The massive corruption taking place in the political sphere of our country is deafeningly thunderous that it has even caught and lacerated the ears of other countries. For example, South Korean president Lee Jae-myung has terminated the P28.7 billion infrastructure loan project for the Philippines. Who couldn’t feel like flaming inside when taxpayers’ toiled money is blatantly robbed in a systemic way?
But it has led me to reflect as to why it is like this. Is this merely the error, or, to use theological term—sin—of the robber-leaders or the sin of the nonchalant people as well? This leads me to transcend the incredible corruption taking place and to consider the statement attributed to John Calvin, who says: “When God wants to punish a nation, he gives them wicked leaders.”
The statement has biblical parallels. Prov. 28:2 says: “If a land is rebellious [sinful], its princes will be many….” Biblical scholars agree that this verse means that “frequent changes of rulers often result from moral corruption and political disorder” (NAB). Prov. 29:2 says: “…when the wicked rule, the people groan.” And Habbakuk questions God: “Why are you [God] silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? (Hab.1:13). It is supported by the theological view that God is sovereign over all human authority, including governments.
As to Prov. 28:2, frequent changes of rulers may not be the case in this country; the clear situation here is rather political dynasties. But the result could be just the same: “moral corruption and political disorder.” As to Prov. 29:2, the people groan due to wicked massive corruption in the land. And as to Habbakuk, God seems silent, as though he has permitted such corruption.
Taking into account Calvin’s statement and its biblical parallels, we could ask: what sort of sin could it be? It is not private but societal-political sin. The best candidate for this sin is the Vote Festival in the eve—or even earlier—of every election day. Selling and buying of what is supposed to be held sacrosanct, the Vote, has now become a cultural phenomenon, like the Lanzones Festival in Camiguin island every October, where people buy and sell lansones.
This societal-political sin could be seen as constituting the rebelliousness or sinfulness of the land (Prov. 28:2). It inevitably results in having wickedly corrupt leaders and in people groaning at the massive robbery of the country’s treasury (Prov. 29:2). And it is as though God has permitted such societal-political phenomenon (Hab. 1:13). And what Hosea says also makes sense. “They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction” (Hos. 8:4). Because of money in vote buying and selling, people set up leaders not of God, and they idolize people (leaders) instead of giving full loyalty to the nation and God.
Here, Calvin’s statement does make sense: “When God wants to punish a nation, he gives them wicked leaders.” God could be seen as giving wickedly corrupt leaders in this country by means of the people’s very own sin of selling—and the leaders’ sin of buying—the sacrosanct vote, which together produce the suffering in the land, let alone those inflictions that may have come directly from God.
However, God’s punishment is not a condemnation but a wakeup call. It is for us to make self-introspection, to know who and what kind of people we really are. God is shaking this country, showing to those with open minds and hearts that this corruption of vote selling and buying is but generally emanating from within our very own nature as a people.
The fate of this nation then would depend on whether we change ourselves as a people or not at all. God would continue respecting our collective freedom to align ourselves with his will either by setting up leaders patterned after his image or by setting up leaders patterned after satan’s image as the result of the sin of vote selling and buying.