In yet another political moment dominated by spin, suspicion, and conspiracy, one thing that is missing is that the coming release of the Epstein files is not just a political story. It is a moral and spiritual test. And Christians cannot afford to fail it.
Right now, Congress is moving toward a full, unredacted release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's decades-long trail of exploitation and abuse. Commentators on both sides are scrambling to frame the situation in ways that best protect their political narratives.
If our first instinct as Christians is political panic — "Will this hurt my side?" — we have already lost.
This is bigger than Trump. It's bigger than Clinton. And it's bigger than any individual whose name might appear in those documents.
As Christians, we must resist the urge to see this through a partisan lens. When we allow partisan loyalty to determine what truth we are willing to accept, we stop being guided by the Bible and start being guided by political pundits.
The Epstein scandal represents something far more serious than another round of political blame-shifting. It is a moment when hidden evil is being dragged into the light. And the Bible is clear about how believers should respond: "Expose the works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:11-13). That command does not come with a partisan footnote.
If we are honest, though, our instinct is often to protect "our" people. We don't want to believe that someone we admire, support, or voted for could be tangled up in something ugly. That instinct is dangerous. It leads to silence. It leads to cover-ups. And worst of all, it enables injustice against those most vulnerable.
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We have seen this dynamic before, painfully, within the Church itself.
Ravi Zacharias was one of the most respected Christian apologists in the world. Pastors, scholars, missionaries, ministry leaders, and everyday believers admired him deeply. Thousands partnered with him, quoted him, and defended him. Yet, after his death, a mountain of evidence revealed a hidden pattern of manipulation and abuse that shocked the global Church.
Here's the point: If Godly, discerning Christians could be unaware of Ravi's secret life, then it is entirely possible that public figures, Right, Left, or center, were unaware of Epstein's crimes. It's also entirely possible that the figures we most revere could have taken part in acts of darkness without us knowing. Association does not equal guilt. But association also should not make us afraid of the truth.
What made the RZIM response so important was not their grief or their embarrassment; it was their commitment to full truth. They commissioned an independent investigation, released the findings publicly, apologized without conditions, and shut down the organization rather than protect the brand. They chose truth over tribe. They chose integrity over image. And that is the model Christians should follow.
We need that same posture now.
Christians should be the first people in society who want truth revealed — and the last people clinging to political denial.
Truth is not our enemy; truth is our ally, because God Himself is truth (John 14:6).
This is also a moment for courage on behalf of survivors. The Epstein case isn't primarily about celebrities or politicians. It is about the young people whose lives were destroyed while wealthy and well-connected adults abused them, while others looked away.
Sexual exploitation is spiritual warfare. It devours human beings made in God's image. The Church cannot be silent in the face of that kind of evil, not from cartels trafficking across borders, not from predators in Hollywood, and not from entitled elites who used money and influence to hide deviance for years.
The media will spin this. Some outlets will protect their allies; others will weaponize the story against their enemies. Narratives will be crafted. Headlines will mislead. Social media will distort. We cannot let any of that replace discernment.
We must read slowly, think biblically, and refuse to let the truth be filtered through algorithms or outrage cycles.
The standard must be consistent, without exceptions. If wrongdoing is exposed, whether by Trump, Clinton, royalty, CEOs, pastors, or entertainers, Christians should demand accountability. Not because we want to see anyone fall, but because accountability is the doorway to repentance. And repentance is the doorway to redemption. Without truth, there is no pathway to either of these.
This is a moment for the Church to reclaim its moral voice. To say clearly, "We welcome truth, even if it is uncomfortable." That is what moral courage looks like. And it is what the world desperately needs to see from Christians right now.
Truth is not partisan. Truth does not belong to one political party. Truth belongs to God. And if we truly believe that, then we must welcome the light…no matter whose name it exposes.
Peter Demos is the president and CEO of Demos' Brands. A Christian business leader and lawyer from Tennessee, Demos uses his biblical perspective and insight gained from his own struggles to lead others to truth and authenticity in a broken world. Demos is the author of "On the Duty of Christian Civil Disobedience" and "Afraid to Trust."
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