Pointless to Focus on Sin

[Thomas White]

So many churches spend all their time focusing on sin and believers shouldn't sin. It's a pointless focus.

Jesus didn't focus on sin and what sins not to commit. Why do we focus on it?

Our ministry should have one focus: love. Let the world know we are Christians by our love, not our rulebooks. If we love God and love one another, we will detest sin and be a lot happier.

Jesus didn't condemn the world and neither should we. Stop focusing on sin, and start loving like Jesus.

 

[David Hunter]

Unfortunately... Many people don't really know what sin is. So, if we don't give any attention to sin then how will anyone know what to repent of? And, Jesus definitely talked about sin many times and preached repentance.

 

[Thomas White]

Unfortunately... Many people don't really know what sin is. So, if we don't give any attention to sin then how will anyone know what to repent of? And, Jesus definitely talked about sin many times and preached repentance.

What is right and wrong is obvious when we act and think through love. Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We repent from the selfishness that guided us. That the basis of our sins. We can repent of the symptoms all we won't, but it's meaningless if we don't repent of the cause.

 

[David Hunter]

I have to disagree... right and wrong is not always obvious when we act and think through love. There are many couples out there who love each other and think it's okay to have premartial sex. I know many people who think Jesus loves them and they feel they love their neighbor, yet they are constantly sinning against God. And there are many unbelievers who love their neighbor and are great people, yet don't love the Lord and continue in their sin.

Just my two cents.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Well this seems like a good occasion to post a link video to my best friends sermon on repentance! I think you will find it both amusing and educational and also fitting the OP and worth the 12 minutes or so of your time.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10157223763006054

 

[Llewelyn Stevenson]

So many churches spend all their time focusing on sin and believers shouldn't sin. It's a pointless focus.

Jesus didn't focus on sin and what sins not to commit. Why do we focus on it?

Our ministry should have one focus: love. Let the world know we are Christians by our love, not our rulebooks. If we love God and love one another, we will detest sin and be a lot happier.

Jesus didn't condemn the world and neither should we. Stop focusing on sin, and start loving like Jesus.

What if what you see as a focus on sin is actually not but a focus on salvation from its power?

Do you leave a baby to discover how to walk and eat, or do you instruct it? Even those who advocate wait till its ready discover that it needs to be encouraged and supported as it learns. We send our children to school and instruct them in many things, why? Why not just leave them to discover what they want to do themselves? Simply because it wouldn't work, that's why.

 

[friend of]

All sin, no matter how small, is an affront to the Holy Divine Majesty of God. To love God with our whole heart is to stop as much sinning as we are capable of, and allow His grace and Christ to cover the rest

 

[Soyeong]

So many churches spend all their time focusing on sin and believers shouldn't sin. It's a pointless focus.

Jesus didn't focus on sin and what sins not to commit. Why do we focus on it?

Our ministry should have one focus: love. Let the world know we are Christians by our love, not our rulebooks. If we love God and love one another, we will detest sin and be a lot happier.

Jesus didn't condemn the world and neither should we. Stop focusing on sin, and start loving like Jesus.

Jesus began his ministry with the Gospel message to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 4:17-23) and God's law was how his audience knew what sin is, so repenting from our disobedience to it is an integral part of the Gospel message, which he predicted would be proclaimed to all nations, and that because lawlessness will be increase, the love of many will grow cold. He also spoke against sin throughout his ministry. In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus summarized God's law as being about how to love God and our neighbor, so God's law is His instructions for how to love, so there isn't much sense in focusing on love instead of focusing on following God's instructions for how to love.

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Thomas White, I don't believe that I've ever been part of a church that focuses primarily on "sin" (unless sin is the focus of the passage that the sermon is taken from on certain Sundays).

The various churches and Christian organizations that I've been part of over the last 35 years do focus on "truth" however and, quite frankly, I don't see, any way or any advantage, for anyone, in even attempting to stop "speaking the truth .. in love" to others .. e.g. Ephesians 4:15.

The Apostle Paul makes it clear that, apart from love, NOTHING we say or do ends up being in any way worthwhile/valuable. That said, he also makes it clear that loving someone else (as God does) cannot be done apart from/in opposition to the truth.

1 Corinthians 13
6 Love .. does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.
​

--David

 

[SamanthaAnastasia]

Churches have to teach about sin. They have to be educational but fire and brimstone churches are traumatizing.
They cannot just preach what the congregation wants to hear.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

So many churches spend all their time focusing on sin and believers shouldn't sin. It's a pointless focus.

Jesus didn't focus on sin and what sins not to commit. Why do we focus on it?

Our ministry should have one focus: love. Let the world know we are Christians by our love, not our rulebooks. If we love God and love one another, we will detest sin and be a lot happier.

Jesus didn't condemn the world and neither should we. Stop focusing on sin, and start loving like Jesus.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth also spoke of hypocrisy. The Holy Spirit will guild us in all truth. Sometimes He will fill our heart with love and other times He will convict us of sin. It is all within His promise. Be blessed.
But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:5-11

 

[Palmfever]

His entire mission was focused on sin, because of sinners and His death because of sin.
Scripture says we are all sinners so of course He hung out with sinners. Paul states, “You would have to leave the world to not be around sinners.”

John, 7:7. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

Ephesians, 5:11. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

1 Tim, 5:20. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

2 Tim, 4:2. Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Ezekiel, 3:18. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.

1 Cor, 6:9. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,

2 John, 1:9. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Rev, 3:19. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Mat, 23:23. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. ...


Could go on, but if that isn’t enough...

 

[Thomas White]

What if what you see as a focus on sin is actually not but a focus on salvation from its power?

Do you leave a baby to discover how to walk and eat, or do you instruct it? Even those who advocate wait till its ready discover that it needs to be encouraged and supported as it learns. We send our children to school and instruct them in many things, why? Why not just leave them to discover what they want to do themselves? Simply because it wouldn't work, that's why.

If we are instructing people on how not to sin, then we are missing the point of discipleship. We should be instructing people on how to love and deepen their walk with Christ. Their personal habits are none of our business. The rest will come from that relationship.

 

[Thomas White]

His entire mission was focused on sin, because of sinners and His death because of sin.
Scripture says we are all sinners so of course He hung out with sinners. Paul states, “You would have to leave the world to not be around sinners.”

John, 7:7. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

Ephesians, 5:11. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

1 Tim, 5:20. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

2 Tim, 4:2. Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Ezekiel, 3:18. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.

1 Cor, 6:9. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,

2 John, 1:9. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Rev, 3:19. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Mat, 23:23. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. ...


Could go on, but if that isn’t enough...

His whole message was about love, not sin. Salvation from sin through that love. We are to spread that message of love. God will deal with the sin. Call out someone spreading a false message, of course, but it is not our place to go around accusing people of sinning.

 

[Thomas White]

Jesus Christ of Nazareth also spoke of hypocrisy. The Holy Spirit will guild us in all truth. Sometimes He will fill our heart with love and other times He will convict us of sin. It is all within His promise. Be blessed.
But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. John 16:5-11

HE will convict us.

 

[Thomas White]

Churches have to teach about sin. They have to be educational but fire and brimstone churches are traumatizing.
They cannot just preach what the congregation wants to hear.

Churches should be guiding people on how to deepen their walk with Christ. Without that walk, that relationship, people don't care that they sin.

 

[Thomas White]

Hello @Thomas White, I don't believe that I've ever been part of a church that focuses primarily on "sin" (unless sin is the focus of the passage that the sermon is taken from on certain Sundays).

The various churches and Christian organizations that I've been part of over the last 35 years do focus on "truth" however and, quite frankly, I don't see, any way or any advantage, for anyone, in even attempting to stop "speaking the truth .. in love" to others .. e.g. Ephesians 4:15.

The Apostle Paul makes it clear that, apart from love, NOTHING we say or do ends up being in any way worthwhile/valuable. That said, he also makes it clear that loving someone else (as God does) cannot be done apart from the truth.

1 Corinthians 13
6 Love .. does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.
​

--David

I agree. Unfortunately, most churches I've attended would rather focus on telling people what sins not to commit instead of telling people how to get to a deeper relationship with Christ.

 

[Thomas White]

Jesus began his ministry with the Gospel message to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 4:17-23) and God's law was how his audience knew what sin is, so repenting from our disobedience to it is an integral part of the Gospel message, which he predicted would be proclaimed to all nations, and that because lawlessness will be increase, the love of many will grow cold. He also spoke against sin throughout his ministry. In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus summarized God's law as being about how to love God and our neighbor, so God's law is His instructions for how to love, so there isn't much sense in focusing on love instead of focusing on following God's instructions for how to love.

The love is the point.

 

[Thomas White]

All sin, no matter how small, is an affront to the Holy Divine Majesty of God. To love God with our whole heart is to stop as much sinning as we are capable of, and allow His grace and Christ to cover the rest

I don't disagree. That comes with the love of God. We should be preaching the love and let the Holy Spirit take care of the rest.

 

[Thomas White]

I have to disagree... right and wrong is not always obvious when we act and think through love. There are many couples out there who love each other and think it's okay to have premartial sex. I know many people who think Jesus loves them and they feel they love their neighbor, yet they are constantly sinning against God. And there are many unbelievers who love their neighbor and are great people, yet don't love the Lord and continue in their sin.

Just my two cents.

Teach people to love God and their neighbor. Teach them how to find Christ. The Holy Spirit will figure out the rest.