Big sin, little sin, what to do with sin

 

Imperfect on the outside, but still able to hold coffee hot

Men's bible study got through one or two verses in Genesis this morning; yes, we sometimes barely advance when measured by letters or syllables. It was the part with Lot and his salty wife and wine-toting daughters. We came around to the idea that sin, like Christianity itself, is relational. It does involve an individual knowingly or unknowingly (or half-knowingly) erring, but seldom is the person alone affected; others are touched, too. God does not give up on his creatures, even if human hearts are less reliable or unshakeable. So our discussion went to and fro, hither and yon to plumb the topography of sin. Here are some of the thoughts that rose to the surface.

<>Much like the microorganisms (or the Internet 'viruses') we are surrounded by, sin is an ocean we swim in. Fortunately, for most people with a shred of conscience, we can avoid or sense sin that is imminent or which just happened or which is about to take place. When our immune system is weak or compromised, though, sin can infect or at least add to burden we carry.

<>Continuing with the bodily, medical interpretation, sin is a chronic part of the Earthly (life-giving) environment. So instead of denial and judgement, what new Christians and long-time ones need is ways to keep sin in perspective: yes, you have sinned and will again, but forgiven and ask to be forgiven, then get back to the main theme: love God and also love your neighbor as yourself.

<>Substituting the word 'perfection' or purity for sin, it is fair to say that we live in a world of imperfection, disappointment, and unblessed situations. To obsess about one's risk to sin, or dangers of being muddied by life may result is putting too much effort into ridding oneself of liability; being "super-scrupulous" to the extent that one's good intentions distort the overall picture - being so preoccupied about avoiding sin as to miss life itself. As the aphorism puts it, "the road to perdition is paved with good intentions." By going to extremes to be righteous one can soon become self-righteous.

<>An action, word, or thought by itself need not inherently be sinful. Only when one's heart turns away from God is the thing sinful. In other words, tangible or external aspects do not have to be judged evil, since God can work with even extremely challenging circumstances and creatures. And one's life course may go through unpleasant and unwished conditions prone to sin by self and those all around. But it is less the external facts than it is one's reaction when tested or tempted that matters most to God; what is in one's heart of hearts.

<>Sin can be little or big in human eyes, but anything that gets in the way between God and the many creatures here is doing the same thing. Since God is beyond time and space, being infinite and eternal, things like sin's relative cost, breadth of impact, duration, or depth need not be comparative. Just the fact that a person has "missed the mark" (sinned, out of alignment, weakening righteousness) makes all forms of sin equally sinful.

In conclusion, by acknowledging sin in self and others, there is less need to draw a line to separate "us" from "them," stranger from friend, Godly or godless. When all are sinners, then it is easier to see others of high or low status with the same eyes of agape love. It is easier to invite them into the community of worship and to grow the relationships from that point going forward. In an odd sort of way, sin seems to be essential to a vibrant world of relationships and discernments in one's faith tradition and one's personal spiritual maturing process, too. Let us see it for what it is, in its many forms and harms, and then responding to it, we are free to get on with the business of God's work; of caring for his sheep - sin and all.