Bulletin

SIN

Ronald Bartanen

The following is from a March 13 OneNewsNow article by Allie Martin, entitled, "Survey reveals variations in peoples' perceptions of sin."
A new survey finds many inconsistencies among Americans when it comes to beliefs about sin.

The survey, conducted by Ellison Research, polled 1,000 American adults. Among the findings, 87 percent of Americans believe in the concept of sin – which was defined in the research as "something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective."

Among those who believe in sin, 81 percent classified adultery as sin, 74 percent named racism, 65 percent said using hard drugs was sin, 52 percent named homosexuality, and 56 percent said having an abortion was sin. Ron Sellers, president of Ellison Research, says while most Americans believe in the concept of sin, there are inconsistencies when it comes to what qualifies as sin.

"For instance, Americans do tend to define sin according to degrees," Sellers explains. "We have 81 percent who say yes, adultery is a sin. However, only 43 percent say having sexual thoughts about someone you're not married to is a sin. Same thing on drinking – only 14 percent believe that drinking any alcohol is a sin, yet significantly more than that believe that getting drunk is a sin.

The researcher is convinced that religious leaders can learn a lot from the survey. "A lot of religious leaders would be very surprised to find out what ‘their own people' believe," he shares. [Many] evangelical leaders would say, ‘Wow – that's all the evangelicals that believe such-and-such is a sin? [And] a lot of the Catholic leaders would be very surprised at some of these findings as well."

Sellers says the survey shows a need by pastors to investigate and dialogue about absolute truth and sin with members of their congregations.

What I find particularly significant in the above article is the evident lack of understanding what sin actually is. My impression is that sin is defined more and more by what one's culture regards as sin. For instance, while homosexuality a generation ago would almost universally have been considered a sin, now it is only a very slim majority that would so define it. Only a slightly larger majority believes that the killing of a baby in a womb is a sin. In the former instance, public opinion has been swayed by favorable media coverage, and the opposition to what the Bible calls an "abomination" (Lev. 18:22) as "homophobic," intolerant and judgmental. Schools now are teaching even the youngest of students that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle, and a cause to be celebrated, irrespective of parents' objections. From this worldly perspective, what the Bible calls sin— even an abomination—must now be accepted, while opposition to what the Bible calls sin must be condemned as sin.

Contrary to growing public opinion, sin is not to be defined by what society defines as sin, a definition that will become increasingly liberal and decadent, but rather by an unchangeable authority: God. His word (the Scriptures) defines His laws, and to transgress His laws is defined by Him as sin (1 John 3:4). Whether the action is homosexuality, lust, abortion, or any other socially acceptable practice, our acceptance of it will make it no less of a sin. There is "absolute truth and sin," and it will be defined in Judgment by His word (John 12:48).