…. If you had the opportunity to witness to him?
Would you say, “Ah, he’s just a carnal Christian, I don’t need to witness to him” , or something like, “He is just a backslider, that is no reason to question his salvation”.
The article on Wikipedia related to Sanford states that the affair lasted over a year and his wife knew for around 5 months. Sanford was caught “in the act” so to speak, and in his press conference, he admitted that he was wrong for cheating on his wife.
This raises some interesting questions, many the same as I raised about Ted Haggard awhile back. Sanford was caught red handed in the act of cheating on his wife- do you think the affair would have continued if no one knew? Sanford also said that he knew it was wrong to cheat on his wife, yet he continued to do it. Why would someone willfully do something over and over if they believe that action to be wrong?
Mark Sanford
The affair was also definitely premeditated. What does that say about you if you plan out your sin, and have no problem with executing it? Sanford was definitely sorry about the affair, but was he sorry he sinned against his God and his wife, or just sorry he got caught? It sounds like he was sorry AFTER it came out in the media. That is not Christian repentance.
I am not Mark Sanford’s judge, and I cannot say where he will go when he dies, but I can tell you what the Bible says about situations like this. The scriptures tell us that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Prov 23:7). It also tells us that you will know a person by their fruit (Matthew 7:16). What I CAN say is that something is wrong. I am concerned. Christians should depart from sin, not plan it out and run to it.
I can also tell you that true repentance is reflected in our war with sin, our hatred of it. Christians still stumble, but thats the point, they STUMBLE, and what it looks like Sanford was doing was diving.
Would you even question Mark Sanford’s confession of faith? What would you say if you had the change to talk face to face with him?
–Danny
...Say What?? 
I would indeed question this man’s ‘confession’ of faith. It is one thing to even openly ‘confess’ that we are a Christian, but quite another to live that life as Christ would have us do and to be one who perseveres in our faith through-out life on this earth.
I looked up what a dictionary had to say about the word persevere: to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. That’s a pretty good explanation of the Christian walk, wouldn’t you agree?
I would agree whole heartedly! God indeed sustains our faith and upholds us, that none of sheep should be lost. God is sooo good! Perseverance in the faith is evidence of true salvation.
–Danny
Cool post, did not thought it would be so great when I saw your title!!
Backsliders, unrepentant sinners, heathens…they all need the same message: the Gospel. I would witness to Sanford the same way I would witness to anyone else. I would bring him through the law, show him is a sinner and has broken God’s holy law. Then, I would tell him all lawbreakers will be cast into Hell. But, then I would tell him the Good News: Jesus Christ dies to save him from the bondage of sin.
Great blog, by the way. I found it while researching Beth Moore. :)