07.24.06
sin n’ so forth
My dad (and I’ve genetically picked up his predisposition to corny humor) always used to quip about Sunday morning sermons that the pastor preached about sin. And, the pastor specifically came down squarely against sin.
Of course, this little joke lost a little of its bite–you know, given that my dad WAS the pastor in question. Nonetheless, sin is an interesting topic. Perhaps the topic itself isn’t so interesting as what Christians try to do with sin.
Some Christians try to use sin to scare people. I’m sure you all know the type. There’s the Falwells, the Dobsons, the Robertsons of the world trying to convince us all that the homosexuals are off reproducing like bunnies and dragging society down the fast lane to hell. If we don’t turn from our heinous, liberal ways, our society is going to burn like a couch or a parked car after a Michigan State sporting event loss.
The funny thing about all that is the types of sins that they pick that’ll send us down the highway to destruction. It’s always the sexual sorts of sin–the kind you always loved to hear about when you were young at church–that are the focus of such folks. Sexual sins–though rarely discussed–were like solid gold ingots; they were the best gossip currency out there. Followed very closely, of course, by sins of addiction.** On the heels of which follows the closely related issue of divorce. I very clearly remember a time in my life when a young man in our church got a young woman pregnant, out of wedlock, of course. I distinctly remember thinking that if that EVER happened to me, my life would simply be OVER.
It must be nice to be able to pick those sins that aren’t so much a problem for you, and then rewrite a couple thousand years of religious tradition to suit your denominational fancy…but frankly, it doesn’t work for me. And, it doesn’t work for others either.
Take for example those Christians who want to get a pat on the back for just recognizing sin. Jim Wallis and a lot of other Christian Left-ists are, rightly in my opinion, infuriated with the narrowly (selectively) enforced sin of the Christians who want to use sin to scare people and generate juicy discussion. These folks, again rightly, notice that some issues are completely ignored as sin issues. So, they spend their time pointing out that it’s sinful to live opulent, selfish, consumeristic lives. And, they are, of course, correct.
Of course, because they’d rather shrivel up like a turd on a hot day than be confused with a conservative right winger, they often tend to ignore the damage sexual sin can do in people’s lives, or tend to condone divorce (not that there aren’t significant and some right reasons to get divorced) as something that’s just par for the course for the 21st century couple. Too often these people seem to want gold stars for pointing out that we should buy less gas and love people more. Sure, they’re right (we should buy less gas and love people more), but honestly I don’t see much about them that’s any different than the folks on the right…they’ve just got a different set of rules to enforce, and a different set of standards to judge people upon (rather than talking about the girl in church who’s 16 and is 5 months pregnant, they’re the ones talking about who’s going to hell for driving an SUV and not using cloth diapers).
Then, there’s a whole other bunch of Christians–well meaning ones, I’m sure–who’re busy desperately running around trying to figure out what, if anything, is a sin. For example, on a message board I used to frequent there was recently one exemplary discussion about whether or not it would be “a sin” to wear the AC/DC t-shirt that this person’s fiance just bought them. You know, would it hurt their witness?
The last time I checked, 60 posts of discussion had ensued.
Staving off the nearly overwhelming desire to drink a gallon of bleach, instead I headed for the liquor cabinet. Then, once I got my nerves under control (because 4 pages of discussion about why or why not on whether or not to wear an AC / DC t-shirt just shoots the hell out of my nerves) I staggered off to find my laptop so I could write about sin. Which brings me here.
Sin, as it’s been described to me from the scriptures, is quite simply falling short of the mark. It happens to all of us, and it can and does happen in the most innocuous of situations. In fact, most things I do, if I really think about it have been touched to a degree or another of sin. Sure, that sucks, but it’s a fallen world (pardon the kitch-y, cliche-ish phrase).
What I’ve started to think about sin is that it has the power to paralyze people. That can happen in lots of ways. We can be paralyzed by our judgementalism. We can be wooed into a sense of self-satisfied righteousness by simply being able to name certain types of sin. And, we can even be brought to a standstill when we focus on the everyday ins and outs of the depth of our depravity.
But, I don’t think we’re called to be a paralyzed people.
Jesus caused many a lame man to walk. Sure that was a literal healing (I believe). However, there’s something distinctly metaphoric about Jesus’ healing of the lame or paralytic. Jesus doesn’t turn the paralytic loose on the world with the admonition, “Now, watch every step you take that you don’t step in a hole and break your neck…cuz’ if’n you screw this healing up, there’ll be no more for you.”
No, Jesus tells us to go out and sin no more. Go out and stop missing the mark. Go out and use your gifts. Go out and drive less and walk more. Go out and be sexually pure. Go out and love people. Go out and be kind to the environment. Go out and help failing marriages that can be reconciled to be reconciled. Go out and love the orphans.
It’s no easy calling, to be sure. To go out and sin no more, to be perfect. But to be stuck in a rut somewhere looking at the actions of ourselves and others, well, that’s a long ways from perfect, if you asked me.
__________________
**Kevin very correctly points out that only certain sins of addiction are really counted as sin.
Like Brandon, I just find it interesting which sins we choose to condemn, and which ones we let slide. Weight issues can often be genetic.
Dean said,
July 24, 2006 at 7:50 am
Dude your stuff always amazes me. Thanks for taking the time to write and explore and share!
Sam Harrelson said,
July 24, 2006 at 8:08 am
[…] a badchristian blog » sin n’ so forth […]
Religion On A Stick » Archives » if it's so bad, why does it feels so good? said,
July 24, 2006 at 9:01 am
[…] Brandon @ a badchristian blog gave us some ruminations this morning on sin n’ so forth: […]
Helen said,
July 24, 2006 at 11:26 am
Great post. I love how you looked at sin as personal rather than as something “other people” tend to do.
timmer k. said,
July 24, 2006 at 11:47 am
My, my, my. Balance on the issue of sin. Boy is that a rarity. It blesses me to see people who hold the conservative/liberal and personal/systemic sides of the sin issue together–because it all matters to God. All of it. Thank you for the fresh air of theological balance. I get so tired of the pendulum swings.
BTW, I’ve also witnessed a bunch of ‘is it sin or not’ debates on Derek Webb’s board. I think my favorite was when people were discussing if you needed to confess the sinful aspects of nightly dreams. Cause, yeah, I’m sure God is pissed about unconscious thoughts. How far are we allowed to walk on the sabbath again?
Helen said,
July 24, 2006 at 12:07 pm
Ooh, just found an amusing story…
Flying abroad for a holiday is a sin against the planet, according to a leading bishop. So how do you go away without incurring the wrath of the Church.
Brandon said,
July 24, 2006 at 12:25 pm
You know, I don’t entirely disagree with the concept of flying abroad being a dangerous environmental option. The thing is, when we get so legalistic we can’t really do anything without doing something wrong. And, it’s true, we are doing something wrong…most of the time.
Getting caught up with the ins and outs of what’s sin and what’s not is a little pharasitical, if you asked me.
Kevin said,
July 24, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Followed very closely, of course, by sins of addiction.
Well, not all addictions. If I had a dollar for every overweight pastor I’d ever known, I could buy a lot of cheeseburgers.
Kevin said,
July 24, 2006 at 2:33 pm
The thing is, when we get so legalistic we can’t really do anything without doing something wrong. And, it’s true, we are doing something wrong…most of the time.
Agreed. It’s hard to live life today without participating in something heinous. If I drive a car, I’m destroying the environment and giving us a reason to invade other countries. Most clothing is made in sweatshops. Most fast food corporations rape the land, subject animals to horrible conditions, and pay their workers shit. Air conditioning is responsible for a significant amount of pollution. The food we buy in grocery stores is shipped from hundreds, maybe thousands of miles away. And on and on.
wildwest said,
July 25, 2006 at 11:35 am
Buy a fuel-efficient or a hybrid vehicle. Avoid fast food. Shop at food co-ops. Shun Wal-Mart. Hey, it’s a start.
mike said,
July 25, 2006 at 12:58 pm
A. W. Tozer was known as one who preached a lot on grace. A woman came to him one time and said, “Dr. Tozer, isn’t it wonderful: I sin and He forgives, and I sin and He forgives and I sin and He forgives. It is such wonderful grace.” Tozer looked at her and said, “Young lady…if you want to see what is truly wonderful - stop sinning!”
mike said,
July 25, 2006 at 1:04 pm
Kevin: Speaking as a pastor that is slightly overweight (depending on whose scale you’re using), I don’t eat poorly at all, and I still can’t lose weight. Oh, wait a minute. Maybe it has something to do with spending twelve hours a day in committee meetings, counseling sessions, School board meetings, Terrorist Cell meetings where we plan to destroy SUVs, two-hour “I just need a minute of your time” sessions, lesson preparation time, Youth leaders, home cell leaders, children’s leaders, worship leaders meetings…where all I get to do is sit on my butt continuously. Maybe that has more to do with the overweight than the cheeseburgers. My daughter-in-law is a vegetarian and she also struggles with her weight. Perhaps being the assistant dean of a law school has something to do with it. If we could figure out how to get my office into 24-Hour Fitness this might change.
Brandon said,
July 25, 2006 at 1:37 pm
Sounds like you have an addiction to your job, Mike.
I’m relatively certain Kevin wasn’t trying to level a complaint against all overweight pastors…and he never said they all eat too many cheeseburgers. But I think we can agree that pastors are more likely to condemn narcotic or behavioral addictions than they are food or work addictions.
mike said,
July 25, 2006 at 2:23 pm
Brandon: Got it. This is the problem isn’t it? Suggesting what another person’s sin might be by external cues (like overweight or clothing or car that we drive). My mom used to say that we all define sin as “all the shit I don’t do any more”.
Brandon said,
July 25, 2006 at 3:35 pm
This is the problem isn’t it? Suggesting what another person’s sin might be by external cues (like overweight or clothing or car that we drive). My mom used to say that we all define sin as “all the shit I don’t do any more”.
Amen, Mike.
Kevin said,
July 26, 2006 at 12:43 pm
My mom used to say that we all define sin as “all the shit I don’t do any more”.
That was really my point, Mike. I promise you I can stand to lose a few pounds myself.
Like Brandon, I just find it interesting which sins we choose to condemn, and which ones we let slide. Weight issues can often be genetic.
Sarcastic Lutheran said,
July 26, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Love your blog.
Isn’t there something to be said for the fact that the world would be a much more boring place without sin?
Just felt like I had to speak for the underdog here, poor sin…always spoken of in such disparaging terms. Maybe we could start a list of our favorite sins. Mine would be 1)complete selfishness masking as “self-care”, 2) pride, and 3)justifying my spending habits.
Daryl said,
July 26, 2006 at 10:40 pm
Emerson once said, “That which we call sin in others is experiment for us.”
Mason Cooley also once said, “I criticize myself ruthlessly, but never mention the faults of which I am truly ashamed.”
I really have nothing else to add but I wanted to share that. Keep the blogging and the commenting! I enjoy it immensely.
A Considerable Speck » Sins, sins, sins said,
July 27, 2006 at 5:27 pm
[…] Brandon, over on abadchristian blog, has posted some interesting musings on the topic of “sin” in a post entitled sin n’ so forth. This is what he had to say…. “…sin is an interesting topic. Perhaps the topic itself isn’t so interesting as what Christians try to do with sin. […]
Barbara said,
July 28, 2006 at 6:05 pm
Thanks for this great post - just found you from Recovering Evang. This was a really timely topic for me. My sins are viewed by my friends as worse than theirs and I am just really weary from trying to pick a better sin so they will stop nagging me so much.
JD said,
July 28, 2006 at 6:40 pm
Brandon, thanks for the time and work you’ve put into your site. I’ve just started reading it. I agree that questions appear far more valuable to spiritual growth than answers. I suspect that’s partly true because we are offered so many more answers than we are good questions. It’s true that many segments of the Church don’t invite or in some cases allow questions. But that’s also true of large segments of the World. Perhaps because of that we’re hungrier for good questions?
Does it ever seem to you that good questions frequently lead to good answers, but good answers always lead to good questions?
An example: Jesus is asked “is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
Good question.
Jesus answers: “Give to Caesar’s what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Pretty slick.
But upon inspection I realize that he has left me with at least two more good questions: 1. What is Caesar’s? 2. What is God’s?
See what I mean?
My own quest for answers has led me to an interesting general question: Is it answers I seek, or is it the Answerer?
Writing about God, spiritual matters, and religion as seriously and thoughtfully and honestly as you do is a game only for the daring, the insane, or the called. I will not presume to pidgeonhole you in this regard. I do, however, applaud.
thinker said,
July 29, 2006 at 4:22 am
A lot to think about, thank you. Neat blog– your writing is very interesting. thinkingsand.blogspot.com
jag3773 said,
July 29, 2006 at 5:45 pm
I couldn’t agree more. The worst part about ourselves is not that we sin (as in commit acts of sin) but that we are sinful beings by nature. There is none righteous because all are sinful from inside out, not outside in… “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.”
-Romans 7:24-25
jeff said,
July 30, 2006 at 1:29 pm
Excellent post, brandon. We all tend to be so either/or about out lives that the liberty Christ spoke of seems like a pipe dream…
litgem said,
July 31, 2006 at 10:38 pm
You are so on the mark with this one, Brandon. One of the most frustrating things I’ve observed among christians is the sin factor. The sin is always a big one…the infidelity, the addicts, homosexuality, the young unmarried couple living together, the pregnancies…but what about those “other” sins?? Gossip, little white lies, taking all the towels from the hotel =) What about those little daily trespasses? Are they really so little? Why is Christian gossip okay, but the subject of the gossip so bad? I’ve brought this topic up with my Christian relatives and friends, but they always make excuses for themselves and cover up what is really going on in their hearts…that would be judgementalism, pride, and jealousy…aren’t those sins too? Hey, we can’t escape ourselves. We all screw up daily in many ways…sometimes we aren’t even aware of it because we are so accustomed to ignoring or making excuses for our behavior…it’s much easier and more fun to point the finger away from ourselves. So let’s all start improving ourselves and leave everyone else to their own “closets.”
gredaadt said,
August 4, 2006 at 4:38 pm
Thank you for posting this, brandon.
I tend to get so caught up in the leftist side of things, that I forget just how self-righteous I have a tendency to become.
There’s bullshit on both sides of the fence, and you nailed it here!
Excellent.
UR4given said,
August 4, 2006 at 5:10 pm
Wow, a new place to confess my sins without public scrutiny, a private booth, or covering my head. This is truly a universal forum…”4 all have sinned”.
I am a recovering Pentecostal Evangelical…and now only go to church when home visiting Mom. Why? Probably because I have all I can do to not raise my hand and ask “Why”, “how”, or “lets not and say we did”. I also have discovered more questions than answers…and I dont have to get up early on Sunday mornings with everyone else to ask the same questions at the same time. I also cant participate in many of the “ceremonies” honestly, because I cant truthfully agree with much of the creed and prayer thoughtline that goes with communion, baptism, confession, et al. So…why go to an institution to be frustrated and feel alone in a crowd. Am I lost…or have I found…myself? Am I in my own “Gethsemane”?
Can anybody here say “Amen”?
Adam said,
August 5, 2006 at 10:55 am
Nice post. Liked it a lot.
Randy said,
August 7, 2006 at 11:53 pm
When you say it’s just “missing the mark” and the way you describe it, it sure does sound a lot like humanism. My Christianity is based on the Bible. The Bible tells me what is right and wrong. Now, feel free to debate the many interpretations of the Bible, but you can’t tell me that sin is simply left to “missing the mark”. Cause correct me if I’m wrong, can’t I just redraw the mark?
Randy said,
August 7, 2006 at 11:58 pm
Actually now that I think about it, isn’t there yet another type of Christian? Ones that rationlize their sin in order to justify their humanistic lives?
Brandon said,
August 8, 2006 at 7:53 am
Wow, Randy. Just wow.
Bridgier said,
August 8, 2006 at 11:02 am
I base my Christianity on tea-leaves and sheep’s entrails myself.
Strangely enough, I keep coming up with the same answers…..
Kevin said,
August 9, 2006 at 11:13 am
Actually now that I think about it, isn’t there yet another type of Christian? Ones that rationlize their sin in order to justify their humanistic lives?
You mean the American ones who store up treasures on earth instead of selling their possessions and giving them to the poor?
jeff m said,
August 13, 2006 at 12:44 am
Thanks for the great insight Brandon. Life isn’t about trying to fill my self-centered appetites, it’s about loving my God and my neighbor—that “neighbor” being all people.
Lachen said,
August 20, 2006 at 1:43 pm
Indidvidual sins are only a manifestation of the deeper issue of sin.
And as SIN is the only element in this phenomenon we call life that has the potentiality to forever seperate us from Christ, I tend to take my own missing the mark seriously. As to the sins of others which seperate them from the Lord I love who seeks to love them so very much, I mourn them and condemn Satan’s ever present voice echoing in our culture which is so eager to rewrite the mark, as Randy said, to allow a heckuva lot to fall within the category of Biblically acceptable these days.
Then again, the AC/DC T-shirt discussion would probably have sent me running for the hills, too. I wonder if my “Vote For Pedro” T-shirt is next on the chopping block?
Alex said,
August 23, 2006 at 8:42 pm
You want to talk about being a bad christian? Well, I’m sure this comment will definitely mark me here. I enjoy your writing and the balanced approach to the topic at hand but, I’d like to suggest a different approach to said topic. I really don’t see God being all that interested with the sins in our lives. (OMG, WTF did he just SAY?!!)
I mean, Jesus did pay the penalty for us and if we were able to stop sinning then what was the point of Him dying? Didn’t God say that He would remember our sins no more? (Jer.31:34; Heb. 8:12; 10:17) So why does the Church put such a huge emphasis on something God doesn’t even care to think about? He does obviously care about us being His ambassadors, and letting Christ live through us. We may not be under the old Testament law, but we are under Christ’s law (1Cor. 9:20, 21).
Anyways, the point I’m trying to make is this. If the Church spent as much time and effort living out Christ’s Law (Love one another) as it does talking about and pointing out sin (which I guess I’m doing myself right now :p) would we be having all these problems today? Just some food for thought.
Margaret said,
August 30, 2006 at 7:47 pm
Came across your blog looking for something completely different. Interesting look at sin from your point. If it is a sin just to “miss the mark”, would that include guesswork? HAHA
Sin is simply disobeying God.
God tells me to be a pastor’s wife, but surely doesn’t tell Brandon, Kevin or any other guy on this site, so if I don’t do it, I’ll answer to God for my disobedience. Sin is a very personal thing.
Sin is also an even kill. If you murder, you’ve sinned. Gossip, hate, lust, it’s all the same to me. I’ll get the same punishment whatever.
God forbid anyone change their mind on anything. That just might be a sin too….JUST KIDDING. Over my 17 or so years of serving God, I have changed my mind on several things in the scripture. God has also kept revealing things to me. Learn, grow in it and give it or learn, stow it away, and not live.
We are responsible for what we know. We will answer to God alone pretty soon….Sad people spend too much time on Sin and not more on Grace.
It’s free and believable. The word is proven true too many times to doubt.
As for me, I am going to continue on being a King, Priest, and Ambassador for the Kingdom of Christ. Why live under our priveledges?
phred said,
September 1, 2006 at 11:46 am
love this blog…
best book I think I’ve read on sin: Cornelius Plantinga, “Not the Way it’s Supposed to Be”
He takes a much more balanced and holistic view of sin than the typical right or left. Sin is vandalism against God’s shalom.
Unlikely Christian said,
September 10, 2006 at 12:02 am
Man, you are pretty right on. I have committed the “sexual sin” you speak of and my name is “no longer to be mentioned” at the Christian organization where I used to work (note: I was fired for having an affair). I wish more people understood that EVERYONE is in sin, and it is just a matter of time until our life as we know it explodes. Of course, that’s where God wants us–broken. If we are broken then we see sin in a different light, and realize that sin does not mean death if we see that sin is really our connection with Christ, and that without it, and without calling it out and repenting from it, we are nothing but shallow Christians. If we choose to judge others, and take our eyes off of our own sin, then we are not living the life of a true Christian.
UR4given said,
September 11, 2006 at 10:46 am
I think where many people miss the boat on this subject is how one conceives of love…and more specifically…GOD’s love. If we see him as some parental figure in the sky looking down to squash us every time we fail, sin, screw up…well, we become like mice in an experiment…with God being the mad scientist trying to steer and modify our behavior. My faith doesnt perceive God that way.
Then you have God as the “Wizard of Oz”, everyone seeking him and rejoicing to be in his “kingdom” without ever seeing him (Ok, SOME claim they saw him and have the inside track)…with God behind the scenes pulling the strings and keeping us “fearful” of him. Again, not my idea of a loving God.
Then theres God as the “benevolent dictator”…I love you but do it my way…or you’re banished. Thats how most church people see him in their faith I think.
Personally, if Jesus is to be the example of who God is…well lets just say maybe it took him 30 years to figure out his mission (if his ministry lasted 3.5 years as the theologians tell us)…and then it was one of acceptance, healing and forgiveness. Loving the prostitute, spending most of his time with the unbelievers (how many including the deciples really believed he was who he said he was? I wonder)…and chasing the merchants out of the synogogue. A radical rejected by the religious leaders of his day. Wasnt from an educated, profitable background or profession. No fancy suits or new saddle for his donkey because he had paid his tithes to the church and God had rewarded him with more money than he could spend. I mean, I barf at watching 98% of American christian television (and for sure the simpleton, non elevated noise they call music)…and I think my God does to.
And the biggest issue on this thread to me is those who are worshipping the “Bible” more than their creator. Whose eyes are blinded by the written word to where they can not see with their “spiritual” eyes. Sin is easy…even as stated in your Bible as “knowing what to do and not doing it” and that Gods law is written in our “hearts”. Romans 1 describes the human condition quite well…and Romans 5 quite thoroughly describes what Paul felt about the law and grace. Unfortunately, modern churches in my opinion use the Bible as a version of “law”…as a battering ram if you will to knock people down from one scripture or interpretation thereof, and then finding another passage to pick them up again…based on interpretations and non contextual extrapolation to back their particular agenda. While I still like to remember and can debate issues with Biblical scripture…I gave up doing that 20 years ago since most religious people use the Bible “wrongly divided” in my opinion. I now feel more comfortable discussing more “spiritual” issues in a spirit of peace and the rest of the fruits of the spirit. I am done with using the Bible as an intellectual “cat o nine” tails, punishing myself and others through mental anguish that has no end. I mean, come on now….over 112 different Baptist denominations in the USA alone? Most of them divided over interpretations of the Bible? How sick can Christiantiy get? What heppened to the community church where everyone of faith in your neighborhood went to the same church?
Personally, I get much more out of the thoughts and words Brandon and others are expressing here. And before we start biblical debates, you better be up on the history of how your Bible was created and published to you before you start spilling and justifying based on certain passages with literal translations and holy warrior enthusiasm. (this is a reminder note to myself also)…
Pure Faith just became a bigger quotient in the argument about sin…
Daniel said,
September 16, 2006 at 3:02 pm
Nice work on this blog. I was looking for a jump-start to my brain so I can have something to say Sunday. A couple thoughts. Someone commented that arguing about what was sin and what was not sounded Pharisaical. It does indeed. MArk 7 includes a serious allegation aimed at Jesus and his disciples: they did not do the ceremonial washings as the traditions of the elders required. This was a serious social and religious faux pas…not to mention sin against the purity laws, and Jesus seemed to be condoning it. He told them that what goes into the body from outside is not what defiles. The defilement is on the inside. And it flows out from every available orifice into the sewer. I always thought this suggested that it was not “things” that made us sin, but our attitudes toward those things. Addiction might be defined in terms of an idolatry. We treat perfectly good creations of God as if they were our God, and we corrupt them in our use (or abuse ir misuse) of them. And I still think this is so. But I think there’s more here. pour a little bleach into a glass of fresh water, and you have started to poison the fresh water. Pour a little fresh water into the bleach, and the bleach is no more “righteous’” for it. The point is not to pick and differentiate as to whose sin is worse or who is the greater sinner. The point is that we are all sinners–all–and would die that way but for the grace of God. Enough of that. Probably didn’t say it all right anyway.
The other thing…Sin as missing the mark. This is literally what both the Hebrew and the Greek primary words for “sin” mean. It is in fact a bilical concept. The key, of course, is in who sets the standard, or the mark. Biblical faith does not leave this up to democratic vote or popular opinion. God sets the mark. And so God is the one we have to deal with. And fortunately, Jesus is the terms that God has set forth by which we deal with him. Hooray! Sorry this turned into a marathon. Keep up the good work. All of you.
Dglass said,
September 19, 2006 at 9:02 am
I just read your first entry of how you self-imposed your title of bad-Christian. I would definitely say that we are all “bad-Christians” in the sense that we all fail God and His Son - our Savior - every day. But this is not to say that you are all correct. No, not by a long shot.
You have taken the vain thinking of the unsaved world around you and have tried to logically incorporate that with what you know about God through the Bible. The worlds philosophy, as a whole, is presently post-modernism. This is a long title for the belief that there is no set right and wrong. In other words, something is only right when it is right to you or the same thing with wrong. But God’s word says that there is right and wrong and the firm basis for such things is not our own feelings. Instead, He has communicated to us and in that has given us insight into sin by giving clear do’s and dont’s and also by showing us the nature of God. This is ridiculous thinking; becuase it does not play out in real life. For example, you can say that homosexuality is a perfectly fine lifestyle for a Christian. It sounds good to the ear; becuase God is gracious, loving, and understanding to all people. The problem comes in when you put it into a real life example. What if someone has nothing against being a murderer? Most people would say well that is wrong, but under the post-modern world view that is bing closed minded. Do you see what I am saying? I am saying that there has to be a basis for right and wrong. Without it life doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense. I hope this is helpful.
Dan
UR4given said,
September 20, 2006 at 8:21 am
Dan…just a couple of comments.
Your post obviously comes from the well intentioned fundamentalist mindset that right and wrong are black and white…and that somehow the bible is always coherent when it comes to this premise. Many of us “Bad Christians” have found major gaps when it comes to answers on some of these issues. It is a little more complicated than comparing homosexuality to murder when it comes to right and wrong…if only in the fact that one involved consenting mutual behavior while the other obviously does not. Would you stone (to use an old testament punishment) the murderer and the homosexual together? If sin is sin, would you hang the glutton next to the pedophile? When we start analyzing the “therefores” of black and white, we start running into some dangerous consequences.
Some of us also dont want to discount “feelings” when it comes to decisive actions. For some of us, these issues have become easier by literal interpretation of Galatians 5:14
The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
In essence…most of us dont need a preacher or bible passage to tell us dos and donts since the law was “written on our hearts”…and the definition of sin some of us adhere to of “KNOWING what to do and not doing it”. I actually think the worst sins are those things we DONT do than the bad things we DO.
Unfortunately, where “post-modern” Christianity misses the mark for many of us is the thousands of “Chrisitian” denominations that are divided on interpretations of “dos and donts”. Why cant all the people on the block or neighborhood go to the same church around the corner like they used to? What happened to “little house on the prairie”? (OK, I date myself) Mostly because our version of Christianity is not so open and all encompassing. The people on our block are somehow more sinful than the people we drive 25 miles to go worship with. Or maybe we just feel more comfortable around Christians who dress like us, have the same median income, are the same color and ethnicity, and contributed with us to build that $20MM temple which funds could have otherwise gone to feed the hungry, house the homeless, or rehabiliate the addict.
Sure,none of these issues are simple…therefore, “Sin” is not simple. My faith tells me that Jesus was a uniter of various sinners…prostitutes, merchants, tax collector…all followed him together. Seekers of truth and a better way. Something inside them, feelings if you will, caused them to do this. It was not a commandment, a crisis, or coersion. I sense it was more a sense of emptiness…a vacuum of faith in the simple person…that caused the early Christians to follow. Personally, I dont think we need mega or “emerging” churches to fill that gap. I think it is a one to one relationship, between each other and in your faith, that will sustain and fulfill the expectations of those seeking truth and “The Christ”.
MInTheGap said,
September 20, 2006 at 2:10 pm
I’ve been taught that each sin is equally despicable in the eyes of God. In that case, we should also be preaching about how bad gluttony is– All-you-can-eat anyone?
Robert said,
September 29, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Brandon,
Great post.
I bookmarked your blog and plan to visit often.
I also feel as if I have found “a place in the storm” where I can talk and think about my faith in an atmosphere devoid of judment.
I was “saved” at age nine, attended a Christian High School and have made a “career” in a (tangentially) “Christian area.
But, as I get older, I find the need to evaluate my faith MORE…not less.
I am fascinated that most of the posters on this blog tend to come from the “left” side of the spectrum because my backround is from the “right.”
This post was particularly interesting because it rings so true; I have difficulty having patience (these days) with fundamentalists of either the left or the right.
And, the DEFINITION of sin is…”missing the mark.” It gives the best explanation. We all miss the mark. We all need to ALWAYS bring ourselves back to the target.
Isn’t GRACE the defining aspect of Christianity?
Isn’t the REVOLUTIONARY part of the Christian story the fact that GOD has provided us with a means to move away from sin and towards the target?
Depending on your degree of Calvinism, isn’t it also revolutionary that GOD has come after us and continues to turn us back to the target?
I always liked the Scriptural metaphor of all of our GOOD/BEST WORKS being as DIRTY RAGS to GOD…because it puts us all in the same boat; we have ALL fallen short…not even by degrees…it is all or nothing…we are unable (without God’s intervention) to achieve SINLESSNESS.
So, in the end…what does the particular sin actually matter?
If we are faithful, thin and driving to feed the poor in our used PRIUS, we are still LIGHTYEARS away from the SINLESS state that we will someday experience.
UR4given said,
September 30, 2006 at 11:47 am
Maybe its just my own rationalization…but since most of us here are agreeing that Sin is a constant of our “human” state of existance…and the “fallen” world we live in…I prefer to focus on the good rather than the “bad” that I or others around me are doing. I think if my world or “heavenly” view was to constantly FIGHT my sinful nature…I would give up, curl up in a corner, and not be too excited about living.
Whether we come from Calvinist or Armenian backgrounds…we all have the same human conditions. We all want sex in one form or another…and not always just with our spouse or significant other. We all act out differently in that particular area of life. To surpress or lie about that might make the issue more paramount in our psyche from what I have seen in myself and others. To the extent that we dont make such a big deal out of that, or drugs, or whatever the “worst” sins are in our society or church…we are then free to think and pursue other/better things. Its not that we ignore and dont talk about those “sins”. In fact, I would argue the more we can talk and be open with ourselves, the healthier and freer we will be to be in control of our “urges”. Isnt it part of our nature to seek that which is “forbidden”? Isn’t that the main lesson in the story of Eve and the apple? Part of our nature is to pursue experiences…figure out for ourselves what this world is all about, even the “forbidden” things…and then hopefully put it in perspective with the rest of our wants and needs.
yea… I know this starts sounding “humanistic” after a while. But personally I’m not convinced that God didnt create us to be good “humanists”. After all, if we are made in his image…and he is a jealous God…experiences pleasure and displeasure based on decisions we make…seems to desire that we love and revere Him…well, isnt that a bit self serving and self centered? No wonder OUR tendency is to be that way.
Ok…dont go throwing all your Bibles at me now with chants of “heretic”, “blasphemy” and the like. That really wont help me figure all this out. It will just reveal the norm of close mindedness and lack of rational evaluation on your part.
Believe me…its much easier being a fundamentalist follower than a soul searching truth seeker…I have been both, and the former was the easiest way to go. But…sometimes the “road less traveled” is more rewarding even in it’s difficulty and periodic darkness…
2calvinistic said,
October 24, 2006 at 6:46 am
Sin is not “missing the mark” but any want or conformity to God’s Law. God’s Law must be the “benchmark” not our own understandings.