What We Can Learn from the Latest Political Sex Scandal

So it didn’t come as a shock to me when I heard that Mark Sanford, the Republican Governor of South Carolina, confessed to an extramarital affair on Wednesday. From what I can tell, he has real regret. Only time will tell if the regret translates in fruit-bearing repentance. The statement from his wife was honest and impressive, couched in several biblical references and allusions. She sounds serious about trying to forgive her husband and repair their torn marriage. We should pray for them.

But what can we learn about this latest in a long line of political sex scandals? Here are a few thoughts:

1. The best of men are men at best. I don’t know if politicians are always (or often) the best of men, but they certainly are among the most powerful. We look to them for leadership. We want them to voice our ideas and ideals. We want them to be strong, yet humble, personal, yet unaffected by the common stuff of life. We expect a lot from our leaders. They rarely deliver. They often fail miserably. Both parties have had their share of sex scandals in recent years. Neither one has a monopoly on holiness. I don’t think many of our politicians have even passed GO. And I’m sure there is plenty of infidelity we don’t even hear about, not to mention the back room deals, lies, slander, pride, and greed that take place all the time. Some trust in presidents and some in governors, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

2. None of us is immune to sin. I was talking with another pastor a couple weeks ago when he told me the story of his wife’s affair. She was the last person anyone ever expected to commit adultery. Because of her sin, he resigned from the church he was then serving. Today their marriage is strong and they often share their story, a sad but remarkable story of sin, repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

One of the lessons they learned is that anyone–I mean anyone–is capable of adultery. The person who thinks they are immune for the temptation, should read up on Romans 7. The flesh will sell us out in a heartbeat. Why do powerful politicians and pastors and pastor’s wives throw everything away for a few minutes of pleasure? Why did Esau sell his birthright for a mess of pottage? Because we are sinners, worse than we think, more capable of wickedness and stupidity than we imagine. You can have all the hedges of protection in the world, but without the gospel and the transforming power of Christ that comes through the word of God and prayer, we still have the same heart. “Lead me not in temptation, but deliver me from evil”–pray it every day. We all have the ability to be moral morons.

3. Sin can be forgiven and sin has consequences. An affair may mean the end of Mark Sanford’s term as Governor. It should not mean the end of his life. We hope it will not mean the end of his marriage. Jesus’ blood is stronger than sexual immorality. The Lord can lead him to repentance and lead his wife to forgiveness. The Lord can use this to strengthen their family, not destroy it. Mark Sanford need not always be “that guy who cheated on his wife.” By God’s grace, he could be remembered as a man after God’s own heart.

But sin has consequences. David’s family was screwed up after the King’s rendezvous with the woman on the roof. The Sanford’s family is going to be a little screwy too, at least for awhile. The Governor’s political career may be over too. (If he really wants to do what is best for the GOP, his state, and his family, he should resign.) God cannot be mocked. We reap what we sow.

4. The law of God is written on their hearts. It amazes me that every time we have one of these sex scandals it makes front page news for several days, if not weeks. On one level this is not surprising. Sex sells. People like to hear about other people’s problems. Politicians love to score points off of other people’s problems. So of course we are going to hear about sex scandals.

But we don’t just hear about them, we hear moral outrage about them. I bet you could find nary a person in South Carolina who doesn’t think what their Governor did was wrong. Not just wrong for him mind you, but flat out wrong. Husbands shouldn’t cheat on their wives with Argentinian women: people across the political spectrum agree on that much.

Maybe it’s the whole speck and plank thing, but Americans have no problem believing in moral standards for their politicians. No matter what the courts say or how people get confused at the polls, people don’t really think marriage can be whatever you want it to be. One man and one woman plus another woman from Argentina is not a marriage. It is a violation of marriage. People still think some sex can be sin. They still think marriage matters. They still believe breaking a vow is a big deal. People in this country still have a moral conscience. It’s a shame they only listen to it when governors disappear to South America.