In recent sermons and and small group Bible studies I have repeatedly heard the theme of how we are a "broken" people. It is true. I don't dispute it. But I don't think that describing our condition as "broken" adequately conveys the seriousness of sin.
For example, if we asked a group of people by show of hands if they thought that they were in some way "broken," many might raise their hand. If we ask them if they thought that they were "sinners," fewer if any might raise their hand. It is easy for us to admit to the concept that we are broken or dysfunctional as human beings in some way. But brokenness does not carry the idea that we are guilty of transgressing God's law and are under His ultimate penalty for sin. We readily admit to making "errors in judgement or making "mistakes." But when it comes to admitting to a life of moral failures, we are less like to confess to it.
When we talk about being "sinners" we are dealing with what the Bible teaches is a root problem directly responsible for our "dysfunction." Because of sin we are a broken people. Because of sin we have a broken fellowship with God. Because of sin we have broken relationships, we have misplaced our true purpose and our identity in this life. We have transgressed God's moral laws. And until we confess and deal with the problem of sin, our brokeness will continue.
I understand why, as contemporary Christians, we use words like "brokenness" instead of "sin" when talking to unbelievers. We live in a culture and society that has lost its moral compass. Our culture can no longer distinguish or agree on what is morally right or wrong. Truth has become individualized, personal and relative. There is "my truth" and "your truth" since truth is only in the eye of the beholder. The concepts of sin and sinner are foreign to our culture so we must find another way to communicate to unbelievers.
We would not expect someone who spoke only Spanish to understand our words if we only spoke to them in English. If we want them to understand our message, we need to learn Spanish (or find someone who can translate for us). Christians have a special language all their own. We use words like salvation, redemption, atonement, incarnation, repentance, ressurrection, trinity, godhead, grace, and so on. Today, those words no longer communicate truth to an unregeneate generation people. We need to find good ways to communicate truth into our culture, without changing the essential truths themselves. Jesus, who was the master communicator, found ways to communicate spiritual truth by using stories and parables of things that were in a common frame of reference by the people listening to him. We know from the example of Jesus, that some accomodation may be effective.
For example, if we asked a group of people by show of hands if they thought that they were in some way "broken," many might raise their hand. If we ask them if they thought that they were "sinners," fewer if any might raise their hand. It is easy for us to admit to the concept that we are broken or dysfunctional as human beings in some way. But brokenness does not carry the idea that we are guilty of transgressing God's law and are under His ultimate penalty for sin. We readily admit to making "errors in judgement or making "mistakes." But when it comes to admitting to a life of moral failures, we are less like to confess to it.
When we talk about being "sinners" we are dealing with what the Bible teaches is a root problem directly responsible for our "dysfunction." Because of sin we are a broken people. Because of sin we have a broken fellowship with God. Because of sin we have broken relationships, we have misplaced our true purpose and our identity in this life. We have transgressed God's moral laws. And until we confess and deal with the problem of sin, our brokeness will continue.
I understand why, as contemporary Christians, we use words like "brokenness" instead of "sin" when talking to unbelievers. We live in a culture and society that has lost its moral compass. Our culture can no longer distinguish or agree on what is morally right or wrong. Truth has become individualized, personal and relative. There is "my truth" and "your truth" since truth is only in the eye of the beholder. The concepts of sin and sinner are foreign to our culture so we must find another way to communicate to unbelievers.
We would not expect someone who spoke only Spanish to understand our words if we only spoke to them in English. If we want them to understand our message, we need to learn Spanish (or find someone who can translate for us). Christians have a special language all their own. We use words like salvation, redemption, atonement, incarnation, repentance, ressurrection, trinity, godhead, grace, and so on. Today, those words no longer communicate truth to an unregeneate generation people. We need to find good ways to communicate truth into our culture, without changing the essential truths themselves. Jesus, who was the master communicator, found ways to communicate spiritual truth by using stories and parables of things that were in a common frame of reference by the people listening to him. We know from the example of Jesus, that some accomodation may be effective.
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