"The" Sin
Another Megachurch pastor has proven to have clay feet (Biblical image from Daniel 2:31-43.)
Interestingly, failings of which he has been accused touch on two sins that are seen by some as not just "a" sin, but rather as "the" sin, meaning they are considered so much worse than our own sins that if God grades on the curve we're sure ins for Heaven by comparison.
For some conservatives, homosexual sex is not just one sin among many, but rather "the" sin. This is an un-Biblical, but common view, one that I've heard even from folks I know in our current church, even though our pastors preach against the idea of ranking sins as to seriousness, and remind us we are all sinners, and all loved by God.
Similarly, for some who affirm multicultural moral relativism, hypocrisy is "the" sin. For such folks, there are no other sins, only differences of opinions among cultures as to right and wrong. What makes hypocrisy so bad in their eyes is that the hypocrite proclaims particular values as true for all, yet does not live accordingly.
What the relativists overlook is that setting a high moral goal is no guarantee of attaining it consistently. And failing does not disprove the value of the goal. Personally, I far prefer people who set lofty goals and sometimes fail to reach them than those who set only trivial goals, even if they are always achieved.
(Instapundit offers thoughts on hypocrisy here.)
Our pastor was already planning to preach about homosexuality this weekend. Now that the senior pastor of a member church in our association has been accused of homosexual acts, something is likely to be said in the weekend message about that. However, I will be extremely surprised if the focus of the message is on how wrong either homosexuality or hypocrisy is. I'm almost certain the focus will instead be on God's equal love for all of us, and the importance of recognizing and not excusing our own sin. The associate pastor of the affected Megachurch has already said much the same here.
Side note: Last week's message was on abortion, another decision some conservatives view not as "a" sin, but "the" sin. For multiculturalists, another candidate for "the" sin is intolerance, though that value seems violated by its defenders even more frequently than defenders of moral absolutes fall into hypocrisy.
Update: Our pastor said much what I expected, with three exceptions:
1) He put his money where his mouth was in his previous church, by hiring a celibate homosexual to serve on the church staff.
2) He pointed out that in order for Hebrews 4:15 to be true, that Jesus was "tempted in every way, just as we are", Jesus must have been tempted by improper sexual urges, including homosexuality.
3) He also reminded us of the rest of that verse "yet was without sin." When we have improper urges, and we all have (of one kind or another), we can know two things for sure: Jesus knows what we are facing, and we too can overcome, with His help.
The part I expected mentioned 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Yes, that list of those who won't inherit the Kingdom of God includes male prostitutes and practicing homosexuals. But it also includes pretty much all the rest of us, continuing in verse 11 "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed..."
I don't know why some folks are wired to look improperly at folks of their own gender, any more than I know why other folks are wired to look improperly at more folks of the opposite gender than just their own spouse. I don't even know why I personally am wired to look too longingly at too much food for my own good. But in all these cases, by trusting and relying on God's love we needn't be defeated by our temptations. As 1 Corinthians 10:13 puts it: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to mankind. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (RSV)
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