Like many readers of this magazine I have admired Ted Haggard very much. I have had fellowship with him, prayed with him and have been thrilled to see him exalted to such places of influence. He kindly endorsed my book Total Forgiveness (Charisma House). My heart goes out to him and his family. The pain he and they must be feeling at this moment is incalculable. Few people on the planet will undergo the depth of grief and overwhelming guilt that Ted, his wife and children, are experiencing.
I choose to believe that Ted Haggard is not yesterday’s man. In my book The Anointing (Charisma House) I refer to King Saul as a type of ‘yesterday’s man’: (1) he put himself above the Word of God, knowing full well he was going against Scripture when he offered the burnt offering (1 Sam.13:9). (2) He took himself too seriously, thinking that as King he would be judged by a different standard. (3) He justified what he did, claiming he was ‘compelled’ to do so (1 Sam.13:12). (4) He lost all sense of integrity, even breaking his vow to his son Jonathan (1 Sam.19:6-10). (5) He would repent of trying to kill David; it seemed sincere, but he reverted to the same evil quest (1 Sam.24:16-21, 26:1-4). (6) He turned to the very sin he had officially outlawed in Israel, by turning to the witch of Endor (1 Sam.28:3-11). (7) He was accountable to nobody. He was supposedly accountable to Samuel, but he did not heed Samuel’s counsel.
What determines whether one is ‘yesterday’s’ man or woman is whether he or she is renewed to genuine repentance. King Saul was not. In Hebrews 6:4-6 there is a description of those who fell away and could not be so renewed. Indeed, it was ‘impossible’ for them to be renewed. The reason for this is very simple: they could not hear God speak anymore. In Hebrews 5:11 the writer warns them that they were already ‘dull of hearing’ (KJV – literally ‘hard of hearing’ – nothroi, Gr.). The worst scenario would be to become what we today would call ‘stone deaf’ – which explains why one could not be renewed to repentance; they could no longer hear God’s voice (cf.Heb.3:7ff). At the natural level, deafness normally comes in stages. So too at the spiritual level. These Hebrew Christians were already in a precarious position – they were ‘hard of hearing’ – as they were being addressed.
What further determines whether one is renewed to repentance is whether he or she is truly accountable to God. The problem is, too many leaders will say ‘I am accountable only to God – not man’ and consequently feel exempt from submitting to any human leadership on earth. The higher one’s profile, the lower the probability is that such a person will be accountable to any human being. ‘But I am only accountable to God’, one retorts. I reply: if you really are accountable to God, you will prove it by being accountable to honest, frank, responsible, objective, fearless and caring people. You and I are not so spiritual that we can by-pass those people who will lovingly tell us, ‘You cannot do this’, Neither are we so spiritual that we do not need to become exceedingly vulnerable to those who will be unafraid to warn us.
The problem is, many of us have such people that we trust and claim to be accountable to. But if we do not tell them our weaknesses and temptations, we all, like Ted Haggard, are likely to get caught out sooner or later. God will not bend the rules for any of us. The honor of his name and the reputation of his church do not override his hatred of sin and hypocrisy, wherever it is. For all, things will come out at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor.5:10); but for some, God steps in in advance of the Judgment.
Ted Haggard has publicly said that he thanks God he was exposed. I believe him. Strange as it may seem, his getting caught was a kindness of God. I believe that Ted has been chosen as an example of what will happen to all of us if we do not get our private lives in line with the way we are viewed publicly. God has rolled up his sleeves in these last days and said ‘enough is enough’. Secret sins – whether it be pornography addiction, carrying on an affair mentally or physically, improper use of money, not being Christ-like with one’s family – have a way of becoming known. I personally believe that God has decided to step in in order to get Christ’s bride ready in these last days.
It is no longer surprising for many to hear that pornography is almost certainly the greatest secret sin of preachers. Proof of this is the ratio of sex movies subscribed to in hotels when there are church conventions in town. It is absolutely amazing. They say, ‘No one will know’. Perhaps. But God knows.
What surely matters most of all for us in the ministry is, in a word: the anointing – the ability given by the Holy Spirit to make the supernatural seem as if it were natural. In other words, the anointing makes it easy. Whereas the gifts and calling of God are without repentance – irrevocable (Rom.11:29), the anointing of God’s abiding approval is in direct proportion to our repentance and walk with the Lord. King Saul prophesied on his way to kill David (1 Sam.19:22-24). This shows that his gift of prophecy was an irrevocable gift and functioned after God rejected him as king (1 Sam.16:1). In the same way the gift of preaching, writing, administration, evangelism and all the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12 may function regardless of one’s secret sins. They prove nothing insofar as being an indicator whether one is walking in the Spirit.
Recently someone handed me a slip of paper with the following propositions, reportedly written by Dr. Charles Swindoll: (1) Have you been anywhere this week with a woman that may seem compromising? (2) Have your financial dealings this week been conducted with integrity? (3) Have you exposed yourself to any pornography this past week? (4) Have you spent adequate time in the Scripture and in prayer? (5) Have you spent priority time with your family? (6) Have you fulfilled the mandates of your calling or vocation? (7) Have you just lied to me?
Those people who became yesterday’s men after getting caught were those who did not take recommendations regarding discipline. For example, they could not bear the idea of being out of ministry for a couple of years or more. They have paid heavily as a result. But many of those who have fallen and got exposed who did humbly submit to such discipline – and were granted unfeigned repentance in the meantime – were honored, came back and were mightily used.
God is merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! God knows our frame and remembers that we are dust (Psa.103:14) ‘Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline’, said Jesus (Rev.3:19). Those who choose to be accountable to God and trustworthy people will never become yesterday’s men or women.
This is why I believe Ted Haggard will come back one day. We should pray for this and welcome the day it happens.