Sin Is Not A Moral Problem
30
September 2016
Many readers have
never before heard that there is no such thing as moral progress – so I am not
surprised that I have been asked to write in more depth on the topic. I will
start by focusing on the question of sin itself. If we rightly understand the
nature of sin and its true character, the notion of moral progress will be seen
more clearly. I will begin by clarifying the difference between the notion of
morality and the theological understanding of sin. They are two very different
worlds.
Morality (as I use
the word) is a broad term that generally describes the adherence (or lack of
adherence) to a set of standards or norms for behavior. In that understanding,
everybody practices some form of morality. An atheist may not believe in God,
but will still have an internalized sense of right or wrong as well as a set of
expectations for himself and others. There has never been a universally agreed
set of moral standards. Different people, different cultures have a variety of
moral understandings and ways of discussing what it means to be “moral.”
I have observed and
written that most people will not progress morally. This is to say that we do
not generally get better at observing whatever standards and practices we
consider to be morally correct. On the whole, we are about as morally correct
as we ever will be.
This differs
fundamentally with what is called “sin” in theological terms. The failure to
adhere to certain moral standards may have certain aspects of “sin” beneath it,
but moral failings are not the same thing as sin. In the same manner, moral
correctness is not at all the same thing as “righteousness.” A person could
have been morally correct throughout the whole of their lifetime
(theoretically) and still be mired in sin. Understanding sin will make this
clear.
“Sin” is a word that is used frequently in a
wrong manner. Popularly it is used either to denote moral infractions (breaking
the rules), or, religiously, breaking God’s rules. Thus when someone asks, “Is
it a sin to do x, y, z?” what they mean is, “Is it against God’s rules to do x,
y, z?” But this is incorrect. Properly, sin is something quite distinct from
the breaking of rules – St. Paul speaks of it in quite a different manner:
Read more at http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/
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