Why Talk About Sin?

| Posted: 29-06-2008 | Comments: 0 | Views: 5 | Rating: (50)

(?)

Talking about hell is passe. Fire and brimstone sermons are considered out of fashion. The goal is to find the lost, comfort the broken-hearted, and rescue the perishing. Therefore, God is the faithful Hound of heaven, the gentle Shepherd, and the Lover of our souls.

Sin? Well, yes. But please don't focus on it too much; it really turns people off. They might get offended, and if they feel guilty they won't come back. Confession? Of course confession is an important part of prayer. No, come to think of it, we don't have a time of confession in our worship service. On my own? That's none of your business, thank you.

But sin is where salvation begins. We only need a Savior because we are sinners. The lost need to be found because they are wandering in the fear and deception of sin. The broken-hearted are begging for comfort because they have been victimized by the ravages of sin. The perishing are desperate for rescue because they are dying from the fatal disease of sin.

That is why Ignatius of Loyola (ca. 1500) taught that the first step in a life of spiritual discipline was to come face to face with sin. He instructs that we are to "beg for shame and confusion about myself, as I see how many have been damned because of one mortal sin, and how many times, for how many sins, I have deserved to be damned forever" (Ignatius of Loyola: Spiritual Exercises, Joseph Tetlow, Crossroad, New York, 1992, page 74).

Are you willing to pray in such fashion? Am I? Ignatius goes on to guide the learner how to meditate: to consider the sin of the angels who fell with Satan, to ponder the sin of Adam and Eve, to focus on how many others have perished eternally for their sins, and finally, to look closely at their own soul, and to see it clearly for what it is. "I remember the seriousness and malice of sin against our Creator and Lord. I apply my understanding, reasoning how by sinning and going against the infinite Goodness, the person truly merited being damned forever" (Tetlow, 75).

But why? Why is this important? Why dwell on the blackness and evil within ourselves and within the world? Is it not better, more holy, more effective, to focus on the light of God's love?

The answer is found in the very next words Ignatius penned following the above exhortations: "Imagine Christ right before you, hanging on the cross . . . How is it that he has come from being Creator to making himself human? How is it that he came from eternal life to death in time, and came so as to die for my sins? Turning it about, I ask of myself: What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What ought I do for Christ?" (Tetlow, 75).

In order to truly understand the light, we have to understand the depths of the darkness. In order to treasure the healing, we must understand fully the disease from which we were dying. In order to understand the Love, we have to understand the horror of why and what he suffered on our behalf.

Generation upon generation of believers have shown the value of coming to grips with sin. Not only at the point of their conversion, but at various times and seasons along their walk with the Lord. Those who gloss over or turn a blind eye to sin, preferring rosier pictures of haloes and heavenly cities, speaking only of light and love, find an emptiness in their lives and a shallowness in their gospel. Those who confront evil for what it is, wrestling with the warning of eternal damnation, recognizing the filth and stench it has left in their own lives: these are the true warriors of light. They go forth understanding the brutality of the Cross, and the crowning victory of the Resurrection. They know intimately the pit they have been pulled out of; they can vividly describe the tomb from which they have been raised. They go forth to preach a glorious message to a dying world: that they know the crushing, asphyxiating power of sin - and the Triumphant Savior.

You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links and copyright information. This article is not to be sold or included with anything that is sold.

Rate this Article:

Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Tags: Guilt, Evangelism, Heaven, Salvation, Sin, Conversion, Confession, Sinner, Sanctification, Ignatius Of Loyola, Reaching The Lost

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/why-talk-about-sin-466677.html

Print article

Send to friend

Publish this Article

Author feedback

About the Author:

Do you believe in any of the 5 biggest myths about God's will? Find out now by reading Debunking the Myths about Knowing God's Will.

Paula J. Marolewski of Sink Your Roots is the author of challenging and interactive adult Bible studies for individual and group use, available at http://www.SinkYourRoots.com/.

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Add new Comment

Ancient Sin
By: Patrick Roberts | 05/11/2007 | Religion

Roll Away the Stone
By: Paula Marolewski | 29/06/2008 | Religion

Is Salvation Based On Grace Or Works
By: Dr. Jay Snell | 05/06/2006 | Religion

Divine Accomplishment Versus Human Achievement
By: Rob VandeWeghe | 20/11/2007 | Religion

Tony Evans: on Carnal Christianity
By: Daniel LaLond Jr. | 04/07/2008 | Religion

Why Sanctification Is So Painful
By: Joe Mueller | 14/07/2008 | Religion

Chuck Swindoll: Rewriting the Reformation
By: Daniel LaLond Jr. | 05/07/2008 | Religion

Allah is Asking You This Question (25) are They Waiting for the Hour?
By: Safaa Abdel-Aziz | 14/03/2008 | Religion

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Q&A Powered by:

Latest Religion Articles

Higher Purpose in Life
By: 104inc.com | 12/10/2008
My comments may be a bit controversial and it may enrage people but I as a religious person and trying to evaluate the purpose of life? From a logical standpoint I cannot figure it out. We kill and pillage and rape in the name of religion and God. Yet if God loves all of us why in turn would we not love each other unconditionally?

This is Allah (37) How Does Allah Requite the Guilty and the Evildoers?
By: Safaa Abdel-Aziz | 12/10/2008
Many people do not know Allah. This series is an attempt to help them in order to know their Creator. Verses 7:39-41 of the Noble Quran talk about: 1) How does Allah requite the guilty and the evildoers?, 2) What is the outcome of those who deny Muhammad and the Quran?, 3) The gates of Heaven will not be opened for the Souls of those who…, 4) When Allah Shall Say: so taste the doom for what you used to earn? And 5) How will be the bed and the coverings over the Disbelievers in the Afterlife?

Influence With the Gospel
By: Steve Bremner | 11/10/2008
Just some thoughts on the influence we can have on people.

Divine Healing is Mechanical, not Relational
By: Steve Bremner | 11/10/2008
Upon reading through the book of Matthew once a few years ago, I came to some thoughts I'm going to share with you today that are still relevant in my life, and coupled with something I read in Spiritual Authority by Watchman Nee.

Don't be Like Samson
By: Steve Bremner | 11/10/2008
How come some people seem to be able to operate mightily under the miraculous anointing of the Holy Spirit, but don't have their lives in order or turn out to be in blatant sin?

Is a Grain of Mustard Seed Really All it Takes?
By: Steve Bremner | 11/10/2008
If all it took to move mountains was faith the size of a mustard seed, don't you think we'd have all the mountains moved out of the way by now?

Consistency in our Faith?
By: Steve Bremner | 11/10/2008
How come we throw the baby out with the bathwater on the subject of faith for healing, but not about other doctrines and Biblical subjects we take for granted?

Song of Solomon & Praying in Tongues
By: Steve Bremner | 11/10/2008
A brief Scriptural study on a spiritual discipline - speaking in tongues

More from Paula Marolewski

Christian Discernment: a Practical Definition
By: Paula Marolewski | 27/07/2008 | Religion
What is really involved in Christian discernment? Is it something mystical? An inner sense? Or is it more practical than that? Here are the three “D’s” that define discernment and make it practical in everyday life.

Bible Study Basics: the Importance of Discussion
By: Paula Marolewski | 27/07/2008 | Religion
Why include discussion in a Bible study, small group, or Sunday School class? Why not just lecture, or watch a great preacher or teacher on DVD, then call it quits for the day? Discussion is an essential part of every Bible study or teaching time for these six important reasons.

Christian Education: Why are We so Biblically Illiterate?
By: Paula Marolewski | 27/07/2008 | Religion
Why, in a culture where nearly everyone can read, has access to a Bible, and has a church on every corner, is there such biblical illiteracy? And why has that biblical illiteracy infected the church as well? Because we have been undercut in four vitally important areas.

5 Keys to Spiritual Maturity
By: Paula Marolewski | 27/07/2008 | Religion
Spiritual maturity, or spiritual formation, is God's call to every believer. But how to we achieve spiritual maturity? Here are five key areas that are essential to the development of spiritual maturity in the life of the Christian believer.

Christian Education and the Struggle With Biblical Illiteracy
By: Paula Marolewski | 27/07/2008 | Religion
How would you define "biblical illiteracy"? And - more importantly - is the church today biblically illiterate? The answer may be a shocking "yes"!

Christian Education: 12 Keys of Effective Teaching
By: Paula Marolewski | 27/07/2008 | Religion
What makes a dynamic class? Why do some small groups explode and some expire? What type of leader inspires participants to learn and grow? Put these 12 keys of effective teaching into practice, and you will see your class or group take on new life!

Keys to Christian Discipleship: Learn to Listen
By: Paula Marolewski | 27/07/2008 | Religion
In order to be effective at Christian discipleship, you have to listen. Remember that listening is an active verb ... a very active verb, and it takes both effort and practice. Here are four key areas to pay attention to when you are listening.

Spiritual Maturity: Learning is an Active Verb
By: Paula Marolewski | 27/07/2008 | Religion
How do we achieve spiritual maturity? To do so, we must realize that learning is not passive. We cannot be handed biblical knowledge and godly character on a silver platter. We have to work at it and strive for it. Here are five key points to help us understand that learning is an active verb.

Article Categories

Article Marketing

Article Notepad

Stop Duplicate Content

Term Papers

Need Help?

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.20, 17)

Why Talk About Sin?

Article Comments

Related Articles

Got a Question? Ask.

Latest Religion Articles

More from Paula Marolewski

Need Help?

Site Links

Webmasters

Business Info

Sign up for our email newsletter