Yesterday, many of us learned that renowned Christian author Philip Yancey was having an affair. And it was not just a momentary lapse into temptation (not that this is OK either) but a long-term affair. For eight years, Yancey carried on a relationship with another married woman—eight years of living a lie.
During that time, like many others, I platformed Yancey. I invited him to serve as a guest lecturer in a D.Min. class at Wheaton, along with interviewing him on my radio show and podcast.
In a sadly ironic twist from the author of the wonderful book “The Jesus I Never Knew,” we were all encountering a Yancey we really did not know for almost a decade.
Yancey’s books like “The Jesus I Never Knew” and “What’s So Amazing about Grace?” have had big impacts on many of us. They have helped us rightly understand Jesus and ourselves. For all of the truth of his books, Yancey for many years lived a lie, contradicting the reality of the gospel he described.
I’m writing this early on in the story of this situation. Sadly, we’ve seen quite a few similar stories, and we know sometimes more details emerge—and the details often get worse. But I’m writing in the immediate aftermath of what seems to be a clear confession. And I’m not here to speculate on those details, or turn this post into a back-page gossip column.
Instead, I want to revisit a question: How can we avoid such sinful failures in our own lives? I’ve seen too many Christian leaders, both prominent and not-so-prominent, shipwreck their ministries and the reputation of the gospel. I want better for us.
So, what can we learn here and apply to ourselves?
The Prevalence of Sexual Immorality
First, remember, sexual immorality is pervasive. The pages of Scripture teach this. You are not reading the Bible well if you don’t see the danger of sexual immorality and the destruction it causes. From the sordid tales of Lot’s daughters to the high-profile wickedness of David with Bathsheba, sexual immorality is one of the ways sin shows up in our lives and wreaks havoc in our world.
On the other hand, our culture glorifies such immorality. From comedic innuendo to pornography, from fornication to adultery—our culture celebrates many forms of sexual immorality. While celebrating sexual immorality, cultural narratives teach us to minimize the consequences of such sin—instead of seeing the catastrophic destruction that immorality and adultery cause. We minimize the consequences when we should magnify the harm. Heartbroken children, trauma to many, tears and anger that persevere.
Living Coram Deo
Because of the prevailing cultural acceptability of sexual sin, we must vigilantly guard our hearts and minds. It starts with being known—to God, your spouse (if married), and to others who will hold you accountable. We’re known to God, and we must live with the awareness that with do everything coram Deo—before the face of God.
Several years ago, the website Ashley Madison created connections for people looking for adulterous relationships. The site’s tagline was, “Life is short. Have an affair.” When the Ashley Madison database was compromised, it showed that some prominent Christian leaders were also compromised as their information was on the list. In response, I said we need to remember, “Life is eternal. Don’t have an affair.”
