Finding Contentment

When did we stop hating sin?

A couple of weeks ago a young man in our church acted as a guest preacher when our pastor was away. This young man is training to become a minister himself, and I was really impressed with his sermon that Sunday.

This was the question he posed to the congregation:  "When did we stop hating sin, especially within our own churches?"

Our city and some nearby towns have had an influx of Christians who have been in the media or on people's tongues. Unfortunately, these Christians aren't talked about or remembered for their good works, but for their sins.

In the past five or six years I have seen a youth pastor convicted of beating his pregnant wife to death when she found out he was having an affair, a town official and church leader who was charged with molesting young boys at his place of work (he committed suicide before his case came to court), a youth pastor and state politician who was convicted of molesting the teenage boys he taught and, most recently, the county commissioner and church leader who has been charged with paying a prostitute for her "services."

These are all crimes against God that made the news and horrified the public, but what about those sins that don't horrify the public? What about those sins committed by those who claim to be fellow believers, sins that have simply been accepted by other Christians?

What about the church that pulled out of the Southern Baptist Association because they wanted to baptize professing homosexuals? What about the married church secretary who slept with the pastor because they were "in love?"

All these are true events in my area, but the last two were accepted by the general public, and by their respective church members. The church who baptized the homosexuals grew in membership, while the secretary and pastor at the other church were never fired or even disciplined.

"Have we changed morally in order to be politically correct?" the speaker asked that Sunday.

Joshua chapter 7 tells the story of Achan's Sin, of how because of some Israelites who "acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things" (Joshua 7:1), God punished Joshua and all his people.

"I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction." This is what God said to His people in Joshua 7:12b.

God desires us not to accept sin, but to cast it from our midst. Then why does Jesus preach forgiveness?

"We should forgive someone who sins against us. We do not have the authority to forgive sins against God," the speaker said.

Does this mean that we shouldn't be accepting of sin? I believe we are absolutely called to forgive sins and to turn the other cheek when we are sinned against. But we are not called to accept it when our Lord and Savior is sinned against.

Would you forgive the cashier who stole money from a store and make him the manager instead? Or would you fire him because he had sinned against the store? You could remain loving and have a forgiving spirit, but you would fire him because he had been detrimental to the business.

Should we remain loyal to them and accept these Christians in positions of authority who sin against God? Or should we remain loving and have a forgiving spirit, yet strip them from their high positions? If they remained undisciplined and in their positions to influence others, would they influence others to sin?

"Jesus said to his disciples, "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves." Luke 17:1-3.

"Christ was confrontational and controversial," the speaker said. And so must we be as we walk with him.

Untitled Comment

10:13 AM, Thursday, August 2, 2007 .. Posted by FoggyMountainFarm

Great food for thought!!

I think that in the churches, there are things that get looked past, but... a sin is a sin no matter what in the eyes of God. Unfortunately, some christians seem to be turning a blind eye to things that are happening in their church as well as in their own homes. Things such as you described, are what the journalist seeks out because it makes for "a sensational story for the newspaper, etc.", and frankly it gives Christians as a whole a bad image when one who professes to know Jesus as his personal Saviour subcumbs to sin.

Untitled Comment

02:28 PM, Thursday, August 2, 2007 .. Posted by gokings13

satans job is to kill, destroy and ruin.
he is a liar from the beginning.
he will seek out those who know the Lord to destroy first, because he doesn't want anyone to know Christ.

he's a jerk, and always has been.
Laura

Untitled Comment

02:29 PM, Thursday, August 2, 2007 .. Posted by Jonash2004

Dh recently had a disturbing conversation with his parents. They were talking about how King David commited adultry, and he was a man after God's heart, so adultry isn't that bad. Huh???

Not that they are condoning it, simply saying it was understandable and they have a very forgiving attitude towards it. *shakes head*

Good post!

Ashley

Untitled Comment

04:59 PM, Thursday, August 2, 2007 .. Posted by Kitty

Sad isn't it? Good post.
Kitty