Changing the Face of Christianity
Reversing negative Christian stereotypes, by helping Christians to be more like Jesus Christ.
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The Bible talks a lot about Sin. God hates it. It would be better to have our eyes gouged out than to sin with our eyes. The wages of sin are death. These, and many other verses address God’s view on sin, the punishment for sin, and ultimately our need for Jesus Christ our savior.
So, the question this week is: What is Sin?
R. Brad White is the Founder and President of Changing the Face of Christianity Inc. Brad is a former atheist and became an "on fire for God" Christian in 2005. In 2008, Brad became incredibly burdened by what he perceived as a Christian faith far off course, and Christians far from living the teachings of Jesus Christ. In 2010, Brad submitted to the calling to reverse these negative Christian stereotypes, by starting "Changing the Face of Christianity" (a 501c3 Texas non-profit corporation). Read more about R. Brad White
Mission: Reversing negative Christian stereotypes by helping Christians to be more like Jesus Christ.
What stereotypes? Hypocrisy, judgmentalism, intolerance, homophobia, superficial, and too political.
Target audience: Christians. Our message and our programs are about growing existing Christians.
Why?
Who are we? Just imperfect Christians trying to make a difference for God, bringing Him glory, according to His good and pleasing will.
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Sin is virtually anything that goes against God, what God says or anything that doesn’t align with the express or implied will of God or the character & nature of God. That being the case, then sin typically occurs in about three (3) different categories:
1. Sins that we’re aware of but don’t do anything about. Maybe we rationalize or justify it, or trivialize it (such as a “white lie.”
2. Sins that we aren’t aware of … but which we suspect. Our conscience may bother us, but we aren’t really sure if it’s a sin or not. Perhaps there’s deception going on that blurs the boundary between sin & righteousness. An example would be gossip. We may be gossiping – but not thinking that what we’re doing is gossip. Or watching a TV show that borders on ungodly. In other words, we see the potential for sin, but aren’t sure when or where the line is crossed.
3. Sins that we’re totally unaware of. Our ignorance of God’s Word allows us to be ignorant of the range and depth in the definition of what sin is or isn’t.
Finally, there are sins of omission and sins of commission. God’s Word explains that sin occurs when we know what to do but don’t do it. Even laziness or busy-ness can lead us into sins of omission. We see that a neighbor needs help … perhaps someone with a flat tire on the freeway. We zip on by, rationalizing that we’re in a hurry and don’t have time to stop. Besides someone else can help them. It could be dangerous for us! Nevertheless, God says it’s sin.
There is a massive problem in today’s Christian society. We have way more sin going on in our lives and in our churches than we’re even aware of … much less willing to confront and repent of.
I agree with Larry, sin is anything we do that is not in Christ-like character (the only person to live a sinless life). It is any thoughts or actions that are not aligned with God’s word, commandments, or obedience to His word in the bible. Sin to me is such an obvious fact of life, who can deny it, we are all well aware of our sins, and there are many more that God can reveal to you if you ask Him. The most amazing part about sin is that if you confess it, ask for foregiveness from God, that God foregives sin. Sin is also of the flesh, our earthly body, not part of our spiritual nature or the Holy Spirit within us (if you are Christian). This is my understanding of sin. One thing I do know from experience is sin does separate you from God. It is hard to feel close to God when you are out of his will and living far away from our role model, Jesus Christ. Share your thoughts, this is a tough subject.
I was thinking today, as I read the news on my computer screen (it is always a good idea to engage the mind when reading the news) about a quote from a police service here in my home town. You see, they just brought down a “major international child-porn ring” and the police said “We hope that this makes people who want to do this sort of thing, think twice before they do”. I think that the statement misses the point of what is at stake and what is required to fix it. It also illustrates the two concepts of “sin” that would constitute the answer to your question.
We are given, in scripture, various lists of sins. Look up Gal 5:19-21, Eph 4:25-31, or Col 3:5-9 and you will get a feel for these lists. There are more. All these things are certainly examples of sinful behaviour that would compromise our Christian walk. These are the most publically traded that we secretly love to see in others so that we can feel better about them in ourselves. Interestingly enough, they are not the ones that would deny us entrance into heaven. There is a greater, deeper reason for that and it is also called “sin” and here is where some confusion can occur.
The “sin” that would cast us into a Godless hell (sorry Mr. Bell) is not one of behaviour. It is one of nature. I am not the good and perfectible soul that the modern culture has painted me, however much it may tickle my fancy to think of myself so. I have a depravity that is a constant bent towards rebellion against the righteousness of a Holy God. I have become very adept at hiding this nature. While this nature will express itself in one or more of the big three (Greed, Lust, or Pride), I have learned quite sophisticated ways of keeping the Truth from myself and others.
The glimpses that I have seen of this personal “sin” problem over the years have convinced me of its veracity. The devil’s part in all this has been perceived as more than it really is. Of course, he is ready to take credit even where it is not his. Since he is, at bottom, a con-man and a fraud, he would only say the truth if it serves his purposes. This is one truth that he throws in our face continually and then he directs his efforts to dilute or erase any notion of God’s great grace towards us. The only defence against a lie is the Truth as God sees it so I need to pursue my relationship with my God so that I do not lose hope over my ultimate victory.
Actually, I believe that I would not see anything of my sinful nature or my hope of victory outside of the intervention of God through divine revelation. It is here where I can see my sin dealt with. First the behavioural sins are washed away by Jesus Christ dying on the Cross for me. They are no longer in the mind of God. They are gone. Then my human nature begins to come under the influence of the Holy Spirit. My nature is sublimated into the image of Christ. These are not pie-in-the-sky words. They are the heart and core of what real Christianity is all about. Salvation is so much more than getting the issues of our shady behaviour stricken from our record. It is nothing less than an invitation to enter the very Presence of a Holy God to hear His voice and learn to obey, becoming an agent of that God and His Love.
I appreciate everyone’s comments. In my conversations with people (especially on the topic of homosexuality) it’s clear that those living in sin often refuse to accept that what they are doing is sinful. When asked the question: “do you think X is a sin? The answer is usually “no!”.
So, how do you bridge the gap between worldviews when the parties in a discussion can’t agree on basic concepts? Let’s discuss this in this coming week’s Question of the Week.
I’ve read your comments on sin, and I think there are some very important aspects that have been overlooked. Although sin can be understood as verbs, as Christians we must grasp that sin is a condition. It has been passed down through the generations from Adam so that we are all born enrolled in the army against God. As toddlers we are already living in a state of treason against the the Creator. We are not sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners. Much of the bible will make a lot more sense if the human condition is understood. From my mothers womb, and, born is sin, and, guilty in Adam ect…. To miss this inability to do anything to repair our condition of being “dead in trespass and sin” is to miss the glorious condescension of God to pitch His tent with us while we were yet sinners. To weigh the seriousness of the matter, one needs to look no farther than the Holy Son of God bleeding and suffering on a cross while enduring the full cup of God’s wrath. A stern warning to those who think any of Gods attributes are subservient to another. He is as just as He is loving as He is eternal and so on. Although we know Gods law, we suppress the truth in unrighteousness. The entire man is affected by sin so that our desires, judgments and morals are unreliable. One who weighs Gods requirements with these flaws, will one day find their scale is grossly and pitifully calibrated. It’s only the Holy Spirit ministering through Gods word that we learn of our peril and solution. Sin comes from within us where it is so thoroughly steeped, and we like it for the most part. We think we’re fine, like so many skunks living under the porch that are about to be burned out. For humanity to rise to the level required to remain alive and standing in the presence of the Almighty, it would take the effort of a superhero Hollywood nor Marvel has envisioned.
The Gospel.
First, the Gospel is an announcement or a proclamation of something that is, or something that has happened. The word comes from, for example, a military proclamation from the battle field “enemy defeated “. Or a man in the hospital receiving a report from the doctor “all is well”. That’s what we have in the Gospel. Good news, Not good advice or steps to obtain salvation. Christ, our hero, has defeated our enemy (death) and declares to us all is well (peace with God). As believers we are no longer represented by the first Adam under the covenant of works. We are represented by the second Adam, Jesus Christ, and the covenant of grace sworn by God to Abraham. By the Word becoming flesh, He represents us in His humanity as the second Adam. He keeps the law perfectly in thought word and deed, thereby making us heirs to His righteousness while nailing our guilt to the cross, satisfying Gods justice at the same time He’s displaying His love. Therefore Christs’ life is as important as His death and resurrection. After which, as the writer to the Hebrews says, He goes into the real temple, not the earthly copy, and presents himself as the propitiation for our sin. The good news, or Gospel, is that we have been justified by the works of another and we can now safely cease from ours. Christ didn’t die to make us savable, he saved all of us who believe in him. A finished work. There is therefore NOW no condemnation for those in Christ. Even at my very best, my attempt at righteousness is utter filth. Not to mention my worst. To view yourself from Gods perspective, read Ezekiel 16. A quote from C.S.Lewis, “God is not proud, he’ll have us even though we prefer everything else to him”. We have a foreign holiness that is not our own. We can take great comfort in the proclamation that God has justified the wicked.
Second, now this is true of us, we are reckoned as holy and righteous before God. Blameless without spot, all based on the passive and active obedience of Christ. This however, does not mean we are changed into “non sinners”. Sin will be right there with us until we are raised imperishable. We look forward to our bodily resurrection, and then we will be changed, we will be like Him, and the former things will have passed away. Thank God the covenant of works and the law no longer have power over us who trust in the sufficiency of the life, death, resurrection and accession of the Son. The Judge has become the Justifier.
Put down those bricks, rest in Christ. His yoke is light.
Robert Morris Cook