v.17)

Why did the "Reverend" Jackson not mention these facts ? Simply because he knew there was no true similarity between the final attitude of King David and that of President Clinton. His sole purpose was to create that false perception in the minds of the gullible public.

When exposed, David acknowledged his "sin" ... his "transgression" ... his "iniquity." He had "a broken and contrite heart." He deeply repented. He pleaded for God's mercy and forgiveness -- and that was granted. Without acknowledgement of sin and without repentance there would have been no forgiveness. That's the bottom line -- the fact that "Reverend" Jackson conveniently overlooked when asking the American people to "forgive" their president.

Sorrow that is only felt for being caught out is not the sorrow that leads to repentance. It is ludicrous to talk of "forgiveness" until there is a complete change of attitude marked in the first instance by a public acknowledgement of moral depravity. As in the case of King David, acknowledgement of sin and true repentance precede forgiveness. If the two words have any meaning it cannot logically be otherwise. "By their fruits shall we know them."

6. Moral Outrage

Should true Christians be outraged at the pandemic of immorality being revealed in the lives of Church leaders? The answer is clearly yes. Unfortunately, Church leaders instead, often try and ignore the problem. Such is the case in a recent "paedophile scandal" to hit the headlines, involving a church deacon as reported in the Dominion (30 January). Following sentencing community members expressed outrage at the extent to which church elders had shielded the paedophile.

But surely to display emotions of moral outrage smacks of judgmentalism?  Surely it is "politically incorrect" to judge others by expressing a viewpoint on their actions?  Surely the meek and mild Jesus we worship was never outraged over sin, and anyway "what right have we to judge? So say many Christians. One wonders if they have even read their bibles.

On Sunday morning 21 January the Rev Jesse Jackson appeared in public for the first time with his wife since his immorality had been made public. He attended the Salem Baptist Church on Chicago's south side with his wife and two grown children. Invited by Pastor James Meeks to address the congregation, a "subdued" Mr Jackson, speaking under a banner that read "The Just Shall Live by Faith", said "We have the faith and you have the power to see us through every situation. I want to thank God for his grace and loving kindness". But is it possible that living a lie can be massaged by double-speak to mean living by faith? 

It is surely ironic that Jackson, shortly after he had issued a press release  (2 January) calling for a "week of MORAL OUTRAGE" from Jan. 15-20 (2001) to protest the election of George W. Bush as president; was exposed as a hypocrite and morally bankrupt. He had also helped lead the charge against the confirmation of John Ashcroft as George W. Bush's choice of the next Attorney General, a man who has taken a strong stand on moral issues. Perhaps a week of MORAL OUTRAGE should be called by Christians to protest at the deceptions, gross violations of trust and flagrant immorality indulged in by Church leaders like Rev. Jackson; and the perversion of the true Gospel message committed by an army of self-serving hucksters of the 'gospel' of cheap grace and get-rich spiritual prosperity schemes?

Acknowledgement