Question: Do we have a right to expect our elected public leaders to be morally upright?
Answer: YES!
If there was ever any doubt as to the wide reaching influence that a bad acting politician in high places could have on our culture, especially among the youth, it should have been dispelled during the
Isn’t it hypocritical to point the finger at these guys? Aren’t we all sinners?
As a Calvinist, I believe that we humans are born with a proclivity to embrace wickedness unless we receive grace from God to refuse it.
No believer lives a perfect life. We all sin daily in thought, word and deed and must continually seek forgiveness and work on improving our calling in Christ. Most unbelievers are not totally degenerate. They are usually able to do at least some things that are seemingly in accord with God’s law. They may marry and love their respective spouses and their children. They may be honest in their business practices. They may have good work ethics and generous spirits. These are examples of common grace extending to all in the society, restraining evil, while special grace is extended to believers who embrace Christ as Lord and Savior. The Bible reminds us that “The rain falls on the just and on the unjust.”
Bad societal influences are everywhere, in the media and in our neighborhoods and schools. Sports heroes,
What is particularly alarming about elected “politicians gone bad” is that they have high visibility in insuring the general welfare of everyone in their jurisdiction. It is not just that they set a bad example. They have power over their constituents and can directly do them great harm.
Yesterday, there was news of a governor involved in a nasty sex scandal. The news kept reporting that he was about to resign [as he should, but I wonder if he will]. The more that comes out about this man the worse it gets. It is not just another sex scandal. There are stories and allegations of fraud and extortion of all sorts. This man was elected as one who would be a “shining knight” of morality. Now we know that people lived in fear of him destroying their businesses and personal lives.
There may be confusion in some quarters as to just what we mean by “morally upright.” Some think that, “morally upright” means, “sexually uptight.” It means nothing of the sort. “Morally upright,” in the best sense means keeping the law of God which is summarized in the Ten Commandments. No one can do this perfectly. We must demand that our leaders have a good character: that they are trustworthy, honest, and respectful of others. They should have a sense of justice and an understanding of the foundations of our government and how it ought to work. They should never use their power to extort, intimidate or harm the people they are sworn to protect.
When politicians break faith, what should happen?
The politician who commits crimes while in office should resign immediately, and then he should be prosecuted. If this does not happen it sends a message that committing crimes is not a bad thing and may undermine the sense of security felt by the people in his jurisdiction. How can they be sure that they will not be the next victims? If this guy doesn’t hurt them then it may be the next guy who holds this office that will. It also may encourage other elected officials who are tempted by bad behavior to forge ahead. After all, they will probably get away with it as well.
We must all look at the character of those who run for public office as well as their abilities. It is vital that we uphold elected officials in prayer. God has given us a rich, powerful and beautiful country. What God gives, He can also take away. We may well be attacked by an external enemy again, but the threat of internal combustion is just as great.
