Have you noticed we have made sin seem so much more acceptable today? Have you noticed how sin is rarely considered a factor in our personal and national problems? Have you observed how we have taken good strong, decisive words that describe behavior of which God disapproves and have made them acceptable - if not completely respectable?
Sin is not really sin anymore - it is "arrested development," "an upward stumble in man's progress," "biological growing pains," "error of mortal mind."
And while we excuse willfulness and rebellion against God, the consequences of our disobedience continues to grow and multiply, and we wonder what has happened to our homes, our schools, our cities and our nation. We have cheapened our concept of sin by depreciating the words we use to describe it.
Stealing is not stealing anymore - it's called "inventory slippage"; God calls it stealing and the perpetrator is a thief. Adultery is not called adultery any more - it's "an affair," a "one-night stand"; in Hebrews 13:4, God's word says, "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."
Fornication is not called fornication, it's called living together "with benefits." Marriage is redefined and perverted and is called "an alternate lifestyle." God has other names for it.
Abortion is called "freedom of choice," such a nice-sounding term but, of course, the unborn child doesn't have a choice. An unborn baby is called "living tissue," "a product of conception," "living matter" or part of "harvesting living tissue," all of which sound much more civil than taking the life of an innocent child.
Hazing or "boys will be boys" sounds much more respectable than bullying or rape. Creative financing seems so much more appealing, but it could be covetousness or possibly fraud.
Whatever happened to sin? In Isaiah 5:20-21, he writes, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil: that put darkness for light and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight."
In this enlightened, liberated, "anything goes" 21st century world, perhaps we aren't being honest with ourselves and with God. Maybe we have just been kidding ourselves. If a person is physically ill, the first step of recovery is to diagnose the problem honestly and begin the steps that lead to recovery.
Jesus said, "They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick" (Matthew. 9:12). Until we realize our personal, family, city and national problems are sin-related, we will never make any progress. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8). We are sinners by nature and sinners by choice.
Biblical educator, author and speaker Dr. Henry Brandt wrote, "lf you are not dealing with your sin, you are the architect of your own misery."
God has a simple, but very profound remedy for our twisted thinking about sin. The answer is repentance for both sinners and saints. He says, "If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (Chronicles 7:14).
In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh to the Father, but by Me."
Repentance and faith in Christ is a start to recognizing what sin is and overcoming our sinful and deceitful heart.
Guy Templeton was a pastor in Ohio for 23 years and has taught in Bible schools for 22 years. He and his wife, Carol, have two sons, Stanley, a missionary in Lima, Peru, and Kevin, a high school teacher in Soddy-Daisy. Contact Guy Templeton at guytempletonl@gmail.com.