Redeeming politics

The recent problems facing the governor and lieutenant governor of Virginia call into question the basic fabric of civic discourse. The trigger for this course of events was an interview in which Governor Northam advocated the legalization of infanticide in Virginia, just as the state of New York did. One of his medical school classmates responded by posting the now-infamous yearbook page with a picture, likely taken at a party, of drunk medical students toasting humor in mocking a humorless historical reality. This led to the continuing uproar, condemnation, and calls for resignation. When attention focused on his potential successor, charges of decade-old rapes were raised against Lieutenant Governor Fairfax. 

How can Jesus redeem this? Let’s start with honesty. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) In the original sin, man and woman chose to make moral judgments just like God, but apart from Him. (Genesis 2:17, 3:6) It appears no one can resist this temptation these days, at least not journalists and political actors. The tributary sins of murder, rape, kidnapping, follow from human choice separated from God.  (Romans 5:12). Fortunately, God knew all about these things and made provision through the propitiatory death of Christ. The condition for His provision is acknowledgement of our sin and asking God in all humility for forgiveness. None of this is news. But how can the gospel be applied to the circumstances of Ralph Northam and Justin Fairfax?

Things that won’t work:

• Denial; maybe the facts are being misrepresented, but to claim nothing happened is simply not credible either before man or God.
• Self-defense; just because it’s human nature (being fallen) is not an excuse. “It wasn’t really all that bad” will be unacceptable to a holy God. Journalists and politicos who have usurped His prerogatives will likely have a similar assessment.
• Return fire; one of the most offensive behaviors of people, Christians or not, is passing judgment on others. It will not solve anything.

Whether Fairfax and Northam have made peace with God is between them and their Maker. Pundits and wannabe political operatives fail the third bullet above. Their self-righteous pontification filling the airwaves offends both man and God. But ... does this mean there are no standards beyond statutory crimes? Shouldn’t the state’s chief executives exhibit a higher standard of behavior than just not breaking laws? In the days of the MeToo revelations, it has become obvious that men’s carnal desires have been allowed to disrespect women and, regrettably, get away with it. The legacy of slavery that persists in racism continues to buttress disrespect for all other ethnicities. 

The power to live without sin is not in humans, unless they are aided by the grace of God. Consider the case of John Newton. What we need is a Holy Spirit revival! The alternative, a world in which humans choose to do whatever they feel like, continuously pass judgment on each other, and disrespect anyone and everyone, will end up a broken society, political anarchy, as we see in many third world countries. It should be obvious that our only choices are national repentance or social breakdown. We need another John Wesley, not an Oliver Cromwell.