It seems as though the world is just waiting for christians to fall and to admit there is no grace, no God, no reason to pursue holiness, and no such thing as christianity. People think that "christians" are "holier-than-thou" and always condemning others. They preach on Sunday and party on friday night. They tell you to live according to the Bible and then commit the same sin.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, Ted Haggard was a guy who did just that. He was an evangelical leader that taught the word and how to live according to it. He hosts a church of up to 14,000 people plus speaking all over about Christ. Then, as many have seen on the news, He chose to entertain his thoughts. He was accused of sexual immorality, being a homosexual, and basically failing to live this life he preached day in and day out.
When you become a "christian," you are saying goodbye to a way of living that leads to death and hello to a way of living, through grace, that makes you a "new creature," and on the path to eternity with Christ. You still battle with the world, and at times even more so when you are living so close to Christ, because you have become a target. The devil seeks to kill and destroy you. You are no threat to him when you are already living the way he wants you to... in sin.
Ted Haggard was kicked out of the ministry and out of the state of Colorado. I believe this is rightly justified, because I believe that leaders are held to higher expectations. I don't think a lot of people understand the word Sanctification. Non-christians, and even christians think that they are being condemned when they sin, but they don't realize what is really going on.
The closer you get to life, the further you get from death. The closer you get to God, the further you get from the world. The closer you get to righteousness, the further you get from sin. The more you love the Lord, the more you hate sin. "The closer you get to Him, the further he pulls you out of the world you came from" (Loran Livingston). It is kind of a wake-up call to those who feel "condemned" or "judged". If someone is making you feel that way, know that it is probably more of YOUR guilt, than their judgement. There is NO Condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1).
Sanctification is the process of refinement. At a refinery, the more the gold is fired, the purer it becomes. When you get so close to God that even the slightest disobedience hurts you, the less you will do it. Also, the more things become objects of sin, separating you from intimacy with God. Here is an example:
Murder, Physically hurt, Disassociate, Hate, gossip, Short-tempered, irritated: these are all things that you may have commited against another individual. Make note that I am not measuring sin, this is just an illustration.
Someone who has physically hurt someone with someone who has disassociated someone from their social circle they may compare lifestyles and say "oh what you did isn't THAT bad," "we all sin," or "i'll get better." So it is easy to feel accepted, yet you are both in the wrong. But how about compare someone who is irritated with a friend and someone who has just committed murder. They probably view each others' actions completely different. The murderer may think the other is looking down on them, judging them, or condemning, but perhaps what they did REALLY is THAT bad... and maybe they just feel guilty. And maybe the murderer is the irritated person's brother perhaps. Does he love the murderer less? No, but he probably still hates what he's done and how he chose to live his life.
Now, that we got that cleared up, we learn that we are to love the sinner and hate the sin. And this is exactly how Ted Haggard's wife responded. She stood by him and through Jesus as her stronghold, she too was able to find strength. She forgave him and loved him while the world and christians alike were throwing stones like madmen. Jesus tells a similar story about a woman who was sexually immoral, as well, about to be stoned to death, and he said whoever is without sin, they can cast the first stone. Because the fact it, ALL have sinned and FALL SHORT of the glory of God.
We can learn a lot from her, as people, as christians, as a church. We are quick to tell people to live according to the Bible and how to be righteous, yet it takes so long for the church to forgive and love. These are all qualities, gifts, and commandments that we are given by God himself. "And the GREATEST of these is LOVE."
We can also learn a lot from him. Why did he choose to stand when the world begged for him to bow? Why did he choose to deny his "old-self" that creeped back in to his "new-creature" when he would have gained the world's acceptance? He could have just said I'm done with this Jesus thing, I'm done with the Bible, I'm done with trying to be righteous and holy, i'm guilty in front of Christ and i don't want to keep at this. Why did he fight?
I believe that because he was an evangelical preacher, he KNEW that God's word is true. He knows that when the Bible says all men fall short, he would be included. He knows that "love covers a multitude of sins." He knows the forgiveness is given. He knows that his debt was and IS paid in full. He knows that there is a God up in heaven that is his father and that he can bring about a testimony far greater than living the good life. That people struggling with little to big sins can find freedom and forgiveness. That there is grace waiting, there is love in the father's arms, and there is a celebration in defeating the enemy once again to be standing firm with Christ.
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