Brothers,

The recent events surrounding the unfaithfulness and lying of the Governor of South Carolina have elicited many responses from the public. There have been cries of outrage and disgust tempered by attitudes of tacit acceptance of his behavior. The response of Christians seems to be one of either moral outrage and shock or sober reflection. Christian women are looking at their husbands with the question either expressed or unexpressed being, “you’re not like that, are you?”

How do we respond to these events in light of the truth of the Gospel and the frailty of our flesh? Let me suggest a few ways not to respond as a prelude:

Let us not respond to the Governor’s sinfulness with outrage that belies the truth that “there but for the grace of God go I.” Every man is an adulterer if we take Jesus seriously in Matthew 5:28. We all have it within us to cross the line that was crossed by the Governor. I do not mean that we all face the temptation of lust and unfaithfulness in the same way; I do mean that we each have the same sin-filled heart that needs the cross of Christ. We also can be tempted by the evil one, the father of lies to sin in spite of our love for Jesus and our families.

Let us not respond to the Governor’s actions with promises of our own efforts or faithfulness. Each and every wife wants to know that her husband is incapable of the deception that is now public. We cannot make that assertion apart from a measure of pride that might just cometh before the fall. It is much more appropriate to re-affirm our love and commitment to Jesus Christ – a great Saviour and our trust in His greatness not our own.

So how then do we respond?

Let us respond with repentance…Jesus speaks of the gift of repentance and the need to continually repent. May the Holy Spirit show us our sin and the subtle deceptions present in our lives and cause us to repent. Remember the Governor had a female confidant other than his wife for seven years before he fell physically. He was already an adulterer. Where are you allowing small sins to live in your heart or in your relationships? Are you looking at images or building false trusts with women other than your wife? Repent.

Let us respond with prayer…We do not have the power in and of ourselves to help ourselves. We must trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to “lead us not into temptation.” Our response must be to pray for God’s strength and God’s wisdom to reign in our lives. Men need to seek each other for prayers for strength and encouragement. Where are we relying on our own strength and not on the Cross of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit? Pray.

Let us join together for accountability…When I return from vacation, I will be initiating some accountability groups for men at Good Shepherd. Each man needs to have other men who hold him accountable and to whom he can confess. The Bible encourages us that “iron sharpens iron” and that a “cord of three strands is not easily broken.” We must bear one another’s burdens if we are to be the Body of Christ. Satan seeks out the isolated (like our Governor and other leaders) just like a shark seeks out the isolated dolphin to attack. Where are we isolated in our lives from other brothers? Accountability.

Brothers, the next Men’s Hike is in October 22-25. Please consider walking with us for your soul’s sake and for the sake of your marriage. If there is any way that I can help you as your pastor, please let me know. The following 10 rules for purity were helpful for me and were sent to me by my wife after the Governor’s confession.

The 10 Commandments of Purity

1. I shall have no other human relationship before my wife, including our children.
2. I shall remember our date night and keep it holy.
3. I shall honor my wife on anniversaries and special days so that I may live long in the land the Lord has given me.
4. I shall not take the covenant of marriage in vain.
5. I shall not ride in a car or eat in a restaurant alone with a member of the opposite sex.
6. I shall not travel alone.
7. I shall not counsel a woman with the doors closed unless there is a window.
8. I shall not share the details of our marriage with others.
9. I shall not watch, read or expose myself to sexually explicit shows, books, websites, etc.
10. I shall remember the implications of committing adultery.

Humbly,

Shay +