sin

I think that many have the notion that Christians are against sin purely on a moral basis. We are thought of as repressive individuals with regressive angst that causes us to be oppressive toward the personal freedom of others. I suppose that some of us are exactly like that--certain fundamentalists come to mind, certainly.

Here is my take on sin. I understand that sin, all sin, causes a breach of relationship in one way or another. The primary broken relationship is between us and God. Trust and covenant are violated. Vows are broken. The relationship we could have is damaged. And as we continue in sin that relationship continues to be driven farther and farther apart. I could probably go on and on here about prevenient grace and how God chases after us to span the gulf that separates us, but that is not my purpose today.

Today my thoughts are on the human relationships that are broken because of sin. I think of the diseases that are caused because we live in a universally fallen state--things like cancer--that separate loved ones from one another, and my rage, well, it rages. I think of two individuals who are supposed to be brother and sister in the Lord who engage in what is a spiritually incestuous relationship and the consequences of that as it plays out in the lives of their spouses and children. There is the woman who is dishonest with her co-workers, creating a world of fantasy that makes her feel better about herself but that forces her to keep them at arm's length so that they do not find out who she really is. There is the grandfatherly man who gropes women and makes them feel objectified and violated and then the code of silence that keeps them from speaking out because it was "just a little touch." Children are neglected by parents who would rather spend $5/pack on cigarettes than provide adequate nutrition for their kids. Wealthy day traders drive up the price of oil so that it now costs an individual an excessive amount of money to travel even to the grocery store or to the job every day.

I could go on, but there is no need. These are the messes we have to deal with in the broken relationships of people all around us and even, perhaps, in ourselves; and it comes from living in such a self-centered world where everyone seems to feel the "right" to do whatever they please without considering the consequences. My anger toward sin is not toward the morality or lack thereof inherent in the "sinful" actions--my anger is toward the mess left behind in the wake of these things and the horrifyingly expensive cost extracted in human relationships because of it.

Hopefully those of us who are following Christ can avoid falling into the trap of sin, working with all our might to help people experience reconciliation with God and one another. It just might be that this is what Jesus meant when he said, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35.