The Deafening Silence...

I have been feeling this way for a while, but it has come to a head recently in my life as well as in conversations with some of my friends, so here goes...

As my friend Andy pointed out yesterday, it's totally cool to talk about your sin when you a sinner. People even brag about it, comparing their activities or exploits to someone else's. It almost becomes either a game or the measuring post to which everyone is compared.

BUT...

When you get saved, and all of a sudden sin is BAD. Now, I'm not trying to make light of sin, or make excuses for why we sin. There is no excuse. But, let's face it, we're sinful, carnal human beings. We will never fully escape the temptation to sin as long as we are stuck in these meat sacks we call bodies... so get over it!!!

But why then, as soon as we leave the sinner's world and step into the body of Christ are we no longer comfortable with talking about sin? Shouldn't we be? Isn't sin the common bond that we still have together? Don't we all still sin? Were we not all forgiven of our sins? So why is sin the taboo word in Christendom? (except if you're the pastor or the holy mother of the first pew...)

I personally believe we have done a great injustice to ourselves and the rest of the body when we make it uncomfortable to talk about sin among fellow believers. Now, let's be real... you're probably not going to pull out the big guns on your first meeting with someone, as well you shouldn't... but if you are truly creating godly, Christ-like relationships with other believers, why wouldn't you try to be honest about struggle?

I have a few ideas of why:


1. Pride - We have bought into the myth that because we are forgiven of our sin that we are in fact holy or sinless... We are not! As long as we live on this earth we are always the sinner saved by grace. To think that we are ever anything more is to do injustice to Christ's sacrifice.


2. Fear - This is especially true of people who work in the ministry. We are afraid to admit our trials and struggles because we are afraid what other people will think about it. If you work in the ministry, you are also afraid that you could loose your job! Now, stop and listen to that for a second... Hi, I'm a pastor, but I can't talk about MY sin, only YOUR sin, because I need to keep MY job... which is supposed to be leading you away from sin!!!


3. Selfishness - I think this is the dark demon hiding in the closet that no one wants to see or talk about... most of us like the sins that we do. That's why we do them! And, as long as no one knows that I have a problem in an area, then no one can hold me accountable to stop doing it. We don't change because we don't want to change!


No matter what the reason is, the lack of open conversation between followers of Christ about the real sin in their lives, not just sin in a random context, is frightening. If we really want to able to be free from the bondage of sin, we must realize that sin is not just the singular action that we do, but every action that is spawned from or motivated by it.

"The deafening silence between believers is so great, it's a wonder we can still hear the still small voice of God."

- Just a thought.