For decades we have seen churches focus more and more on social and secular programs and less and less on sin. The reasons are obvious. Sin is an unpopular topic. People are not comfortable hearing sin openly discussed, defined and condemned. They are made to feel guilty about their own short-comings, bad attitudes and bad behavior. Even some who are faithful and conscientious do not like hearing sermons about sin. While they may not experience feelings of personal guilt, they can experience the sadness of being reminded of the sinful conduct of their close friends or relatives, and they wish to avoid such feelings. Some worry about “what their friends might think” if they were to be in attendance and heard a definitive lesson on sin and salvation. They forget that salvation is from sin, and that sin can only be repented of if it is properly identified and understood.
There are two entirely different ways of viewing discussions about sin:
- Having an understanding of the “exceeding sinfulness” (terribleness) of sin (Romans 7:13) and of its eternally damning consequences (Romans 6:23), people can actually appreciate opportunities to learn about sin: its cause and consequences, how it is forgiven and how it is avoided. John wrote, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you might not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). Those who hear such teaching will occasionally have their “toes stepped on,” but they don’t mind, for they know that such teaching is for their temporal and eternal good. They know that sin “separates” people from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). They appreciate those who do as Isaiah instructed: “Cry loudly, do not hold back; Raise your voice like a trumpet, And declare to my people their transgression, And to the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). They know that Jesus is against sin: He assumed a fleshy body so that He might “condemn sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3).
- There are others who do not appreciate the need to learn about sin. Whole churches have adopted the policy of avoiding the subject of sin and controversial errors. They focus more upon building memberships than they do upon converting the lost. In their determination to attract new “members” they totally forget their mission, which is to teach and convert sinners. For one to be “converted” he must quit the practice of sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). He must “awake to righteousness and sin not” (1 Corinthians 15:34). He must “cease from sin” (1 Peter 4:1). It should be noted that the gospel sermons of the Bible addressed the sins of the people. Jesus’ sermon in Matthew 23 identified and condemned the hypocritical practices of the scribes and pharisees. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 addressed the crucifixion of Christ. At Lystra, Athens and Ephesus, Paul preached against idolatry (Acts 14, 17 & 19). In each case the predominant sins of the people were discussed. Why? In order to be saved one must repent (Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38; 17:30). In order to repent one must know what to repent of, and this requires plain Bible explanation of sin.
Rather than placing constant emphasis upon secular programs of entertainment and recreation, churches should “sound forth” the soul-saving principles of the gospel. The gospel contains the “good news” about the sacrifice of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19) and the “good news” of God’s plan of salvation, including the necessity of repentance (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:36-41). Christ died so that people could be saved from sin, not so that people could be entertained.