Why do church leaders excuse lying, adultery, extortion, and other serious sins when committed by their political allies?

Early in my Christian life, I was taught to strive for holiness in every area of life whether private or public, and as a disciple of Jesus, I must be separate from the ways of this fallen world, not physically, but spiritually and morally. As the Apostle Paul warned the Church of Ephesus, “But fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you!”

Jesus proclaimed a new political reality, the Kingdom of God, one that bears little resemblance to the political systems of this world.

Jesus arrived in Galilee proclaiming the Kingdom of God: “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand!” In his ministry, the reign of God was invading the Earth, but his realm was of a different nature than the governments and ideologies of this fallen world, and on more than one occasion, Jesus refused political power, especially when Satan offered it. With the arrival of the Messiah, every man must now choose which kingdom and ruler he will serve.