What’s so Bad About Sin?

Which do you want to hear first; the bad news, or the good news?
Okay, first the bad news: you’re a sinner. So am I. Wait! Don't go away yet; hear me out!
Nowadays, I think the concept of “sin” trips us up. I’m not about damning or hellfire – not at all – but I am all about grace, and grace is no good without admitting that I sin.

Sin is not a popular concept. Many belief systems exclude sin, or at least dance around it. There’s Carl Rogers and secular humanism. (In a nutshell; the idea that nothing you do is wrong, unless it hurts you or someone else.) Actually, I’m in favor of humanism... and I love Carl Rogers and what he started, because it emphasizes unconditional love. I strongly agree with this concept. But the idea of sin has been pushed aside. Eastern religions don't talk about sin. instead, they have the idea of karma... what you do, good or bad, has consequences. Even in atheism, there's the idea of good and bad ethics. So, most everyone admits that we do wrong sometimes.
If you do something that hurts you or someone else, what could you call it? Hmmm... how about sin? There. That wasn’t so hard was it? I just gave a name to the things we do that are hurtful.

"But wait," you say, "are you saying I’m a sinner? What are you implying, pal? Don't tell me I'm going to hell!"
No, I’m not one of those to name your sins. That’s between you and God. I’m not going to stand on a street corner with a sign that says “God hates you.” (He doesn’t.)

So call it hurtful actions, mistakes, unethical conduct, bad karma, bad ideas... no matter what you call it, we do things that are... wrong. I call it sin.

Okay, I told you there would be good news. Here it is:
If you admit you’re a sinner, you can accept forgiveness, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 ...and... grace.

What’s grace?
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—." Ephesians 2:8
"Grace" in Greek, charis (χαρις), means "that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness"... and good will, loving-kindness, favor of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.

I don’t know much about eastern religions, but I think that grace, or the nearest thing to it, must be earned. I won't speak for anyone else, but I’m not good enough to earn my way into heaven or nirvana.

(If you want to know what God thinks of sinners, read the story of the "Prodigal son." Luke 15:11-32)

Isn’t that great? All you have to do is admit you've sinned, and stop doing hurtful things. With grace, it’s as if you’ve done nothing wrong. That’s far better than pretending you never make a mistake, isn’t it?

Peace, Love and Forgiveness