Sins: Inconsistent?

Referenced article: http://thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/gluttony_homosexuality_and_rachel_held_evans

In MY view...

We are ALL sinful (by our fallen nature) and THUS often have symptoms of our fallenness (which we call "sins"). The symptoms ("sins") may be of commission or omission.... of thoughts or words or deeds.... intentional or otherwise.... and of course, it can be there are no clear symptoms at all (of course, that by no means the disease is gone - even for that moment - much less "healed."). I think the Law is meant to identify, diagnose and CONDEMN that nature (often by pointing out the symptoms) driving us to dispair, causing us to realize we desperately NEED mercy, forgiveness, justification... the Savior because "we've fallen and we can't get up"... we are SICK and need HEALING (which we can't do ourselves).

But I think PART of our fallenness, our sinful NATURE, is that we tend to be little Pharisees..... thinking that in the Law, God is speaking to all 7.3 billion people in the world (THOSE horrible people!!!)... but not me. We tend to search for those Laws which condemn the other guy.... while ignoring anything that seems to point to ME. (Makes me look gooder cuz everyone else is badder).

Example: I see some Christians ALL UP IN ARMS over "same gender" relationships (which I DO believe Scritpure isn't too keen on).... but their church has several heterosexuals living together who are not married.... folks divorced for less than biblical reasons.... people who drink or smoke or eat too much and are harming their bodies.... who default on debts and perhaps have gone bankrupt.... shall I go on? And those Christians may complain about the "gay" while eating at the Pig Out Buffet, while they are stuffing themselves silly with thousands of calories increasing their already status as obese. I think what WE tend to do - as a symptom of our sin, our fallenness - is ABUSE the Law by picking and choosing, FOCUSING on the stuff WE think doesn't apply to ME (or someone I want to embrace) - obsessed with THAT (perhaps a speck?) in ANOTHER - while largely ignoring or bypassing things they realize applies to THEM.

I have several buddies, largely through the fitness center: mostly twenty-something single guys. All very fit, very healthy. They like to comment on "fat" people, lazy people, couch potatoes, people with unhealthy diets (cuz THESE guys are fit and healthy and eat carefully).... but don't mention internet porn..... the room will get silent OR "what, there's porn on the 'net, who knew????" OR "Hey, EVERYONE does it, it's no harm" OR even possibly, "Helps me with my sex life with my 12 girlfriends - none of whom I'm married to."
Get my point?

I think we ALL do it. To one degree or another. Some churches are downright into this. It TOO is a symptom of OUR sinfulness.....



Agree? Wanna throw a tomato at me?



- Josiah

Lämmchen said:

So you think some churches condone sin? Or is your complaint more that they aren't as vocal as they are about other sins?

Click to expand...

My "complaint" about US is hypocrisy, inconsistency..... dwelling on the speck (perhaps) in the eyes of others while dismissing the log (perhaps) in our own.... how we DO largely give a "pass" on some sins (the article highlighted gluttony as a good example) while making MUCH of others (the article used same-gender relationships as an example).

Yes, because it seems pretty universal, I CAN envision some 300 pound pastor (obese BECAUSE he overeats, not because of some other issue) going on and on and on about the HORRORS of same-sex relations while never once mentioning gluttony. Or perhaps some person going on and on about the HORROR of pre-marital sex while saying nothing about porn websites. Can you? Perhaps we obsess over what WE THINK doesn't apply to SELF - while "passing" on what we know does? And no, I'm NOT picking on anyone.... I think this is something I do (and try to remember to repent of).

No, I'm NOT antinominal, I'm any hypocrisy..... I'm not opposed to preaching the LAW (all of it.... always to condemn ALL), I'm opposed to "picking and choosing" like the Pharisees so that everyone ELSE is bad. AND I'm suggesting this is a function of our fallenness, our sinfulness.... NOT our righteousness.



Response?



- Josiah

bill1231 said:

While you are right, do you advocate gicving a pass on all sin? My understanding is that if you have vioctory in an area then you can preach it but if you dont then you had better not condrmn that sin until you gain vistory, We are to help others with their sin once we have victory, nowhere does it say to just talk against it and walk away

Click to expand...

1. IMO, no one has "victory" over sin..... we have MERCY. There MAY (I'd question this, but...) have some strength in some very limited area, something about which we are holy and righteous and PERFECT.... but IF that's the case, it ain't in much.

2. Yes, we can (and must) HELP each other - but this is done from a position of love and humility NOT "Cuz I'm perfect (or at least a whole lot gooder than YOU or "X" whom I love on pick on)!" We are all sick - helping each other as best we can, not as doctors but as fellow patients.

3. No, I'm not suggesting a "pass" on some sins, I'm rebuking that. But it happens ALL THE TIME among Christians...... read the referenced article (which IMO has a very good point!). Congregations OFTEN give a "pass" on gluttony, for example.... but go ON and ON about "same sex relationships" for example. Its the hypocrisy, the inconsistency, the Phariseeism, the pride that is pretty universal that I'm referencing as part of our sin, our fallenness.



Response?



- Josiah