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CORRUPTION: THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

Corruption is the scourge of this generation. Turn on the radio or television or open any newspaper in the world on any day and, chances are, you will come across something that has to do with corruption. Its insidious effects are more far-reaching and, maybe, even more devastating than civil wars, the spread of cancer or HIV/Aids. Everyday, silently kills thousands of people, especially in a country like Sierra Leone, and will continue to blight the lives of generations yet unborn if it continues unchecked.
What is corruption? A secular definition, taken from the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary states that corruption is (1) “dishonest or illegal behavior, especially of people in authority”, (2) “the act or effect of making somebody change from moral to immoral standards of behavior. The same dictionary goes on to define corrupt persons as people who are willing to use their power to do dishonest or illegal things in return for money or to get advantage and describes the behavior of such persons as dishonest or immoral.
These definitions give only a broad general view of what corruption really is and limit themselves to positions of authority, thus leaving one with the mistaken impression that those who are lower down the rungs of the social ladder may not be considered corrupt for doing similar things. For instance, in a recent article in one of our daily papers the writer maintained that he had “a soft spot for corruption when it is out of need.” In other words as long as a person who has perpetrated a corrupt act can show or prove that he did it out of need, he should not be held responsible or be punished for what he did. However, this begs the question about where to draw the line with regards to the needs of others. The writer may have had in mind the office messenger perhaps, who, not having received his meager wages for a month or two, might be tempted to steal ten thousand leones from his boss’s drawer in order to put food in his children’s mouths. On the other hand, the person who steals thousands of leones to buy a vehicle could argue that he needed it to get his children to school on time every morning because transportation is unavailable where they live. Where, indeed does one draw the line? Is the official who can get his hands on hundreds of thousands of leones more corrupt than the messenger who steals the little that he can get his own hands on? I think not.
Who has the right or the authority to determine whether a man is corrupt or not? No one, except God Almighty. Corruption is a spiritual thing that can only be erased from a person’s life, by the grace of God, through his Son, Jesus Christ. We are all born in sin, (For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God – Ro. 3:23, 5: 12), but 1 John 1:9 assures us: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (italics mine). In God’s eyes all corruption is unrighteousness, which means not being in right standing with him. Whether we are talking about stealing, cheating, lying, committing murder, fornication or adultery, it’s all unrighteousness or corruption and no one is qualified to change it except God, through Jesus Christ, the one perfect man who came into the world to save sinners and did so with his blood. This being the case, it means that the corrupt man cannot of himself, decide to change and do so successfully without God’s help. Deterrents like fines, jail sentences or other forms of punishment are no good because they only stop that person for a time. The moment he finds himself in a situation where he can do what he had done before he will do it in the hope that he won’t get caught again. That is why, the world over, no institution that has been set up by man has successfully eradicated corruption from society.
The Bible is replete with references to God’s views about corruption and corrupt people. Here are just ten examples out of hundreds:

Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: in whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. (Ps. 26: 9-10)

A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. (Ps. 37: 16)

For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. Seek good and not evil: so the Lord of hosts, shall be with you, as you have spoken. (Amos 5: 12-14)

Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. (Mt. 7: 17-20)

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly. (Jn. 10: 10)

… the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Ro. 8: 21)

… put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ep. 4: 22-24)

Let him that stole, steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth… and grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice… (Ep. 4: 28-31).

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (Ga. 6: 7-8)

Whereby are given to us great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Pe. 1:4)

Where did corruption, which is sin in its entirety, come from? It originated from the devil, Satan (See John 10: 10 and John 8: 44). That is why it is impossible for anyone who is corrupt to be able to free himself from it. The corrupt person is under bondage to Satan and because he is so crafty he is able to convince such a person that there is nothing wrong with what he is doing, especially if everyone else seems to be doing it. Satan puts a blind over that person’s eyes and mind so that he sees those who are not doing the same things that he is doing, i.e., taking and giving bribes, stealing, lying, cheating, etc. as enemies who are out to thwart his plans. Neither the law, nor any other form of deterrent can stop such a person. Indeed, it becomes a game to try to outwit law-enforcing authorities at every turn. The game becomes even more enjoyable if those law-enforcing agents are themselves corrupt and open to being manipulated.

Trying to fight corruption without Christ is impossible because the devil responds vehemently to anyone who opposes his kingdom. Paul tells us what to do in Ephesians 6: 10-18. In 2 Corinthians 10:4 the Bible tells us that … the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the bringing down of strongholds… (italics mine). Corruption wherever it exists, is a stronghold of the devil. He sets it up in order to keep men under his control so that they will do everything that goes against the dictates of God while at the same time destroying themselves and those around them. That is why it is only through the power of God that such strongholds can be brought down.

The Church obviously has a vital role to play in all this. There is no force on earth that is as powerful as a vibrant, united body of people who are willing to work to free their society from the plague of corruption. In Matthew 11: 12 Jesus Christ said: And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. A weak, divided Body of Christ that is itself in the throes of corruption cannot in any way summon up the force needed to wrest the kingdom of heaven from the violence of corruption that it is suffering from.