Respectable Sin

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I'm going to toss around a word from time to time in this article that I don't often use. That word? Abomination. I looked up the word recently and saw it defined as "anything abominable; anything greatly disliked or abhorred; intense aversion or loathing". I can't say that I have many opportunities to throw such a strong word into conversation. It is, however, a word that gets thrown around quite a bit in some Christian circles -- thrown at, more likely -- usually aimed at whatever lepers have been created in our heads.

Isn't it interesting how we use the word abomination to describe someone else's sin? Most of us would never think of attaching that word to our own sin habits. After all, our sin is -- well -- more respectable, acceptable, and tolerable. Turns out that word "respectable" means "of good social standing". We tend to think of our own sin as "respectable" because our sin is more socially acceptable. We've done a terrific job of hiding our vile stuff...maybe even the stuff that turns God's stomach.

In Revelation 3:16, the word that sticks out to me is usually translated as "spit". Although spit carries with it crude connotations for some, a more accurate translation might be "spew" or "vomit". Apparently, it leaves a bad taste in God's mouth when we are blinded to our own depraved nature and need for him. For some of us, we think "we don't need a thing", and we may assume that we've got our spiritual act together. At a minimum, we're glad that our sin isn't as bad as theirs.

On several occasions, I have had the opportunity to visit Trim Castle in Ireland. Film buffs will recognize Trim as the setting for much of the blockbuster movie "Braveheart". One on tour, I recall our guide telling an interesting story about a peculiar English noble habit at the castle. The English lord wanted to communicate English superiority in every way over the native Irish. There was a fella whose job was "The Keeper of the Dung". Every day, he would collect the feces of the nobles and smear it on the outside of the white castle walls. English poo was darker than Irish poo because of the richness of their diet...and thus, their superiority. It was a way of saying to the Irish peasants, "Even our crap is better than your crap." It's a barbaric fact of history. Thank God we're above that, right?

"My sin is better than your sin." "My crap is better than your crap." Poo is poo and sin is sin.

When we live under this air of superiority and are ignorant to what stinks about ourselves, we, in essence, are taking on the role of the "Keeper of the Dung" as we display what we feel is respectable and superior. We fail to miss how barbaric this act really is. Certain sins are an abomination, but our greed and our gluttony and our judgment are much more acceptable. Truth is...all sin is an abomination, and there can be no blurring of the lines between acceptable and detestable sins.

And there can be no mistaking the need for God's grace...

Religious sin certainly seems like an "abomination" to Jesus. In fact, all sin -- particularly the consequences of it -- was detested by Jesus. He, however, was driven by love to self-sacrifice and not by hate to condemnation! Shouldn't we be following his example rather than playing this game of "who's in and who's out"? I have a feeling we are more comfortable with lists and records than the Father is, and we are probably a whole lot more comfortable with our own "acceptable sin" than he is! I am certain that the only thing I have to boast or brag about is the love of God found in Jesus! I may look clean on the outside, but if you step closer, you'll get a whiff of reality!

The Good News isn't my goodness -- or yours! The Good News is his goodness! Any acceptability we possess comes from Jesus, so I'm not going to spend any time spreading my superior crap on the wall. The love of God changes the way I think about myself, and it certainly changes the way I think of others.