Are Christians Becoming Too Tolerant of Sin?

[step_by_step]

Today my pastor preacher a sermon on how tolerant the body of the Christ has become to sin, especially within the church. We've either become desensitized to sin or we're afraid to offend people. Either way, we downplay sin and give it less significance than it should have, forgetting how big of an issue it actually is.

Do you believe this? What are your thoughts?

 

[Heavenhome]

Yes, I think we have become too tolerant of sin and we tend to grade it, which God does not.
I have to remind myself of this when I see the how we are bombarded in every direction with homosexuality and I am offended, yet so often living together is seen as OK.
I am saying this as someone who prior to coming to Christ ( 30+ years ago) did this myself and realise how it was sinful.
The church as a whole these days needs to truly stand for Gods standard.
We cannot expect this of those outside of Christianity to do this, but when the church does the same as the world, we have a problem.

Being in society we are surrounded by its tolerance in all things OTHER than GOD and true Christianity.
We, as Christians need to view sin as God sees it and I pray that I will love what God loves and hate what He hates.

 

[Thomascat]

Today my pastor preacher a sermon on how tolerant the body of the Christ has become to sin, especially within the church. We've either become desensitized to sin or we're afraid to offend people. Either way, we downplay sin and give it less significance than it should have, forgetting how big of an issue it actually is.

Do you believe this? What are your thoughts?

Yes. We have become too familiar with vulgarity on TV and the Movies. It doesn't seem to bother some Christians today. And political correctness has intimidated many so that they are afraid of ridicule or losing their job, etc.

 

[Heart2Soul]

Today my pastor preacher a sermon on how tolerant the body of the Christ has become to sin, especially within the church. We've either become desensitized to sin or we're afraid to offend people. Either way, we downplay sin and give it less significance than it should have, forgetting how big of an issue it actually is.

Do you believe this? What are your thoughts?

The greatest sin happening in the church is false teachers and preachers who change the meaning of scripture to fit their beliefs.

 

[Heavenhome]

Heart2Soul I wholeheartedly agree that the greatest sin in the church is false teachers and preachers. We MUST read our Bibles diligently so we have fixed in our minds the true Word of God and will be discerning, the Holy Spirit will give us promptings but we cannot say we haven't been warned of this very thing by Jesus who tells us in Matthew 24 to "take heed and let no man deceive you"

Its not the world to beware of because that is easily seen, it is within the church where the wheat and the tares are together.

 

[sea5763]

Sin is bad but pointing it out offends people and the first reaction is like who are you to talk. Even in the Bible it talks about how if you speak against idols are you robbing temples, or if you speak against adultery are you committing adultery?

Romans 2:17-24

If you judge someone for a sin that you yourself commit then you bring judgment upon yourself.

It’s hard to see where the line is between condemning sin and judging others. The way I see it is we are supposed to be against sin but not people. Judging is something only God can do properly. We are to condemn sin but not people. This might have an appearance of tolerance but the way I see it is that we are to be “self controlled” but not controlling of others. I strongly believe that Christianity should not be forced upon anyone. It gets ugly whenever people do that and you can’t force people to have faith. Jesus said if they don’t receive you then shake the dust off your feet not punish them for not living the way you think is right. That is for God to do in the afterlife after Judgment Day and maybe the authorities, but mankind never gets perfect justice anyways. I think the focus should be upon forcing myself to live the way Jesus would want me to not making others do it while I judge their efforts in the background

 

[Maria Billingsley]

It is Christians who knowingly sin. That is unfortunately tolerated in order to fill pews. Non believers do not think they are sinning so it is of no consequence to them.

 

[Shempster]

Depends on one's definition of sin.
I have been around Christians for 30-some years of all different denominations. They all have their "pet" sins that they always push. One group says it is sin for a man to wear shorts or short sleeved shirts.
Another says it is a sin to eat pork and shellfish. Some say that calling other people names out of spite is sinful. Lots of them say that touching alcohol is a sin. Many say that touching tobbacco is a sin, or watching a pg-13 movie or, well you should get the point.
It is fine to have one's own convictions....and we should follow them....or else it is a sin (hehe) But, with hundreds of variations of what we all think is sin, why is it a good idea to confront someone else with OUR convictions? I realize we really believe we are correct, but how are we obeying Jesus command to love one another when we get all up in their face about eating a shrimp cocktail?

Isn't THIS one of the practices that causes division? So how should we deal with the issue of sin?

 

[maintenance man]

There are some who believe this world has had more influence on the church than the church has had on this world.

The church should be changing the world - not the other way around.

The devil has manipulated this world in such a way that the church believes it has to conform to the world in order to get it's message heard.

That is probably true to some degree - but I do believe some churches have gone too far.

 

[step_by_step]

Depends on one's definition of sin.
I have been around Christians for 30-some years of all different denominations. They all have their "pet" sins that they always push. One group says it is sin for a man to wear shorts or short sleeved shirts.
Another says it is a sin to eat pork and shellfish. Some say that calling other people names out of spite is sinful. Lots of them say that touching alcohol is a sin. Many say that touching tobbacco is a sin, or watching a pg-13 movie or, well you should get the point.
It is fine to have one's own convictions....and we should follow them....or else it is a sin (hehe) But, with hundreds of variations of what we all think is sin, why is it a good idea to confront someone else with OUR convictions? I realize we really believe we are correct, but how are we obeying Jesus command to love one another when we get all up in their face about eating a shrimp cocktail?

Isn't THIS one of the practices that causes division? So how should we deal with the issue of sin?

I have to disagree with this. the definition of sin should not come from us. it comes from the word of God. we need to look to him to understand what sin is.

 

[Heart2Soul]

I have to disagree with this. the definition of sin should not come from us. it comes from the word of God. we need to look to him to understand what sin is.

He is referring to the doctrines of the church....Pentecostal Holiness church was very strict about how to dress, women couldn't wear makeup or cut their hair.....if they did they were sinning against God.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

It's rather amazing on this site how many will chime in and try to ease someone that is suffering with their sin. That was not the message that John the Baptist shared.
M-Bob

 

[JohnB445]

I notice the Church keeps taking verses out of context.

Was the Bible meant to be read by a single verse ignoring the context, then flipped to the next couple books and added with another verse? I think the Bible is meant to be read like a regular book and not all over the place taking verses out of context.

 

[childeye 2]

Sin is a component of the flesh, and it is necessary that it be tolerated in accordance with grace, even as we acknowledge that the carnal mind must undergo a conversion. Hence Paul writes about how it is wrong to despise the forbearance and long suffering of God and how it is God's goodness in that capacity that leads a person to repentance.

Therefore I do not believe that the Holy Spirit would be found creating innuendo by conflating terms like "tolerance" of sin, with such terms as "approval" of sin.

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

 

[step_by_step]

I notice the Church keeps taking verses out of context.

Was the Bible meant to be read by a single verse ignoring the context, then flipped to the next couple books and added with another verse? I think the Bible is meant to be read like a regular book and not all over the place taking verses out of context.

I agree with this to an extent. I believe that God can use the Bible any way he wants and if he speaks to someone through a verse, whether taken out of context or not, we shouldn't discredit that. However, I think that too often we just pick the verses we like instead of digging into the rest of the Bible, where the real story and the real lesson is.

 

[step_by_step]

He is referring to the doctrines of the church....Pentecostal Holiness church was very strict about how to dress, women couldn't wear makeup or cut their hair.....if they did they were sinning against God.

Ahh okay, I understand now

 

[step_by_step]

It is Christians who knowingly sin. That is unfortunately tolerated in order to fill pews. Non believers do not think they are sinning so it is of no consequence to them.

Yes, that's what I was talking about. We can't expect non believers to conform to what we believe but I think we're too tolerant of sin within the body. We allow Christians to willingly sin without addressing it for what it is

 

[Fascinated With God]

The evangelical right's embracement of Trump's amoralities is the most poignant example of churches accepting sin today.

 

[Paidiske]

I think ministry needs to be balanced; on the one hand, we need to name sin, and on the other hand, we need to do the things which will allow people to develop the resilience to do something about their sin. No point wittering on about sin if we don't support people to change.

And that's where the challenge is. It's easy to tell someone they're sinning. Hard to help them find the strength and courage to own up to it and find the way forward in grace.

Life is hard. Change is hard. Holiness is hard. How do we give people the encouragement and resources to make it through the week?

 

[Phil 1:21]

Today my pastor preacher a sermon on how tolerant the body of the Christ has become to sin, especially within the church. We've either become desensitized to sin or we're afraid to offend people. Either way, we downplay sin and give it less significance than it should have, forgetting how big of an issue it actually is.

Do you believe this? What are your thoughts?

I think your pastor is absolutely correct. Not only are some churches turning a blind eye to sin, but some actually celebrate it. Lots of goats walking among the sheep.