Whatever Happened to Sin?

Some things are too old fashioned to even bother worrying about today. Remember rotary telephones, typewriters, and record players? Those are things of the past, belonging to another era of years ago. However, it seems that among some Christians, the idea of “sin” goes right up there with drive-in theaters—we’ve heard of it, or remember it, but that was something from a long time ago.

Back in the day, “fire and brimstone” preachers would warn their congregations about the consequences of sin. To be a Christian meant being mindful of avoiding sinful practices and being repentant for falling into the snares of sin. Today, many good, church-going people are told about prosperity and the blessings of the Lord. But how often are we being reminded that He hates sin? The word doesn’t even seem to be part of most people’s vocabulary these days. Often, we hear about “right and wrong” but the word “sin” is conspicuously absent.

When people don’t understand the very premise of sin, the idea of Christianity itself can seem trivial or old-fashioned. Perhaps this is why some people think of going to church as something to be done out of “tradition.” Perhaps this is why even within the church there are so many people suffering and struggling with sin. Maybe this is why our society is rapidly moving away from the Christian principles many of us grew up with, and now focuses on “doing what you feel is best for you.”

So then, what is sin? Sin is anything that displeases the Lord. Adam and Eve committed the first sin. After being told explicitly not to eat the fruit of a certain tree, they decided to do so. It was blatant disobedience toward God. And for that sin, they were punished and brought condemnation into the entire world. We, as human beings, are born into sin. Originally, God gave His chosen people a Law to follow which would save them from the penalty of sin, which is death. But the Law was too much for people to live by, and all their sacrifices were for naught. So God had to send His own Son into the world as the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for mankind. Through Jesus Christ’s life, crucifixion and resurrection, we are saved from the penalty of sin. To become a Christian, we need only to believe and confess that this is true.

If we continue to look at sin as a thing of the past and buy into the present-day idea of “just living the best you can,” we lose the promise of an eternal future.

What are your thoughts on sin? Leave a comment here, on Facebook, or Twitter.