If Jesus is our example, then we must take an honest look at how he lived his life and how he interacted with all types of people. Some people have a misshapen identity of Jesus, believing that he was this metrosexual hippie who lived his life being controversial, while offering a few enlightening insights. They believe that Jesus never said an unkind word to anyone, and that in general he was just a really soft guy. This is simply untrue, Jesus said many unkind words to people and ultimately this is why they killed him. Jesus’s approach to people was much different than most contemporary evangelicals. He told one church leader that “you convert one person and they are twice the son of hell that you are.” (Matthew 23:15)

As evangelical Christians, we have completely reversed this trend. In my community and church there are dozens of good-natured fundamentalists screaming in a very public forum that “homosexuals are ruining our country.” At the same time this is going on, our own Christian leaders are knee-deep in sin and everyone is turning a blind eye, hoping that it will go away. This is the complete opposite of what Jesus demonstrated for us and we need to return to Jesus’ example. We need to be truth tellers; we need to call each other on our sin, and this includes holding our leaders accountable.

As I’m sure you have guessed by now, I’m specifically referencing the incident involving President Snider and the harassment charges. I want to first say that I love Dr. Snider; I believe that he has done many great things for Trinity Western and I believe that, with proper restoration, he can continue to do great things for Trinity. However, the actions of the Board and Cabinet have been such as to hide what happened from our community. This is an unbiblical approach and I am advocating for full disclosure of the incident, that there be nothing hidden, that there be consequences and then, if Dr. Snider is willing, complete restoration.

In II Samuel Chapter 11, David’s sin with Bathsheba is exposed. David had gone to great lengths in trying to hide it, even to the point of murdering Bathsheba’s husband Uriah. However, God loved David and he told Nathan what David had done and sent him to confront him on it. God used Nathan to bring the sin to a conclusion before it became David’s destiny.

None of us here are without sin. Romans 3:23 backs this up: “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Anytime we think we are better than anyone else; we are the chief of sinners. I stand before you declaring that I am full of sin. I’m a destructive, gossiping, lusting, coveting, miserable wretch of a man and it is only through Jesus that I boast. I boast not in what I have done, but what he has done in me at the cross.

I am not advocating a witch hunt here, I am calling for open disclosure; that everything be brought into the light. We need to humble ourselves before the Lord and our community. As we hear God speak to our hearts we must not harden them, and we must be quick to repentance and slow to anger. We will continue to sin because it is our nature. However, our response to sin needs to be one of repentance and a desire to no longer bury it. I’m calling for us to live in the light.