Taking Responsibility

In light of a scandalous report aired on national television, a Australian Senate candidate resigned today.  The sordid details recorded in a strip club were so damning his political career was at an obvious end.  In a statement Steve Dickson was quoted as saying, "The footage shown does not reflect the person I am. It shows a person who was drunk and not in control of his actions and I take full responsibility for allowing that to happen."  It could be easily argued to the contrary:  his actions to become inebriated, to visit such an establishment as a public leader, and to do and say things which were reported portrayed exactly the sort of person he is - whether it fits with his preferred image or not.  To say our actions do not reflect the person we are is true because it is more than a reflection:  it is the real us on display.  Our actions and words paint a far more truthful and informative portrait of who we actually are rather than values we claim as our own.

As Christians this should strike us to the heart.  Long have professing Christians been dogged as hypocrites - rightly or falsely.  People in the world can often hold distorted views of what qualities Christians ought to possess, but even their critical observations can be valid.  It is fine for us to make our beliefs and values known, but having done so it is important we hold to them.  We should not blame others for our failures when it is clear we have played the fool.  Better to humbly admit our faults and seek to do what is right instead than to go on the offensive against hypocrisy in others as our defence.  It is possible to believe sound doctrine but not hold to it, to know what is right but fall short of a perfect standard.

One of the chief problems in the world - aside from denying the reality of the one true God - is the prevalence to deny our sinfulness.  There remains the erroneous notion that people are basically good when the Bible and all evidence points to the exact opposite:  there is no one good like God, not one.  When we sin through drunkenness, lust, self-righteousness, or pride, it is not a moment of weakness or a poor decision but an ugly,glimpse of the real us shining through which makes us squirm - the sinful us we work to keep hidden away behind nice manners and social decorum.  People don't know half the story of how wicked we actually are and neither do we because we are unable to comprehend the absolute perfection of the holy God.  Man is rotten at the core and will tirelessly do all he can to conceal, deny, explain away, or justify himself.  People will kill themselves instead of facing consequences for their shameful deeds.  If there was a hidden camera tracking our words, deeds, and thoughts, our guilt would be damning evidence to all.

Praise the LORD through faith in Jesus Christ we can be born again and receive new hearts and renewed minds by the Gospel.  How wonderful is the grace of God, that sinners like us can be forgiven on the basis of Christ's atoning sacrifice.  The stakes in this life are far higher than political careers or having a good reputation but eternity in heaven or hell which awaits us all.  Those who confess their sin and repent, trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation, make their heavenly booking as God's adopted children, whilst those who deny their sin also deny the Saviour who loves, died, and rose from the dead to save sinners.  Owning our sin is the first step to repentance and forgiveness.  "Taking responsibility" for our sin does nothing to wash us of our guilt which remains forever.  God bids us be reasonable:  our sins, which are red as scarlet, He will wash white as snow by the shed blood of Jesus if we will agree to His gracious condition to trust in Him as LORD and Saviour.