Cheapening the Good News

As a follower of Jesus, I know - and gut-wrenchingly believe - that Christ can redeem even the inexcusable and abhorrent abuses of men like Donald Trump, Roy Moore, Harvey Weinstein, and those who’ve turned a blind eye to their crimes. But there is a difference between the redemption of sin, and being excused from it. Positions of power, authority and influence are positions of privilege reserved for those who have earned and kept the trust of the community, and there are (and there should be) both temporal and eternal consequences for sin. As a Christian, I pray for the genuine repentance (with reparations) and redemption of these broken men who have taken away too much from the innocent and the vulnerable they have abused. But such redemption does not excuse them from punishment, and should not grant them restoration to the positions of power, responsibility and authority they once held (currently hold). There is no sin so defiled that the Cross cannot redeem it, but as the Church, we must not mistake Christ’s redeeming sacrifice with a get-out-of-jail-free card. We must not cheapen God’s Good News.