November-December 1998

Our Crisis In Character

by Greg Albrecht

The 4-year-old Starr investigation of the Clinton White House has focused almost unprecedented public attention not only on repentance and forgiveness, but also on morals and values. Americans (and the world) are debating the issues. Christians are fighting for spiritual equilibrium during the ongoing crisis.

Some note that even genuinely repentant sinners must face the legal consequences of his or her actions. But many Americans feel that the private life of an elected government official should be off-limits to the scrutiny of our media or our churches. Other Americans describe their emotions as sad, angry, betrayed, hurt and confused as they read the lurid details of the Starr investigation.

And many members of Congress face the gravest decisions of their careers. Few elected officials will be allowed to simply have "no comment" about this crisis. The critical November midterm elections will provide voters with an opportunity to respond. As we go to press, America is on the brink of constitutional crisis and deeply mired in a national crisis of character.

Perhaps the White House crisis will serve to propel us into spiritual renewal and into a search for lasting, eternal values. North Americans have experienced more than 30 years of self-indulgence. It is time for the values of self-interest and excess to be examined.

Incredibly, opinion polls report that the average American doesn't care about values or morality. We are told that the "average" American simply wants the economy to be healthy. Of course, Americans have also been told that they are stupid if they don't consider their pocketbooks as a priority.

George Bernard Shaw once observed, "If 50 million people say or do a stupid thing, it's still a stupid thing." So, in spite of what opinion polls tell us, Christians must still be concerned about character, values and morality.

Character Is Important

Character is important. And it's a two-way street. The character of those who seem to enjoy the public humiliation of a fallen leader should give us pause for thought.

Character is important. America yearns for churches and synagogues that are not dominated by politics and partisanship. Americans want to believe and be convicted that truth and justice are the real motives of those who call for judgment, not mean-spirited rhetoric presented in sheep's clothing. We know that God is neither Republican or Democrat, but some appear to want us to believe otherwise.

Character is important. We know that we need to discern between right and wrong. Therefore we are troubled by those commentators who seem to almost triumphantly report disclosures of immorality from the White House. We ask ourselves about the moral and ethical difference between the motives of a "vast right-wing conspiracy" and its philosophical opposite, a "vast left-wing conspiracy." Does the end justify the means, after all?

Character is important. Character is important in the White House, the Supreme Court, the Congress and the Pentagon. Character is equally important in the home, in the schoolroom, in our churches, in our homes and on our streets. The bell sounding an alarm over our national character crisis tolls not just for the White House, it tolls for us all.

Character is important. We long for pure and unadulterated leadership. But when we are alone with our thoughts and brutally honest, some of us worry that we Americans are getting the leadership we deserve.

Character is important. We are tired of blame-shifting, diluted apologies riddled with claims of victimhood, finger pointing, and we grieve over partisan attacks in the name of standards and values.

Character is important. Each one of us must consider our own commitment to character and values as we are challenged and confronted by the storm clouds over Washington.

We Have All Sinned

All of us have, and have had, our own struggles with the dark and sordid side of our sinful human nature. Lust, greed, envy, hatred, jealousy and vanity are among the base elements of our nature that wage war against each of us every day.

We all face many temptations. Every one of us have failed. The Bible teaches that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

As we wrestle with the reality and consequences of our own humanity, we must conclude that character is more important than the economy. We conclude that character is important because we are sinners, not because we are "holier than thou." Our search to start solving the national crisis of character should begin at our own home, in our own backyard, not by wallowing in someone else's sin.

As we consider our own sins, we are reminded of biblical principles. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. Cast the beam out of your own eye before pointing out the speck of dust in someone else's. The Bible teaches that an accurate and humble assessment of our own weaknesses and shortcomings helps us as we consider the shortcomings of others.

Christians Have Standards

Jesus Christ expects Christians to live according to our high calling. Immorality leads from one excess to another. Adultery is sin. Honesty and integrity do matter. Character is important. Even though the vast majority of Americans approve of our president's job performance, the vast majority also reject him as a role model for their children.

We must not sugarcoat sin. Not our own, not our children's, not even the president's. Sin is sin.

Those who have experienced the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ know that grace is impossible without the acknowledgment of their own sin. Before we experience the riches of God's grace, we experience the ugliness of our own sin. Each of us is a sinner, and those under grace should know that better than anyone.

The reality of grace does not mean Christians are permissive. Christians are not permissive -- just forgiven. Christians are not permissive -- just under grace. Christians obey, follow and emulate Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. While doing so, we hate sin and its consequences, but we love the sinner. It's an important distinctive, and it shapes our own character.

The golden rule that Christians and non-Christians alike strive to live by teaches that we should treat others as we want to be treated.

Digging up dirt is not part of the Christian life. Exposing private sins doesn't necessarily help to further the work of the kingdom of God. Justice can be served, the kingdom of God can advance, and accountability and judgment can be ensured without mud throwing and muckraking.

Malice, hate and evil speaking are not virtues, even about a sinner.

Christians must be forgiving

Jesus did not respond to broken sinful human beings with arrogance, vindictiveness or superiority. Nor did Jesus respond to sin with compromise or permissiveness. When he was asked to support the stoning of a woman "caught in adultery," he advised that those without sin should throw the first stone.

He then stooped and wrote in the dust of the ground and kept writing until all accusers departed. Some speculate that Jesus was reminding those guardians of morality of their "secret" sins. He then turned to the woman who had been entrapped and said, "Go now and leave your life of sin" (John 8:1-11).

Jesus demanded high standards in the Sermon on the Mount, while insisting on healing and forgiveness, rather than spiritual muggings and lynch mobs. Mercy triumphs over judgment in Jesus' ministry.

Former President Jimmy Carter was misunderstood and ridiculed when he explained that he had "lusted in his heart." He was simply explaining his own culpability according to the Sermon on the Mount.

According to the Bible, our sins must be accounted for. For those who accept him, Jesus paid this debt on the cross. God's perfect justice on the one hand and his unqualified forgiveness on the other meet at the cross.

Our country is in a crisis. We cannot solve that crisis with platitudes. We must not paper over the cracks of immorality. But we cannot overcome and solve what is a national shortcoming with a lynch mob mentality. We must face our own inadequacies and shortcomings, from the Oval Office to the suburbs to the inner city.

Most of us are not directly and personally responsible for dealing with the storm clouds that hover over the White House. We can make our feelings known when we vote.

More importantly, we can start to work on the national character crisis in our homes, our schools, our neighborhoods and our workplace.

Christians are also charged with the responsibility and necessity of prayer. Pray for William Jefferson Clinton. Pray for Hillary. Pray for their daughter Chelsea. Pray for our Congress.

Pray that all of our leaders confront and acknowledge their own sin, accept the forgiveness Jesus Christ offers, as well as his imperative command, "Go now and leave your life of sin."

Pray for our country and all countries, that many will turn to God and come to the cross of Jesus Christ for justice and forgiveness. Jesus alone is our perfect, unimpeachable role model.

Return to Plain Truth Ministries Home Page