Joe Paterno and Newt Gingrich have something in common. Both men need forgiveness for lapses in moral judgment. One seems to have found it (at least among many voters in South Carolina) and the other seems to have died without it (at least in the minds of many critics). Is forgiveness based on merit or grace?
Coach Paterno worked with thousands of kids for almost half a century at Penn State, giving millions of dollars to education along the way, and – as far as I know – never was accused of any moral lapse against his family or employer until it was disclosed late last year that he failed to call the police when told a subordinate allegedly molested a youngster. He was fired from his job because he did not make that call. When he died Sunday from a battle with lung cancer, many people (including many in the sports media) continued to condemn him for his inaction.
Newt Gingrich, on the other hand, has publicly admitted to having an affair with an aide (his current wife) while still married and leading the charge in Congress to impeach a president for similar moral ineptitude. Yet, because he has made his peace with God (and publicly announced it), he has seemingly been forgiven – not for things he didn’t do – but for things which he did do.
Please understand this is not a political statement nor am I suggesting that either man is guilty or innocent of anything. I am, as Speaker Gingrich likes to say, just telling the facts.
My question is, why are we so quick to forgive one and not the other? Both men acknowledged their action (or inaction). Both apologized. One was relieved of the job he wanted and the other was relieved of the wife he no longer wanted. And yet one is denied the forgiveness of many while the other has evidently not only been forgiven by many “conservative evangelicals,” but managed to win their political support as well.
I’m confused. Christian forgiveness is a matter of grace freely bestowed on repentant sinners. Otherwise it is not Christ-like. And, perhaps, neither are we.
(I hope you will join me each week for my 15-minute Bible study about faith at work in daily life at www.FaithNowMinistries.com/broadcasts, where you may also sign-up to receive my weekly blogs.)
