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God's redeeming love
Originally appeared on spirituality.com
Sin isn’t a big topic in popular culture these days, as reality TV shows feature young adults with no visible means of support indulging in vast amounts of alcohol-related activities, sexual romps, and selfish betrayals. They rarely tell of the sad consequences that normally follow that kind of lifestyle. But then, this is entertainment, not everyday life, right?
Still, the example these programs set makes it hard for some of the young people I know to come to grips with the concept of sin. In fact, for most of them, the word sinner may be painfully old fashioned. That’s at least partly because everyone identifies sinner with helplessness and condemnation.
Here’s a different view of sin: “A deadened sense of identity that ignores Spirit’s love and one’s own essentially spiritual nature, and instead believes that fleshly goals and desires will bring happiness.” From this standpoint, you can see sin as a wrong turn on the highway, a mistake that can be corrected. And Christianity’s goal from the very beginning has been to save people from the misdirections and temptations that lead them into sin.
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About the author
Jeremy Carper is a Christian Science practitioner who lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States.
