Download Sidestepping Sin?
Dr. Carl Meninger’s famous book, Whatever Happened to Sin? is decades old but asks a very relevant question:
Sin—does it exist any longer or is everything a disease or mental impairment?
It is not surprising that the secular media and secular society have rejected the term sin. Instead, they have interpreted evil and misbehavior as sickness or mental illness. If everything is a sickness (disease) or mental illness, then the individual is relieved of responsibility and accountability. Why has this come about? It is due to the fact that many who have rejected God’s Word and the Bible’s pronouncement upon human sin invented a substitute for the sinful behavior of people. Secular thinking teaches that people are basically good. Evil is, therefore, an aberration, a disease, a mistake. As a result of rejecting the Bible’s teaching that people are basically sinful and self-centered, we have a society that is at a loss to adequately explain or deal with the human condition.
It is one thing to deal with a secular society that rejects sin. It is quite another matter when we find the Church of Jesus Christ doing the same thing. Adultery, divorce, abortion, and homosexuality are now “difficult choices.” Instead of acknowledging that the Bible says such choices and behavior are sinful, too many pastors and church leaders have succumbed to secular interpretation of these things. At one conference I attended on homosexuality the theologian present insisted that modern sociology was just as valid as the Bible and even more so in the case of homosexuality. The end result is that some theologians and pastors, in a desire to be loving and tolerant, have done biblical gymnastics getting the text to agree with their current ideas.
In the final analysis the church has lost, in large measure, its voice. Instead of being prophetic, it too often is a mouthpiece for the newest idea that is “socially correct.” The most tragic aspect of this is that people, caught in sin, are not being challenged to repent and trust in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and new freedom.
Over the years I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of women who have had abortions. These women have come to the point of grief, shame, and guilt over their abortion. Each of them has sought help in dealing with their sin and guilt. As they begin to accept the Lord’s cleansing, forgive others involved, and forgive themselves, they become new people of joy and confidence. Nearly every one of them said to me: “Pastor, why don’t we hear more about this from the pulpit, church leaders, and church periodicals? Why is our church leadership sidestepping this sin?” As you can imagine, this generates a good deal of discussion.
It is time that the leadership in the Church re-examine the Scriptures and return to a biblical standard of right and wrong. It is time that we talk about personal sin, responsibility, and the need for repentance. When we are willing to come honestly before the Lord with our personal sin, then we can speak openly about the problem of sin.
We must come to grips with this most central issue of the Christian faith. Instead of merely “standing with” people in the midst of their problems we also need to have the love, boldness, and courage to speak to the issue of sin. Ultimate cleansing and healing does not come from justifying sin but in repentance and renewal by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Thomas Parrish
Describing the climate of his time, Luther once said, “Truth is on the scaffold.” The lynch mob that deposed truth to such a fate was not made up of the “knaves and scoundrels” Luther was fond of talking about on occasion. Rather, it was the Church herself that bound truth and placed it on the scaffold. Luther became a voice for truth, therefore, not so much in society—although his voice would have a profound effect on society—but in the Church. He wanted to rescue the truth that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, which is revealed in Scripture alone.
Luther took his stand on the truth of God’s Word. He did not strive to start a new church but wanted to reason with his fellow Christians based on the Scriptures so they could see what they were doing with the truth.
The Apostle Paul took this kind of approach. In the synagogue in Thessalonica he, “reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead” (Acts 17:2-3 NIV). The truth that Jesus was their Messiah was on the scaffold for many of the Jews. Paul desperately wanted his fellow Jews to see this truth. He didn’t scream and yell at them. He became a voice for truth. He “reasoned with them from the Scriptures.”
When it comes to the sanctity of human life, there is a need for a voice for truth in the church. Many have placed this truth on the scaffold. Lutherans For Life exists to equip Lutherans to be this voice. We do not advocate screaming and yelling. We advocate reasoning with fellow Christians from the Scriptures on these issues. Scripture offers the greatest, most positive “For Life” message in the universe! The Word of Life speaks to the life issues.
The Word of Life speaks to the value God gives to every human life. The Word of Life speaks of forgiveness and healing for those who have sinned against life. The Word of Life speaks of a loving God who is present and at work in the difficult circumstances of our lives. What a positive truth we have to share! What a positive voice we can be! What a positive influence we can have on the Church and on society. Like Paul, like Luther, be a voice for truth!
Rev. Dr. James I. Lamb