The Case of Bribery

Christian God is the God of Justice. Therefore, to live a just live is the purpose of every Christian. And one of the practical problem that can we face is regarding the issue of bribery. Bribery is to give something to get something which in essence promote injustice by passing or against a written or legal law whereas close to an act of bribery is giving a gift. Giving a gift is an act of giving something to maintain a relation to get something base on mutual arrangement between two party which in essence is not against any legal-written law. However,  having define the term as one scholar wrote, ''The line between a bribe and a gift is not easy to draw.''

If our culture surround us practice this act of bribery, it is easy for us to follow the stream wherever it leads and say, ''Well, bribery is normal, everyone does that.''  ''No, we are actually giving a gift only.'' However, this is a inexact logic for something is ''right'' or ''normal'' just because of majority holds is a very wrong notion of what truth is. Certainly, we need to have wisdom to act in the relational culture [especially in Asian or third world country] and to stay firm in trans-cultural value from the Word. With regards to bribery, Judas, is the one clear example on how ''bribery'' for the sake of greedy-end is really unacceptable and also, story of Judas give us a very vital awareness that  there is nothing good out of bribery as one author wrote in his book describe it boldly, ''bribes distort judgment and subvert justice.'' 

In the Old Testament clearly prohibited as it is against the justice of God [Ex 18:21; 23:8; Deut 16:19; Amos 5:12]. To imitate God not just in the church or believer community is our main responsibility. To imitate God in public square [Market place] does change the whole game, it is the true work that need to be done faithfully and undeviating loyal to the just God. David J O'Regan put in this deftly way, ''the avoidance of bribery is a form of ''Imitatio Dei'',  just as we are made in the God's image, so we are encouraged to behave like God, too.''I am particularly interested with the word ''avoidance'' that Regan use, somehow it show how one need to radically detach from an engagement with it in the first place for once we enter the ''gate'' of bribery, it is very difficult for us to come out. 

Bribery and corruption can be said as major problem, a social trend that is happening widely in Asia. Unless, the country has at least introduce a strong anti-corruption precepts and punishment, the practice of bribery of any kind will be flourishing. China has been leading in addressing this issue. Since the late 1980s as one article put, ''PRC indicated that the public had identified corruption as “the most prevailing social crime” and confirmed its resentment.''

It is right to say about justice and to act justly are two different and separate thing. One can dubbed and holds to a deep theory of justice but act totally in separation with the conception of justice. That is why, by introducing anti-corruption policy will helps but might not eradicate the problem totally. 

At the end of the day, it is God who can help and grant us, or the nations a profound wisdom to do so, to do justice and try to ''avoid'' it. I personally like what Juan I. Alfaro, in his book Justice and Loyalty : A Commentary on the Book of Micah wrote, 

''God will cut off and eradicate, not so much the external enemies against whom the false prophets raved, but the internal enemies of the people, the roots of injustice and the bases for human confidence that excluded God: the military and political power, the instruments of divination and sorcery that call attention away from God, and the idols that directly oppose the rule of the true God (cf. Ps. 20:7; Isa. 2:6–8). The people had proven incapable of purifying themselves; the reform of King Hezekiah had fallen short. God himself would have to purify his people to prepare the land for the rule of the messianic king who would bring true peace and justice to the land, setting as the foundation of his reign the defense of the rights of the poor.he great purification by God will not be simply a punishment but a final salvific act. God will take away human securities so that the people will trust in him alone and will heed his call to conversion and justice.''