If you are convicted of a crime the judge never leaves it to you to
determine your own sentencing. Often you also have to pay restitution
to compensate the victim, or their family, or the state. You may have
asked for forgiveness but will still have to deal with the consequences
of the crime such as being incarcerated for what can be a lengthy time
depending on your crime, and before the state will grant you parole or
release they want to see proof of contrition and restitution to be convinced of your rehabilitation.
When a spiritual leader like a pastor or such commits a lascivious or
egregious sin, especially over an extended period of time, it has
damaging effects on everyone who looked to them for leadership. It is
even more damaging when the leader is also the one deciding their own
discipline and restoration. A lack of accountability is usually how they
fell in the first place, and now even after their fall they continue
the same way by being accountable to no one.
