There's a book that I am reading for my Christian Perspectives class called "Respectable Sins". In this book the author talks about how we as church-goers excel in decrying the "Big Sins"-such as violence, abortion, and adultery- while conveniently overlooking the more deceptive sins like gossip, selfishness, and jealousy. I am really enjoying this book because 1) it's well written and 2) I don't feel as though this topic gets much attention. I'm sure many of us know of churches that house that one woman who is pretty good at offering up gossip in the form of prayer requests, or perhaps the youth-groupers who don't do anything major except the occasional lying to the parents after a hard night of partying.
Now, please don't think that I'm trying to bash the Church because I'm not. I love the Church, and anyone who's experienced the true power and love of the Church would most likely agree with me. What I am trying to say is that we as Christians are so good at picking and choosing the sins to fight against while not even glancing at the "smaller sins" that are infecting our own lives. Just like how our own culture has been affected by sin, the Church is in danger of being brought down by it too. We're either really against it (like some well-known churches who picket funerals with "God Hates Fags" signs) or we aren't addressing it at all. I think the Church and our surrounding culture is in danger of forgetting two things.
1. Just because we go against what culture says is okay doesn't mean that we hate people who agree with the culture.
(lookin' at you, WBC)
We're called to be lights in the dark, shining out the truth to whoever it is we come across. It's hard to do that with closed doors and picket signs. We often forget that we are just as sinful as the people around is. One of my all-time favorite authors and speakers, Louie Giglio, said once, "sin did not make us bad, sin made us dead. When Christ came, the dead came to life." We are brought to life by Christ, but not everyone around us is. We need to remember that.
2. We were called to be a "peculiar people" (1 Peter 2:9) Peculiar doesn't just mean “strange” but also “chosen, selected, and unique.” The Bible calls Christians peculiar in Titus 2:14 and in 1 Peter 2:9. So we're not even supposed to be like other people to begin with. So we shouldn't be so quick to hide from differing with other people because we weren't supposed to in the first place. Don't be mean to others, but remember that we are not meant to be like the world.
2. We were called to be a "peculiar people" (1 Peter 2:9) Peculiar doesn't just mean “strange” but also “chosen, selected, and unique.” The Bible calls Christians peculiar in Titus 2:14 and in 1 Peter 2:9. So we're not even supposed to be like other people to begin with. So we shouldn't be so quick to hide from differing with other people because we weren't supposed to in the first place. Don't be mean to others, but remember that we are not meant to be like the world.
So, to recap: We as the Church are pretty good at focusing on "Big Sins" and failing to notice/acknowledge our own private sins. We just let those slip by us. We are in the same boat, sinfully, as the people whose sins we are attacking. The only thing separating us from others is Jesus. We are to be in the culture but that doesn't mean we are OF the culture. Don't be mean to those who are, but don't be afraid to disagree. Secondly, we are to be peculiar and not like the people around us. Maybe not "wait in line for days for an Iphone" peculiar (see below for a video of that!), but peculiar nonetheless.
Let's be peculiar. Let's not brush our own sins under the rug.
