John Edwards' Admission of Error

In David Kupelian’s book The Marketing of Evil, he sets forth three steps that are used to get people to change their thinking about a certain behavior: desensitize, jam and convert. In focusing on the first step desensitization, the attempt is all around us. There are efforts continually in our society to redefine something in terms other than sin. You see if we call something “sin” that implies a moral wrong that involves God. However, if one eliminates God from the equation, the behavior under consideration can be classified as a mistake in judgment. We as Christians must hold fast to labeling behavior as sin when the Bible says it is. If it is sin, then God is involved and repentance and restitution become proper considerations.

Take for example John Edwards’ recent admission that he had consistently lied about having an affair. Below is the text of his statement with my comments in parenthesis:

"In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment (no you didn’t, you committed sin) and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs (and also to a Holy God). I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness (but did you seek forgiveness from God as it was His Commandment number seven you violated). Although I was honest in every painful detail with my family, I did not tell the public (or God?). When a supermarket tabloid told a version of the story, I used the fact that the story contained many falsities to deny it. But being 99 percent honest is no longer enough (it never was as it violates God’s Commandment number nine).
"I was and am ashamed of my conduct and choices, and I had hoped that it would never become public (sin will be exposed either in this life or the next). With my family, I took responsibility for my actions in 2006 and today I take full responsibility publicly (have you taken responsibility before God?). But that misconduct took place for a short period in 2006 (sin has a pleasure for a season). It ended then. I am and have been willing to take any test necessary to establish the fact that I am not the father of any baby, and I am truly hopeful that a test will be done so this fact can be definitively established. I only know that the apparent father has said publicly that he is the father of the baby. I also have not been engaged in any activity of any description that requested, agreed to or supported payments of any kind to the woman or to the apparent father of the baby.
"It is inadequate to say to the people who believed in me that I am sorry, as it is inadequate to say to the people who love me that I am sorry (what about God?). In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic (pride goes before the fall). If you want to beat me up -- feel free (no, we want you to acknowledge your sin not an error of judgment). You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare and will now work with everything I have to help my family and others who need my help.
"I have given a complete interview on this matter and having done so, will have nothing more to say."


Our society is desperate to eliminate the moral boundaries provided by the Word of God. We as Christians must stand firm in our convictions. Yes, you will be called intolerant and judgmental. Yes, you may lose friends and even some in the visible church. Notwithstanding what you lose, by standing for God’s truth you are gaining so much more. You are standing with the cloud of witnesses that were willing and did lose their lives for the truth. Sin is still sin and it is our duty to proclaim it whenever we are given the opportunity. We must be faithful to the end. Don’t allow yourself to become a victim of desensitization; the world will bombard you with its philosophies and thinking. The Word of God is to be our foundation. If you allow the world to prevail on your thinking, jamming will be next. Jamming can be defined as “psychological terrorism meant to silence expression of or even support for dissenting opinion.” (Kupelian at page 26) Finally, conversion is when you adopt the thinking of those that desired to modify your belief system. It is all around us and happening every day.

John Edwards did not just “cheat on his wife,” he violated the Commandments of a Holy God. It is our duty to say so.