Have We Lost the Notion of Sin?

An article in USA Today explored that very idea. In this article it states that 87% of adults believe in the existence of sin. The definition of sin according to this article was "something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective." I like the "almost always", if that one statement doesn't define our culture I don't know what does. Now this is where it gets very interesting.

81% of the 87% think that adultery is a sin. I actually was surprised that this was this high. In a society that basically thinks that marriage is old fashioned 81% is a fairly high number. Now ironically enough only 45% believe that pre-marital sex is a sin. I have to tell you that if you are a Christian and you do not believe that this is a sin, you are not reading the Bible I read.

Now the president of the company that took this survey, Ellison Research, makes a very salient point. He said "A lot of this is relative. We tend to view sin not as God views it, but how we view it." I do believe that even in the church those who call themselves Christians think this way. More liberal churches justify homosexuality and abortion this way. In a way we make ourselves God by telling him that in regards to social issues we know better. This is where relevance comes into play. Liberal churches say that scripture is not relevant to our culture today. The Bible is relevant to all times and is relevant to all circumstances. It is a living document and because of that we cannot dumb or water it down.

Another comment I took away from this is from Joel Osteen. "I never thought about (using the word 'sinners'), but I probably don't," Osteen told Larry King in an interview. "Most people already know what they're doing wrong. When I get them to church, I want to tell them that you can change." Well how do you tell someone who is infected with the disease of sin that they need to be cured of that disease without stating that they are a sinner. This is like telling a person that they need to have chemo therapy without telling them they have terminal cancer. I'm sure the person with terminal cancer can tell he really doesn't feel well, but the doctor still has to tell them that they have cancer. The idea of shying away from the fact that we all suffer from the disease of sin is damning.

One last quote that got me was this one from Rev. Micheal Horton, "It's changing your lifestyle to receive God's favor," Horton says. "It's not heaven in the hereafter but happiness here and now. But it is still up to you to make it happen." Really?!? Changing my lifestyle to meet God's favor? I'm pretty sure scripture says:

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)
"So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." (Romans 9:16)

"yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified." (Galatians 2:16)

All I have to say is I'm sure glad he's not looking to heaven with this line of thought, because I can assure you he won't be going to heaven as long as he believes this. His "happiness here and now" will soon turn to hell and the gnashing of teeth.It's guys like this that I pray for because they are so lost that they need to know my Savior, the one who isn't looking to be impressed by their works. After all:

"We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away." (Isaiah 64:6)