THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SIN

In the eighth chapter of John’s Gospel, we find the account of a woman caught in adultery being brought before Jesus by the scribes and the Pharisees. According to the Mosaic Law, this woman was to be stoned for her immoral actions. The scribes and Pharisees wanted to hear Jesus’s perspective on her situation. On the surface, this seems like a reasonable course of action. But according to verse 6, Jesus is not asked His opinion because these religious leaders are interested in His interpretation and application of the Law. Instead, they are testing Jesus in order to bring charges against Him.

After Jesus wrote something in the dirt, He stood and said to those gathered around, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (v. 7). After writing in the ground once more, the woman’s accusers departed one by one, leaving Jesus alone with the adulterous woman. With no one left to accuse her, Jesus tells the woman to “go, and from now on sin no more.” Jesus didn’t condemn the woman for her sin, but He didn’t overlook it, excuse it, or affirm it either. Jesus’s actions certainly do not suggest that He simply turns a blind eye to sin. They do, however, picture the magnificence of His mercy and grace.

As we consider this account, there are two significant problems increasingly present in the church today that we need to address.

First, too many Christians are quick to downplay sin’s significance. Sin isn’t a very popular word in today’s American culture. In fact, the concept of sin has virtually disappeared from the prevailing narrative of our day. Even in many churches, there is a lukewarm attitude toward sin. God’s grace and love are boldly proclaimed from pulpits all over our country while more uncomfortable topics like sin, hell, and God’s judgment are conveniently overlooked. Strong, biblical, words for sin–such as adultery, lying, and stealing–have been replaced with more politically correct words such as affair, fib, and swindle. One of the clearest examples of how sin is glossed over is seen in today’s heated debate over abortion. Those who demand abortion to be made available for practically any reason describe themselves as “pro-choice.” Never “pro-abortion.” Words matter. The vocabulary we choose says a lot about how we see the world. Using the words God uses in Scripture to describe acts of immorality ensures that we capture the danger of violating God’s commandments. In the case of the woman in John 8, she was guilty of committing adultery. Not having a fling.

Second, we are quick to condemn the “major” sins of society while overlooking our own seemingly “minor” ones. Since Christians normally have a higher moral standard than society, it’s easy to feel confident about ourselves and assume God is pleased with our condition. We must remember, however, that all sin is malignant; when left unaddressed, it will infiltrate and contaminate our lives. Our sinful attitudes, words, and actions affect us and those around us. Within the Church, we are often more concerned with the sins of society than with the iniquities that still exist among God’s people. We commonly look down on the sinners in society without humbly recognizing that apart from God’s grace, we would be in a similar state. Sadly, Christians are frequently more like the scribes and Pharisees in John 8 than we want to admit. Condemning the evils of this world is easy, but we should not be so eager to pick up stones to throw at others since we have plenty of sin still lingering in our wicked hearts. It’s easier to denounce homosexuality, abortion, and murder than to address our gossip, impatience, fear, pride, envy, selfishness, bitterness, worry, discontentment, lying, greed, jealousy, and lust. The “minor” sins we tolerate are still violations of God’s word and reprehensible in His sight.

While the idea of personal sin has all but vanished from many churches today, it hasn’t disappeared in God’s mind. All sin—no matter how seemingly insignificant—is deserving of His righteous judgment. Our religious pride, critical attitudes, hurtful speech, impatience, worry, covetousness, and anger are all serious offenses that God has every right to judge. Even though our hearts have been renewed through faith in Christ and we have been delivered from the eternal consequences of sin, our sin nature still wages war against us. Sinful actions flow from the insatiable craving to fulfill our own desires (see James 1:14). We typically choose sin over obedience when the lure of momentary pleasure is stronger than the desire to please God and honor him. Unless we recognize the battle against our flesh and take decisive action against our propensity toward wickedness, sin will linger in our hearts. 

An example of common sins that we tolerate or ignore is complaining about our circumstances. While complaining may seem minor in comparison to the serious sins of society, think for a moment about what we are doing when we complain.

First, complaining impugns God’s character. A complaining spirit reveals that we don’t actually believe God is always good. Inconveniences, hardships, and disappointments are all part of living in a sinful world. Followers of Jesus are commanded to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4), even when negative circumstances tempt us to complain. Disregarding even one of God’s commandments—no matter how insignificant it may seem—is still sinful. Our complaints question God’s goodness and sovereignty, making them a direct assault against His perfectly holy character.

Second, complaining tempts the listener to also impugn God’s holy name. Like the flu, complaining is contagious. When one person starts complaining, many more typically join the gripe session. The nation of Israel serves an alarming illustration of complaining’s power to infiltrate a group of people. In Numbers 14:27 the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against Me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against Me.” Grumbling always invites company; one grumbler typically produces more malcontents. You may assume that your complaining doesn’t affect others, but it does—sometimes with horrendous results.

Complaining is only one of many examples that could be used to illustrate that no sin is insignificant and undeserving of God’s judgment. Our seemingly trivial sins are subtle in nature, tempting us to minimize their influence and importance. They deceive us into believing our offenses are not all that bad, especially when compared to the dreadful sins of others. But we must never forget that all sin is hideous and dangerous. All sin, no matter how insignificant in our eyes, is an assault on God’s majesty and holiness. The sins we tolerate are the very ones that nailed Jesus to the cross. It doesn’t matter whether our sin is scandalous or socially acceptable, every last transgression violates God’s commandments. When we forget the brutal death Jesus experienced on the cross because of our sin, we are prone to diminish the seriousness of our disobedience. Whether small or great, sin is heinous in God’s eyes. This is why all sin must be taken seriously. Thanks to God’s grace and mercy, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Rather than downplaying your sin, repent of it and find hope in God’s gracious forgiveness.