Why Understanding What Is Sin Doesn’t Matter
Society is trained to follow rules and guidelines that it simply amazes me sometimes. One question I get a lot perfectly illustrates this: “Is (insert questionable action here) a sin?” Here’s my question — does it matter? Who really cares? Allow me to clarify. What difference is made in your life by knowing if a particular action is or isn’t a sin? How does that further your walk with Christ?
Before we answer those, let’s take a few steps back and make sure we’re on the same page. What is sin? Sin is falling short and missing the mark of what God intended in his original creation.
Sin separates us from God. Even just one sin; it doesn’t take a certain amount of sin for God would send you to Hell. His being is so perfect, so holy that one sin, however small we may deem it to be, is unacceptable and cannot be in his presence. (That’s why we have Jesus Christ, who took our sacrifice upon himself so that, if we accepted his grace and free gift of salvation, we don’t have to accept our own eternal punishment.)
We’ve all sinned. And we all will continue to sin. If we’re all in need of God’s grace, why does it matter what is a sin and what’s not a sin? Knowing what is and isn’t a sin won’t keep you from sinning. Even if you could consistently identify sin, you’ve already sinned enough (because remember, it only takes once, and I know you’ve told at least one lie) for you to spend eternity apart from God.
What is and isn’t a sin shouldn’t be our focus; that’s the same type of legalism that Jesus condemned the Pharisees for. Think about when they brought the woman caught in the act of adultery to him. They wanted to trap him into condemning the women, something he would have been perfectly justified in doing. But he didn’t. He answered them with love and compassion, saying that whichever one of them was perfect, that one could cast the first stone.
Legalism has never broke any chains, set any captives free, or given life to anything — quite the opposite. It’s legalism and religion that keep people bound in tradition and box checking Christianity (Said my prayers—check; read my word—check; been to church eight times this week—check) instead of truly having the heart of the Father. That heart showed compassion and love. Love is the only appropriate answer to legalism.
Saint Augustine said, “Love, and do what you will.” This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. What he’s saying is: if we love first and foremost, and everything comes after and out of that love, we can’t go wrong. Think about it — if you love your children, your spouse or your friends, why would you bring any harm to them? The same should be true in our relationships with God. If we love Him, anything we do should be pleasing to Him. If it’s not, our love for Christ is not in first place, where it should be.
The question in our minds should not be, “Is this a sin?” but rather, “Is this pleasing to God? Am I loving God with this action? Am I loving others with this action? Does this align with his original design and plan for mankind?” Answering those questions will give us better guidelines with which to live our lives instead of wandering around trying to delineate what’s sin and what’s not. And it will keep us from becoming Pharisees.
[Written by Stuart McDonald for Elev8.com. For more from Stuart, check out his all NEW personal blog, follow him on Twitter, and connect with him on Facebook.]
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Comments
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Yeah whatever!!! After reading the article again, I still think my analogy was closer to what the question actually asked…
stop making excuses if you dont know what sin is you dont know what you need to be saved from. And how can god accept you in his holy kingdom if you wont deny your self on earth. We all need to know about sin and that it is what the devil uses to causes us to slip. And the devil cant go to heaven and that he wants to stop you from going too. So pick up your bible theres no specific allotted time to read but knowledge is power and did you forget about repentance. it is not possible to follow what your article said and be a true Christian for Christ. have a blessed day everyone
stop making excuses and trying to take the work out of being
I think people are taking this is the wrong direction, I believe the writer was saying that yes we have guidelines God has given us, but sin is not just that alone, sin can be anything that keeps us from God or from pleasing it. I dont think this is a new theology just a new phrasing to what has been said time and time again sin is sin.
I’m kinda thinking that the writer in some abstract way is trying somehow insinuate that, everything seems to be a sin of some sort and no one is clean enough.. I think??
I’m Muslim, but I agree 100% with NiceGuy180. The sentiment in this article is one of the most troubling and misleading aspect of Christianity in my view. No need to know what a sin is, live your life any way you feel like it, and as long as you accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, you will be absolved of all sins. That is way too easy, no?
NiceGuy….well put.
This is absolutely ridiculous! Knowing what sin is is NOT legalism! Christians please do not be deceived by such foolishness and worldly nonsense as this. You must know what sin is to avoid it. The bible makes it extremely clear. One must accept Christ to be set FREE. “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.”John 8:36 You can’t be set free from what you don’t know is sin. YOU may feel there’s nothing wrong with it.
1 John 1:9 “If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]. If we say (claim) we have not sinned, we contradict His Word and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our hearts].
Proverbs 28:13 “He who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes his sins will obtain mercy.”
If they don’t know what sin is how will they confess it to God and get rid of it to obtain the promises of God!
Now, Concerning the woman caught in adultery; This is about the mercy of the Lord. They were about to stone her to death. But, since they were all guilty of sin Christ in essence is saying “remove the plank from your own eye before you remove the speck from another’s”(Luke 6:42) Also, notice what Christ said when the accusers left. “When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on SIN NO MORE.” He did NOT say “try your best and do what you feel is pleasing to me.”
When Christ healed the crippled man and later found him in the temple He said to him “See you are well! Stop sinning or something worse will happen to you.”(john 5:14)
Now in the last paragrah it says
“The question in our minds should not be, “Is this a sin?” but rather, “Is this pleasing to God? Am I loving God with this action? Am I loving others with this action? Does this align with his original design and plan for mankind?” Answering those questions will give us better guidelines with which to live our lives instead of wandering around trying to delineate what’s sin and what’s not. And it will keep us from becoming Pharisees.”
That entire paragraph contradicts itself. Instead of sticking to what sin is as is concretely laid out in the Word of God using the questions “Is this pleasing to God and Am I loving God and others with this action?” only bring confusion, chaos and increased sin with no sense of guilt or desire to repent. Without the Word of God people form their own ideas about everything in life. And when people form their own ideas they will immediately disagree with each other and create nothing but confusion. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says “God is NOT the author of confusion…” Now what you have is people, as it says in Matthew 15:9, “teaching as doctrine the precepts of men.”
2 Timothy 4:1-4
I CHARGE [you] in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by (in the light of) His coming and His kingdom:
Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching. For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.”