# Exploiting personal sin to revitalize career?



## BobVigneault (Nov 8, 2006)

What do you think of this? It seems to be happening more an more. You've got Kirk Franklin and Clay Crosse confessing that they are addicted to ****. They confess (or get caught) and then turn around and use their sin to revitalize their career. Do people need to hear their stories of wretchedness or would an expositional message from scripture be better. It is my opinion that public sin disallows you from public ministry.

Am I being unduly cynical or is this just beyond the scope of a biblical response to our sins? Is this good for the church or detrimental?







Countdown to Ted Haggard's book, "How The Mighty Have Fallen (and then got back up!)" in 3.....2......1.......


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## KenPierce (Nov 8, 2006)

Peter.


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## BobVigneault (Nov 8, 2006)

And Peter exploited his sin to revitalize his career how?


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## Peter (Nov 8, 2006)

Paul?

Galatians 1:23
But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.


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## BobVigneault (Nov 8, 2006)

Peter and Paul would make sense if they went on to SELL their epistles for top dollar. The Bible is full of clay footed men and women. I'm not speaking of the beginnings of Christianity I'm speaking about the trend in christianity the industry.


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## KenPierce (Nov 8, 2006)

Peter didn't exploit his sin to "further his career," but his sin, in God's sovereign good purposes, was used by God to show forth his grace.

Incidentally, Peter is the clean-shaven one looking into the empty tomb in the picture above.


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## Kevin (Nov 8, 2006)

KenPierce said:


> Peter didn't exploit his sin to "further his career," but his sin, in God's sovereign good purposes, was used by God to show forth his grace.
> 
> Incidentally, Peter is the clean-shaven one looking into the empty tomb in the picture above.



And all this time I thought that was you in the picture.


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## BobVigneault (Nov 8, 2006)

KenPierce said:


> Peter didn't exploit his sin to "further his career," but his sin, in God's sovereign good purposes, was used by God to show forth his grace.
> 
> Incidentally, Peter is the clean-shaven one looking into the empty tomb in the picture above.



So what you are saying is that Clay Crosse and Kirk Franklin are being used in God's sovereign purpose to show forth his grace and that I am being overly cynical?


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## Blueridge Believer (Nov 8, 2006)

All I can say is I'm glad the Lord is in the restoration business. I'm a walking testimony to it. Thank God for the spirit of repentance. I hope this is what those two have and not an angle to make money.
God bless you brethren.


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## KenPierce (Nov 8, 2006)

Bob,

I don't know one way or another. But, I guess that's the larger point. The Lord knows the heart, not Bob or Ken. And these men will give answer to God for the sincerity of their repentance, and whether their public repentance is a monument to his grace, or their own self-promotion --only God knows that.

Yes, it does bother me when First Baptist Atlanta said that Charles Stanley's marital failure actually made him MORE qualified to minister --that is a silly thing. If that's true, I guess I'd better go and file for divorce today, so I can be more qualified! And, I have searched high and low to find a statement of repentance from Dr. Stanley on the matter, but never have located one. 

But, such things should never make us jaded on the grace of God which, after all, abounds to the chief of sinners.


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## Pergamum (Nov 8, 2006)

I do not want to judge people's motives. If they confess their faults out of love for others who have that same fault and show how God has healed them, then I am all for it.

Even Ted haggerd, if he does his time for his crime and repents and is restored as much as possible, then his testimony of his fall and restoration might do more good than anything he has done so far...


About Charles Stanley.... if he doesn't match the Biblical qualifications of an elder now that he is divorced, then no amount of repsentance should restore him to the pastorate...


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## turmeric (Nov 8, 2006)

I think we're looking at the inevitable results of poor catechesis on sin and sanctification rife in the mainstream evangelical church.

Having said that, from what I understand, lots of men are addicted to ****, because it's more available and compelling than ever. Maybe their coming out and admitting it will keep zillions of Christian men from living secret lives. Maybe not.


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