A friend pointed me to this article by John Mark Reynolds on what the attitude of Christians should be to John Edwards. It is a valuable article because Reynolds helps us think theologically while walking carefully through a particular forgiveness problem.
Having ignored warning signs for so long, the culture’s fascination, even delight, in the destruction of yet another political leader is sickening. I don’t know if John Edwards is sorry for his sins, but I do know that only a fool or a saint can afford to be unmerciful or delight in his fall.
A fool likes any prurient story because it is entertaining. This fool reads of the fall of great men with no sense of discomfort because he believes that his own vice is “not so bad.” For the fool, self-knowledge is always delightful and easy. He is puzzled why Socrates made such a fuss about it.
A saint can advocate justice without mercy, because his virtue leaves him without any need for grace. He can simply ask for justice. Strangely, Jesus, when faced with His own John Edwards, did forgive absolutely. The man who could judge didn’t, which suggests it must be better so.
Should we forgive John Edwards?
For his fellow Christians, the answer is plain, if not easy to practice.
We cannot forgive his moral sin because his sin was not against us. As for his lies to the public, the charitable are eager to forgive, but the wise not so quick to trust. As for his sins against God, which at the hour of his death will matter most, God knows his heart, but forgiveness is freely available to Edwards, though bought at great cost to God.
Read it all here.
