What if the Worst Offenders are Christian Leaders?

A lady shared with me her experience that is quite common in the roads of Bangalore. She was walking in the path meant for pedestrians. A motor cycle nearly bumped on her. Not even noticing who the motorist was, she caught hold of the shirt-collar of the offender. To her surprise she found that he was a city-police. How often we find the same scenarios in Christian families, churches and organisations, where the worst offenders happen to be regular church-goers, bible-lovers, worst of all pastors and bishops? I am citing two cases of such offences from the Scriptures and the ways they were dealt with.

A group of the people of Israel who lived in exile, including the priests and the Levites trespassed the laws of God. These Yahweh worshipers and most of all, leaders married from non-Yahweh backgrounds which they were not supposed to do (Exodus 34:16). God used Ezra, a priest to deal with this unfaithfulness of the leaders (Ezra 9:2). Ezra was altogether a different priest because the Bible tells that he had devoted himself to read, practise and teach the word of God (7:9-10). Now we know that the offenders of that day and today can read and even teach the word of God, but not practise them! What did Ezra do on seeing such an offense? He was appalled and tore his clothes, pulled his hair and interceded to the Lord and confessed the sins of the people (9:5) . The fear of the Lord gripped the community to an extent that the offenders confessed their sin and agreed to get rid off their foreign wives (chapter 10).

The Corinthian church had sexual immorality within the church. Paul adds a shameful note here to say that, that was a kind that does not occur even among non-Christians (I Corinthians 5:1). Paul’s advice here was not to associate with such offenders and he even says to expel such a wicked man who is in wolves clothing in a community of believers (v.9-13). Paul adds to the offenders’ list the so-called Christians who are greedy, idolaters or slanderers, drunkards or swindlers. The question is: how to judge Christian offenders and who will judge? Paul says that the ones inside the church have to do that (chapter 6). And what if the judgement is unfair? The judges inside the church may wrong the one who raised the issue. But Paul says it is better to be wronged, cheated than to wrong and to cheat (v.7-8). Paul fears the worst too, saying “Dare not take it to legal courts,” because exposure of such sins of Christians in front of unbelievers puts God’s name in vain (v.6). Even in cases where offenders win, the Bible says that such people will not inherit the kingdom of God (v.9).

The Bible expects a practical-Christian to deal with the worst offenders within a Christian community based on Biblical principles. In unfair judgements, it is better to be wronged, cheated than to wrong and cheat. And it is better to choose to glorify His name than to gain glory by winning a case! After all, is not following the counsels of God the "best" choice than choose to do anything else?