Here is what she posted:
MonicaWe both agreed the first quote is a horrid representation of Christianity. The second part, to me, has a half truth buried in it. My main problem is I think my view of what "sin" is, is vastly different from what typically is thought. Truly, Christian life is more than sin management. But what is sin? First off, I don NOT believe in degrees of sin. Someone will disagree and say, "But surely a little white lie and murder are completely different things and one is much more serious that the other." True. But let me explain why I think this way. Sin by nature, separates us from God. I believe sin is a condition and not an action. Murder is an action based in our disobedience of God's command to not kill one another. Our disobedience is the actual sin. The action, murder, is a crime. Crimes can vary by seriousness based on effects to ourselves, society, and property. Murderers can be forgiven for their sins but will still have to pay for, and may never be forgiven by some, for their crimes. So sin, disobedience, is what you allow to stand between you and God's grace.is horrified by this quote: "It's all about managing your sinful desires. That's the whole point of the Christian life, is managing what you want to do based on what is appropriate." I much prefer this one, "The Christian life is far more than sin management. Behavior modification that's not empowered by God's heart-changing grace is self-righteous, as repugnant to God as the worst sins people gossip about."
This is also why something can be a sin for one person and not another. For example, (and I am not picking on smokers, I just think smoking is a good example here. It is something not explicitly forbidden but is bad for us in general, especially in view of caring for the body as a temple. Consider how many Christians feel the need to guiltily hide their smoking habits because we have turned it into a "sin"), God may move one smoker to give up the habit and not another. This would make smoking a sin for one but not the other, not because of the smoking per se but because of the obedience. This is also where care has to be taken to not cause a brother to stumble, either. This is where the behavior modification comes in from the original quotes. I think the quote was correct in that behavior modification has to be led by God. But I don't think that all the behaviors they think are sin, are really sin. And the behavior changes that are directed by God will speak as a witness to others to draw them to God.
Did all of that make any sense?
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3 comments:
Ok I think I see what you’re saying. It sounds like you’re separating the actions we do from the diseased nature we all have that gives us the desire to go our own way instead of God’s way, and to make up our own ideas of what is right and what is wrong. Because in some cases, like murder, God clearly defines what actions are right and wrong, and in other cases, like smoking, he leaves it to our conscience to make the decision. And God has not given everyone the same conscience. So it sounds like one of your pet peeves is when one person or group of people tries to impose their conscience on another person with regard to those areas that are not so clearly defined. I agree that this is very damaging to people. (Have I got this right so far?) I’m not sure I can make a separation between actions and nature though, because Jesus says that even to look at someone with hatred is equal to murder, which tells me that you can “sin” in your heart without even acting. Thanks for blogging this. Much better for discussion.
I like your views against "degrees" of sin. In Catholic school there were mortal and venial sins, and probably a whole bunch of other categories too. Catholics like their bureaucracy!
Degrees of sin work well when you can make everything all better by saying some number of Hail Marys, more for more heinous crimes. It all works out that way.
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