In the Bible, the priests were spiritual leaders of the nation of Israel. They were mediators between God and man, and were also teachers of God’s law. But some of the priests were corrupt. And some leaders of Israel also sinned against God, eg. King Jehu, Queen Athaliah, King Jeroboam.

In the church context, the leadership has to govern the church according to God’s Word. In addition, the lives of church leaders must be examples of godliness and holiness in the fear of God.

When a leader sins, the facts must be established, and then the sin dealt with according to God’s Word (Matt 18:15-17). Leaders must have a teachable and humble heart, and admit their faults and repent of their sins. One good example is King David when the prophet Nathan pointed out his sin of adultery. David repented immediately (2 Sam 12:13). Another example is King Nebuchadnezzar who humbled himself before God (Dan 4:34).

Leviticus 4 teaches that the leader who had sinned must himself bring an offering of “a kid of the goats, a male without blemish; And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering. And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him” (Lev 4:23-26).

Note that the blood was not brought into the most holy place, but that the priest was to apply it (with his finger) on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and then the blood was to be poured at the bottom of the altar. Also, the rest of the animal sacrificed was not brought without the camp to be burnt. After the fat was burnt at the altar of burnt offering, the atonement of the sin of the leader was completed. The rest of the animal sacrificed could be eaten by the priests.

We have to be careful not to over-punish a leader who has sinned. After the forgiveness and repentance of certain sins, the leader may not be allowed to serve in certain ministries. He may, however, serve in other ministries with a season of observation and restoration. Whether it is a leader, or a non-leader, who has sinned, he is not prevented from going to the Lord for forgiveness. There is always forgiveness with the Lord. God will never over punish or under punish.