EXPOSE | Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy
Ah, the “S” word. Or should I say, the other “S” word. What I mean is, the one we probably need to use more often. But what a downer, right? However, it couldn’t be more necessary. I mean, take a look around you. Not talking about it, and then dealing with it, gives us this. Even inside the church it doesn’t look much different. W. Robert Godfrey, President and Professor of Church History at Westminster Seminary in California, says that “most American churches and synagogues today are characterized by attitudes and practices which are “joyful, emotional, personal and empathetic on the one hand, impatient with liturgy and theologically broad to the point of theological incoherence” on the other.” Preference seems to be the rule.
EXPLORE | Ignorance is Bliss, But Only For The Ignorant
They say that ignorance is bliss. And I’m willing to go along with that in so far as I do feel a whole lot better just knowing the mystery meat will “taste like chicken”. Not knowing you’re eating tofu, or, that you’re about to be eaten by a shark for that matter, is probably a good thing.
We know enough about the truth, that we know we want to avoid it (in probably too many cases). So much so, that we will cover it up, distance ourselves from it, even call it something else. Whether intentional or not, it’s all to create or maintain our “bliss bubble”.
Ignorance may be bliss–but only for the ignorant, and only temporarily. Existing in a state of feelings or preference without truth is not only selfish, it is a contradiction when pursued inside a relationship or community. Ignorance will not only destroy the individual, but ultimately maim or even ruin the whole.
We need to have boundaries. But even more than that, we need to know when we’ve crossed the line–and what happens when we do.
When someone else’s ignorance bursts our bliss, there is an urgent call for clarity and truth-telling. And it is at that point, we are more likely to invoke the “S” word. Again, the other “S” word: sin. We appeal to the rule that has been broken. The line that has been crossed. It is serious. It is offensive. Sin elicits the conviction that this is a matter for the court!
In his article, 5 Wrong Ways to Talk About Sin, Derek Rishmawy describes one of the ways we avoid using this “S” word. He calls it “The Youth Group” way, which, “treats [sin] more like chewing your nails…” And then nails the reason why we need to–because it is “a serious, soul-destroying plague with real-world (in this and the next) repercussions.”
EXECUTE | Getting Sin Right
That is precisely why we need to use it more often. We need to know where that line is, when we’re about to cross it, and what happens when we do– because of the implications for everyone! Something that is “a soul-destroying plague with real-world repercussions” should cause anyone to seriously evaluate their behavior, and make sure others know about it to. We can’t afford to remain ignorant, nor can we remain silent.
Call It What It Is.
I think I’ve used this definition in the past. But like much of what John Piper says, it is worth repeating, and, gives us the right place to start when thinking about sin. It reveals how easily, and even mindlessly, we could be found on the wrong side of the line.
“Sinning is any feeling or thought or speech or action that comes from a heart that does not treasure God over all other things. And the bottom of sin, the root of all sinning, is such a heart — a heart that prefers anything above God, a heart that does not treasure God over all other person and all other things.” – John Piper
We Should Feel the Weight.
Sin is weighty. Because it is not something to take lightly, there should be some weight to it. Not just that we feel bad, or guilty, but that it is significant enough that we want to take the right measures to deal with it.
“When we don’t see the gravity of sin, we won’t be reliant upon God for the grace of sanctification and transformation, and holiness won’t be our aim in life.” – Scot McKnight, Julius R. Mantey Chair of New Testament at Northern Seminary
Because of the depth it is felt, sin should bear down on us with such a force that it is hard to breathe, and think. We should be serious about it, because of the serious position it puts us in.
“How great is the problem of sin for us as fallen creatures. Because of Adam’s fall and my own corruption, I have broken all the commandments of God and never kept any of them. I have no goodness or accomplishment to offer God in order to earn His favor… Neither as a non-Christian nor as a Christian do I merit any reward or blessing from God. I recognize my sad state as my conscience accuses me, but even my sorrow for sin cannot rescue me or gain God’s favor.” – W. Robert Godfrey
It Is Against God.
It’s not the social injustice, or the detour on the road to success that is the effect of sin, but that it is a direct offense to the Living God. In fact, ‘offense’ doesn’t come near to describing this level of treason.
”To my mind, one of the best ways of tackling that is to begin with idolatry. Idolatry involves betrayal. It involves the de-goding of God. Begin with the Bible storyline where God made us. And because he made us, therefore we owe him. And to think that we don’t owe him is already betrayal. He knows what is best for us so that sin is portrayed, first of all, as an insult to God, as the de-goding of God, as the erection of other gods as a form of selfishness.” – D. A. Carson, Emeritus Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Be Holy.
While we were homeschooling our boys, one phrase my wife would use to direct them through the process of reconciliation with God and each other, was “clean heart, fresh start.” As simple as that sounds, it really provides the culmination of getting sin right. That is, being clear on what it is and the full weight of its implications, we remain untethered by that which “so easily entangles us” through a growing passion for holiness. Just like the announcement says, “if you see any unattended packages or suspicious behavior… report it immediately.” Be on the look out for bad things, and do something about it.
“God has only one intended destiny for mankind—holiness. His only goal is to produce saints. God is not some eternal blessing-machine for people to use, and he did not come to save us out of pity—he came to save us because he created us to be holy.” – Oswald Chambers
Sin is a condition we all suffer from, and something we all should be capable of talking about. Ideally, we would no longer be listed among the ignorant. For knowing the truth brings ultimate bliss.
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Further reading:
Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, Cornelius Plantinga Jr.
5 wrong ways to talk about sin
Why we need to talk about sin
How do I explain sin to someone for the first time
Why doesn’t anyone talk about sin anymore
Talking about sin and repentance
Danger in thinking you’re morally good
What is sin? The essence and root of all sinning
How to talk about sin in a postmodern age
Photo by Simon Migaj
