Yes It's True. And Ted Cruz Doesn't Need to Apologize

The National Enquirer published an article today, saying that Ted Cruz has had extramarital affairs with at least 5 women.  Even those who were convinced of the Texas Senator's well documented lying and deception were taken surprise at the charge against the man who was exalted as the "godly" candidate for President.  With operatives and supporters deeply embedded in the Evangelical circles, he embraced the call to "bring the country back to righteousness."  Many of us warned that this was a huge problem not only because he was human, but also because it distorted the gospel message.  That being that "righteousness" does not come from being good, but from the trust and faith that Jesus is 100% good in your place if you will trust and believe Him to be your Lord.

The evidence will continue to build, but the Washington Times has confirmed that 2 of the 5 women named in the National Enquirer article are indeed mistresses or former mistresses of Ted Cruz from their reporter Drew Johnson.

COMING CLEAN: From what I know, at least 2 of the women named as Cruz mistresses by the National Enquirer are accurate #TRUMP #CRUZ #TCOT

— Drew Johnson (@Drews_Views) March 25, 2016

The Enquirer's lawyers adamantly stand by the story. For a complete run down on the story and evidence please visit Danger & Play and The Conservative Treehouse.

Even without the knowledge that the National Enquirer endorsed Mr. Trump recently and is owned by a close friend of his, many immediately wanted to pass the charges off as cheap, tabloid tricks to help Trump, to sell papers or both.   Many likely aren't aware that the National Enquirer has been at the forefront of many scandals, initially vehemently denied, but later found to be 100% accurate.  Tiger Woods mistresses, Jesse Jackson's love child, Steve Job's cancer, and Rush Limbaugh's Oxycontin addiction to name a few.

In fact the Enquirer won a Pulitzer Prize for the investigative journalism uncovering the mistress and child of Presidential candidate Jonathan Edwards in 2008.  The Enquirer's work eventually not only ended Edwards political career, but it also was used in the filing of criminal charges in the coverup.  The effort that the publication put forth to get the story right is a drama in itself.  However upon winning the coveted award, the paper made it clear it would become specialists in this kind of thing even in politics.

Anecdotally, defenders came from all sides - liberal and conservative - to affirm the integrity of the paper.  This from the comments section on the story at the liberal leaning site Gawker:

The Cruz campaign marketing was pervasive.  Even the day before the news broke, Glenn Beck was declaring that anyone who voted for Donald Trump wasn't a Christian.  Evangelical pastors took to social media, airwaves and pulpits to "take a stand for decency," implying that Donald Trump was somehow not decent, and Ted Cruz was.

They explicitly played to religious and honorable tones as highlighted below in this sample email from early February:

Dear Friend,

This won't be my typical email to you. I hope you will take a moment to read it.

If you are like me, you are probably getting a little tired of all the noise and media frenzy around this campaign. The personal attacks and outright false claims are staggering.

There is so much misleading information flying around on cable TV, the internet and the so-called "mainstream" media -- it's enough to make good people abandon this process and just turn it off altogether.

But, Friend, despite how frustrating this process is -- it is of critical importance. I will never give up fighting for Americans and working to win this campaign because so much is on the line.

I hope and pray you won't give up either.

In fact, I'm so committed to winning this campaign I want to make you a personal commitment today (and in a second I'm going to ask you to make a commitment in return).

First, my commitment to you: 

1. I will always be a consistent conservative -- both in word and deed. You will never have to worry about me caving to the Washington establishment.
2. I will always shoot straight with you. I will tell the truth. I will apologize when I make a mistake.
3. I will run an honorable campaign. I will discuss the difference between candidates, but I will not engage in personal negative attacks. And when I'm personally attacked, I will not respond in kind with vicious below-the-belt revenge attacks.
4. I will be a good steward of your support and financial investment in me. I want you to know your support is faithfully used.
5. I will work as hard as I can, make personal and professional sacrifices to win this campaign, and reignite liberty in our nation.
6. I don't make these commitments lightly. They are my heartfelt vows to you.

If you accept these commitments as my open pledge to you, then I'm hoping you will make a commitment to me as well.

Your commitment would mean a great deal to me, as I am just days away from the votes being cast in South Carolina, and the stakes are incredibly high.

YES, I COMMIT

Honestly Friend, to win this campaign, I'm going to need your commitment because I cannot do it alone.

That's why I hope you will make the following commitment to me:

1. Commit to pray. In the words of our savior Jesus Christ, where two or more gather, He is there. And while I am blessed with an incredible prayer team, I hope I can count on your prayers as well.
2. Commit to vote. No matter which state you live in, your vote will have the power to help shape this country, and I hope you will commit to vote for me.
3. Commit to support to this campaign and make an important donation when I need it most.

Our campaign is coming up against the most brutal opposition only days before the next primary votes are to be cast, and to overcome it, I need the renewed commitment of each and every supporter of my campaign -- no matter the size.

YES, I COMMIT

Friend, thank you for taking the time to read my rather lengthy email. And thank you for considering making a commitment to my campaign.

This is our time, and together we can reignite liberty across America.

Heidi and I are forever grateful for you support.

For liberty,

Ted Cruz

In hindsight, it isn't hard to generate a bit of anger especially because he played on the Christian values of commitment and virtue.   He took money under these pretenses as well.

Few may remember how adamantly the liberals disparaged the Enquirer at stories concerning their Presidential candidate (Edwards) or those against Bill Clinton who claimed he "did not having sex with that woman, Monica Lewinsky" from a silly little website called the Drudge Report.  But yes, this report is true.  There are other non-sexual problems with the Cruz campaign developing that may or may not continue to shock those who believed Ted to be the perfect Christian man.

The odd thing about all of this is that Americans, even most Christians, are quite forgiving.  Largely because those of us who have walked a bit of life ourselves have fallen very short of our best aspirations and ideals.  It also explains why Donald Trump so easily won the Evangelical vote in most of the primary states despite his past infidelity, multiple marriages and vulgarity.  It was because Donald Trump never ran from his past mistakes that he was so popular.  He didn't attempt to hide or blame anyone and many could discern his sincerity.   At least those of us who were honest with our own personal evaluations of our shortcomings.

 What these people do not understand, is that it is not the sin that is the issue.  It is the hypocrisy, denial or irresponsibility of facing the truth.   And for that Ted DOES need to come clean, an even ask our forgiveness for insulting our intelligence and using us.

But, the miraculous thing about the Jesus and the Christian faith, is that to be right with Him - you do not have to be perfect.  YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO GOD. 

I know that it is a radical concept to most Christians, but even your BEST days, doing the best things you know to do - are like "dirty rags" to the purity of God.  It is why God the Father risked seeing his only son tortured and killed.  Because He loved us enough to find a way for us to be at peace with Him.

Jesus ALREADY died for your sins.  He doesn't need to die all over again for the new sins you committed today.  Most of us, experiencing that kind of love DO want to apologize because we realize that we've harmed someone.  It isn't for our benefit it is for theirs.  God, however, doesn't require it.

You only have to accept that all the penalty and judgement you deserve was poured out upon Him on a cross in Jerusalem over 2,000 years ago.  For those who have never accepted Christ as Lord, the book of Romans gives very simple direction.

"...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

That word "saved" is much deeper than just getting eternal life.  It means to be healed, restored, and complete.  Not just spiritually, but physically, emotionally, financially, and in every other way.  And that IS hard to believe with all the world has taught us from our youth.  But that is the amazing and astonishing gift from Jesus.

The process of trusting on an unseen God in Jesus, is no different for all of us - including Ted Cruz - to be forgiven for the sins AFTER we are saved.  In fact, the radical idea for which Jesus was killed - is that you literally do not have to do anything....but believe that He paid for all of your sin, for you to be forgiven.

The same may not be true for those whom you have hurt.  To them you owe it to them to ask forgiveness and possibly even make restitution.  But God is not mad or upset.  He not only already loves you, but He has also already forgiven you.  The story of the adulteress who was being stoned is an example of that unmerited favor - or grace.  She did nothing for Jesus to stop her accusers.  And after they left, Jesus did not require groveling, or even sorrow for Him to declare that He did not condemn her either.  She only believed, and acknowledged Him as Lord, for her to be declared free from her sin.

God’s Righteousness Through Faith

²¹ But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.   Romans 3 - NKJV

The scripture above talks of that grace that is available to Ted Cruz.  And he can demonstrate the real essence of God that he freely borrowed upon during his campaign, by showing how freely God can forgive, just by believing that God already forgives Him.  It will be maddening to those who want him to be cast naked into a desert of snakes to "prove" he has accounted for his sins, but God has already paid that price between he and God.

And once he knows that, the Holy Spirit who dwells in Ted, can direct him on how to regain a life and trust of those who will continue to walk with him.  Some may never forgive him.  But just as Cain continue a life after murdering Abel, a different life can continue.  There are stories across America of lives that held great promise, which are fulfilled in a different way.  God can make that happen.


Many will require that Ted make this up to them in some way.  Some requests he may not be able to fulfill.  Almost all however, will require some level of acknowledgement of his guilt and the pain he has caused donors, volunteers and especially pastors who thought this was a way to help bring our country to a better understanding of God.  To those people, Ted Cruz can finally fulfill the promise he made on the trail.

To be honest and come clean.  ON EVERYTHING.

To be accountable.

To apologize for his mistakes.

And miraculously, the very sin that will have cost him his dream to be President, will serve as a real life example to millions to show how to comeback in God's grace from any devastating loss or self-inflicted fault of our own.

He doesn't need to apologize to anyone.  Unless he wants to fulfill the calling God has for him now.

Posted in: