The subject of sin is a controversial one. The Holy Scripture allows for some ambiguity on the subject:
13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
Romans 14:13,14 (NASB)
Throughout Christian history many things have been declared to be a “sin” by Christian leaders who should have known better:
- Drinking alcohol
- Rock music
- Women wearing pants
At the very least what this demonstrates is that there is a large diversity of opinion as to what constitutes a sin and what is “lawful”.
One thing that does not change throughout Holy Scripture is what one might call the Sin of Abuse. Every single time that Jesus called out bad behaviour it was because of a social injustice; a crime against another human being who was being abused by another more powerful person.
The scriptural theme around the subject of sin always revolves an affront to God and usually to God’s creation. It involves diminishing the dignity or the physical health of another person. Jesus seemed not to care about violations of the Law unless it involved doing harm to another person; and sometimes, in certain contexts, following the Law was in itself a sin:
23 And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”
25 And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?”
27 Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:23-28 (NASB)
We see the same theme in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah:
48 As I live,” declares the Lord God, “Sodom, your sister and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. 50 Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it.
Ezekiel 16:48-50 (NASB)
As Christians we are called to be humanitarians. We can’t do that if we believe that we have the right to abuse another person because, in our own eyes, they have transgressed against our religious sensibilities. Making you uncomfortable is not a sin. However, responding to a person who behaves in a way you don’t like and calling them a “sinner” and attempting to socially alienate them from your community – that is in fact a sin.
Modern Christian organizations very often do not follow the way of Jesus. It is fully appropriate to call them heretical sects because the gospel that they preach is very different from the gospel that Jesus gave to us. What they are producing in society is a pathological tribalism that injects unnecessary conflict into our communities, oppresses marginalized people, and causes people to turn away from the teachings of Jesus as He is slandered by those who claim to come in His name.
To be a Christian as defined by Christian sects that teach things that are contrary to the teachings and character of Jesus is Sin. When organizations come in the name of Jesus and seek political power so they can make their “religious freedom” the law that is Sin. When they are inhospitable to immigrants and align themselves with nativist political forces that is Sin. When they ban LGBT people from membership in their churches that is Sin.
In fact, I will go so far as to say that with few exceptions the modern Christian church is the new Sodom and Gomorrah: arrogant, greedy, more interested in a “culture war” than the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, before we can manifest the love of Jesus in our communities we must first repent of Christianity.