This is my Letter to the Editor

I just read a piece by Michael Gerson entitled "Sex and Grace" which refers to the recent revelations of indiscretion on the part of a conservative Christian politician.   I just have to say my thoughts about this, mostly because I feel people like me are being accused of being self-righteous in merely calling out the immoral behavior and demanding higher standards from elected officials.
No one is without sin, but there is such a thing as repentance and the gift of the Holy Spirit's power to fight the temptation of sin.
Why can't we expect the people who lead us to use this power?  Even people without the Holy Spirit can often withstand sins of action----those acts which affect someone or something other than one's conscience or thought life. (Although most of the time those sins eventually do work themselves out in perceived action sooner or later).
God's grace is apparently limitless, yet we are not to exploit it!  God's mercy is given to all who repent.  Is it impossible to live a life that is free from moral failure?
Hardly.  God's power is greater than anything else.  While sin is pervasive and powerful in itself, we do have the capability to live lives that are morally pure, with God's help, of course.
I will say that some should be held to high standards.  Countless leaders in the past have led with a morally clean platform.
This doesn't negate the need to forgive failure.  Christians should be the first to forgive!
Yet there are damages from moral failure, always: hell here on earth or in the spiritual world.
Forgiveness will not erase the damage here.
Striving for moral purity will indeed reduce the damage.
Kissinger said that power is an aphrodisiac.  I would agree with him.  The sin of pride (power feeds it) is always the first of the sins, and it leads right into the others.  The end is always the same.  Corruption.  The devil will fight his battles wherever he can get a toehold.
Our leaders need prayer and spiritual protection to withstand the devil's onslaught.  They need the inner strength and purity of heart that comes from the Holy Spirit.
Too bad I can't think of many public figures who are seeking this pure power.  May God protect me and my family from evil!  I thank Him for His grace,  mercy, and forgiveness.  I thank Him for His power.
Most of the time we have to choose the lesser of evils when dealing with the world.  And self-righteousness?  I guess you'd have to read my own heart.  I know its blackness, and I'd bet most of those accused of being self-righteous feel the same.   Go ahead and accuse the self-righteous ones.  It won't justify anyone's sin!