Sin

 

        The best theological conversations take place over food! It was over one such lunch that my friend almost off-handedly said, “There is no such thing as sin!”

        The comment surprised me;  not only did it seem to come from leftfield, but I find it hard to dismiss the idea of sinfulness. After a moment’s reflection, I asked him, “So you have no regrets? Nothing you would like to take back? You have caused no harm?”

        He replied, “Well, of course I have those moments.”

        “That is what sin is.” I replied.

        God, or rather sin, has a poor reputation. We collectively seem to have this image of God running around with a clipboard, a checklist, and a penchant for ensuring that we are miserable. It is reminiscent of an adolescent thinking his parents are so mean because they have a curfew.

        The fact that we have ten commandments, then another six hundred and three, does not help with the concept of the clipboard and checklist. There are those who subscribe to the idea that there are even more in the New Testament. There is a difficulty in reducing our faith to the checklist approach to sin. And Jesus taught against this approach.

    The problem with checklists is that they attempt to provide straight lines in a curvy world. Thus, I can tithe down to the spices in my kitchen, but I can still be a stingy bastard. Straight lines rarely allow for variants based on the circumstances; the parable of the Good Samaritan exemplifies this problem. The two guys who had passed by the injured traveller thought they were being ‘righteous.’ Straight lines never cover every situation; there are always gray areas. My biggest concern regarding straight lines is that they lend too easily to deciding who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out.’ This concern is self-serving; I am more than likely to be in the excluded group.

        Jesus told us that he did not come to abolish the law; he was quite clear about it. He then proceeds to talk about meeting the expectations of God. In teaching on the aspects of lust, oaths, anger, and divorce, he moves us towards a much broader idea that is actually much harder to fulfill than the series of commandments. “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matt 7.12) Later, in a letter to the Galatians, Paul writes, “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Gal 5.14)

        Allow me to shift the focus from sin to doing what is required. Micah, an Old Testament prophet, provided this view. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6.8) I adore that he calls us, “Oh Mortal.” Notice that we are called to act justly. There is also, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.” (Deut. 6.5)

        This shift might seem that we are freed from the checklist, and we are, but that is no favour. The checklist approach distances us from God. This ‘freer’ style of living calls us into relationship with him. When we strive to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” we are forced to think our way through our days. Our life is transformed into a living prayer. At least, that is the objective we are called to live out. To “walk humbly with our God.”

        A further consideration for you. I am shopping at my favourite cheap department store and I see a pair of pants that I really quite like. The checklist style approach would have that I cannot steal these pants. Our freer form of obedience would also have that stealing them is wrong. But when I consider that I am to act justly, the concern then becomes, who made these pants? If these pants are made by someone whose labour is exploited, then I am exploiting them.

        In living righteously, which the Goat Herder’s Guide tries to get us to do, I am challenged to consider the impact of my behaviour. The example of the pants may seem trivial. It isn’t. The impact of cheaply made goods designed for temporary possession is ruining our environment and economy and is ensuring that there will always be exploited labour. Exploited labour is more accurately called slavery.

        So. Yes, my lunch-time companion, there is sin, and it is much more of an issue than we want to acknowledge.

 

Anyway, that is my opinion