The Approach to Sin

We, the Church, have multiple approaches in how we deal with sin in people’s lives.

The Fire and Brimstone approach. It isn’t necessarily my method of choice, but to some degree we are all sinners in the hands of an angry God. God doesn’t like sin. In fact, I would argue that God hates sin as much as He loves people. However, we are not to beat up people for sin of which they have already repented. Nor are we to try to prove ourselves righteous by pointing to the sin of another. We must always weigh the gravity of sin with the love of God.

The “God is Love” approach. Also isn’t my method of choice, but is definitely popular in some circles. God is love, and does love people. However, we should not confuse beating up repentant people with tolerance of unrepentant people. There is no room to tolerate sin within the context of the Church, and I would argue that there is no room to tolerate people who refuse to repent. Especially those who proclaim to know Christ.

In my criticism of each of these approaches I recommend the following approach. Teach sin and its lasting impact upon the human and upon their relationships and upon the Church. Correct as Scripture dictates and discipline without apology. While the opportunities to break fellowship with unrepentant Christians should be few I am afraid that in this day and age of Christian Entitlement, more on that later, the opportunities will present themselves more often. We must always be mindful that the purity of the Church is at stake and that God will lead people to repent and being removed from fellowship will be a moment that God can use. We also must continually correct one another in love and live lives of repentance so that we do not grow callous to our own sin.