This was proven so vividly during the religious scandals of the 1980ís. Jimmy
Swaggart had a huge ministry but railed against the sexual escapades of Jim
Bakker and revealed the adulterous improprieties of rival minister Marvin
Gorman. But Jimmy Swaggart had sexual sin going on in his own life. In 1988
Gorman took photos of Jimmy Swaggart leaving a motel room in Louisiana with a
prostitute. The resulting repercussions brought down Jimmy Swaggartís Ministry;
and the whole torrid scene concerning PTL, Gorman and Swaggart made a
mockery of Christianity before the world.
ìFor the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles
(unbelievers) through you...î Romans 2:24
Ministers of the gospel are to be examples of righteousness and God was not
going to let this kind of hypocrisy continue in the shadows.
ìFor the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of
God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that
obey not the gospel of God?î 1 Peter 4:17
In keeping with the spirit of truth, the Lord Jesus told His disciples to make sure
their judgment was righteous judgment. Assessments based on scripture and
conviction of the Holy Spirit.
ìJudge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous
judgment.î John 7:24
The Apostle Paul also made the point about being a hypocritical judge clear in
his letters to the Romans.
ìTherefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that
judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest
thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.î Romans 2:1
Paul admonished the Church to judge righteously and separate from those
Christians that did not uphold the standard of the Gospel by practicing sin. In this
scripture he mentions extortion, defined as oppressive extraction of funds.