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http://www.christiananswerman.com/ This is an on-line ministry whose purpose is to provide information about non-Christian cults and aberrational

fringe Christian ministeries. Mark Swarbrick, your host, attended the University of Illinois and received his diploma in Ministerial Studies from the Berean School of the Bible,

Jimmy Swaggart False Teaching. So long as someone genuinely repents and turns to Jesus for mercy they will be forgiven no matter what they have done. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This opportunity for repentance and restoration, of course, includes ministers. When famous Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart was caught (the first time) with a prostitute in 1988 he made a dramatic emotionally charged televised confession, saying tearfully, “I have sinned…”

At the time, I preached a sermon to my church saying that we must forgive and pray for Jimmy Swaggart, that if he has turned to God for mercy and grace, he has received it and that we must also extend our hearts and prayers to him with the same grace that God has given us. Jimmy Swaggart Bible.

It is always God’s will to restore someone who has fallen into sin. Galatians 6:1 says, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”

In the Corinthian Church a man fell into sexual sin with his stepmother. He was temporarily excluded from the Church, but then the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church and said, “Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.” (2 Co 2:6-8)

Hell is a fearful thing. We should never want anyone to go there. Scripture tells us that “God desires none to perish.” No matter who someone is, how they may have let us down, or in what manner they may have hurt us – no matter what they have done – our desire should be the same as God’s; that they repent so that they can be restored into God’s, and the Church’s, good graces. People who have been ensnared by sin need the Church and they need God’s people to love them, care for them and accept them without looking down upon them in any way. Jimmy Swaggart False Doctrine.

Even if a person repeatedly falls into the same sin, God’s grace is always available so long as they are repentant and humbly want help. Jesus said, “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”

Later Peter asked Jesus, “‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’  Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” If we are to forgive a person for sinning against us 490 times in one day, then we cannot expect that God will do less. There is mercy for those who struggle with sin so long as they are repentant and attempting to change. Scripture says, “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” (Romans 5:20)

A Case Study: The Special Situation of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries (JSM)

I am often accused of not forgiving Jimmy Swaggart. Here is a typical post on my website made by a fan of Swaggart. http://www.christiananswerman.com/

“Shame on the administrator of this trashy site for slandering Pastor Jimmy Swaggart! Rather than trying to crucify the Swaggarts, why don’t you just pray for them and acknowledge their good work? Sounds like you don’t believe Jesus can forgive sin.”

There is much to say in response to that. The short version is this: Forgiveness for the fallen requires repentance, and if that is done, forgiveness for the fallen itself does not automatically mean that God wants them to be free to do, be, or teach anything they wish without accountability to, and discerning judgment from, the Church.

Restoration of a fallen minister is different from restoring a regular member of a church. Ministers have a serious responsibility and their lives affect many others. Consequently, restoration of a minister to a position as a minister will take longer and be more involved.