Sin in the Church -- the new "Freedom in Christ?"

The Apostle Paul in several of his epistles warned his Christian readers to "be not deceived." Unfortunately, there is a tendency in the human heart, even the heart of believers, to be deceived. The Apostle Peter describes this same gullibility of the heart when referring to those who "willingly are ignorant." It seems that the bottom line of the human heart is its insistence to believe what it wants to believe. And, this it does in spite of any evidence to the contrary.

Paul warns the Church that before the coming of the Lord there must come both a "falling away" and the revealing of the Man of Sin. It should be obvious that those falling away are those from within the Church. The unsaved and unregenerate of this world can hardly be considered to have fallen away from anything. Paul's reference then is concerning Christians, who from all appearances, were once walking in the truth and light of the gospel, only to eventually fall away from the faith. Arguments about predestination and eternal security of will have to wait for another day. Suffice it to say that the falling away is from among the ranks of those who at least consider themselves believers.

Is there evidence of this falling away and great deception being present in the Church today? Certainly. Very few believers, however, would consider that such warnings and admonitions would or could apply to their own lives. It must be noted, however, that the sins which characterize this present world are all present in great abundance within the Church. Controversy on this point is simply the fact that some sin is no longer sin in the minds of many. The disagreements of the past regarding things such as drinking, dancing, and smoking are being pushed into moral obscurity by new and prevalent assertions regarding the legitimacy of using illicit drugs, watching pornography, or being a committed Christian homosexual. Are we experiencing new revelation and enlightenment regarding these things, or are we experiencing the falling away and having our hearts "hardened through the deceitfulness of sin?" Is this a new freedom in Christ, or just more of the same old sin?

The scope of this brief writing does not permit discussion of every point and counter point regarding particular sins or "freedoms in Christ." Some general observations will have to suffice. Some years ago, while in Jerusalem, I was having a meal with several Christian believers. One man in particular was drinking and smoking to great excess, not simply my own opinion, but his own, demonstrated by his overly loud and boisterous comment, "Thank you, Lord, for the freedom to indulge in these things." I point to the attitude of the heart, not the specific indulgence, where arguments about moderation might prevail. But, surely, we can agree that God wants our hearts to belong to him. Allowing them to be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin is simply too easy and too prevalent in this day and age.

Out of one side of its collective mouth, the Church (for the most part anyway) condemns drunkenness, illicit drugs, homosexual behavior, adultery, fornication, pornography, etc. Out of the other side, however, is a reluctant admission that Christians indulge in these same sins to virtually the same degree and extent as the rest of the world. The fact that Christians behave essentially no differently than unbelievers speaks volumes regarding the current state of the Church. What kind of thinking has taken hold of Christians? Is fornication now an acceptable Christian practice as long as the couple plans to eventually marry? Is marijuana an acceptable recreational drug because God has given us "every green herb" for meat? Can believers now be practicing homosexuals because they've recited the sinner's prayer and, after all, God looks upon the heart? And perhaps these things represent the "falling away" Paul warned us about. Perhaps we have forgotten the Lord's admonition, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord..." Perhaps the Church no longer sees any need to be a unique and peculiar people unto the Lord.

Unfortunately, our contemporary theology plays a role in this growing confusion. A significant portion of the modern Church has now told several generations of believers that the gospel of Jesus Christ in its entirety is to simply repeat the sinner's prayer. That's all, folks. Absolutely, positively nothing more. We have guaranteed eternal salvation to any and all who perform this modern sacrament, assuring them that their earthly problems will soon be a thing of the past. When many of these converts rush disillusioned back into the world, we still assure them that the sinner's prayer once-spoken is the "sure foundation" of their eternal life, no matter what lifestyle they may pursue. Only Colonel Harvey's Indian Elixir (It Cures What Ails You) ever came with a better guarantee. This new theological way of thinking, however, has swept its way into all parts of the Church. Too many Christians think that we can do anything, be anything, and still have our eternal cake. We can fornicate, but still enter the kingdom of heaven. We can watch endless hours of pornography and still enter the kingdom of heaven. We can commit adultery, smoke pot, snort cocaine, lie, cheat, steal, and still enter the kingdom of heaven. After all, didn't we say the sinner's prayer while the choir was still singing, "Just as I am?"

The heart never changes. Paul had to deal with this same kind of modern thinking, and was compelled to warn believers to "be not deceived." He said, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (I Co.6) This present writing is not a call to a gospel of works, nor to any vain efforts to perfect the flesh through works of the flesh. It is a call for the Church to quit deceiving itself. It does matter what you do. Are you continuing in fornication, idolatry, homosexuality, thievery, drunkenness, and the like? If so, the Apostle of the Lord said, "Be not deceived, you shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Is God even able to convict you of sin anymore? It was prophesied of Jesus, before his birth, that "he shall save his people from their sins." Thus, God's people are to be saved and rescued from their sin, so that they no longer are slaves to perform it. This is not an argument for sinless perfection of the flesh, but we must recognize that sin has become an accepted way of life for the Christian. It seems that almost every believer has their pet indulgence or sin that they refuse to give up or even be convicted about. We must repent of treating the precious blood of Christ as some common and contemptible thing that can be kept on hand for immediate use right after our pre-planned and prolonged forays into our favorite sin.

The Church in these last days is being called to repentance. I am learning that this is more than merely an acknowledgement of sin (quite easy), but involves a true turning away from it (very difficult). This present writing is also a call for believers to "abide in Christ." This is the only true method of overcoming sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil. Apart from abiding in him, Jesus said we can do nothing. How does one truly abide in Christ? I have no idea. I'm still working that one out with fear and trembling, yet confident and secure that "he which hath begun a good work in me will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." You must work out this "abiding" in your own life as well. Dear Believer in Christ, be not deceived. You cannot simply live as your flesh pleases, indulging in any sin that your heart happens to lead you into. Your heart will only get harder and harder, until you are no longer convicted by the Holy Spirit of anything. Freedom in Christ is not freedom to sin and indulge in anything you want. Freedom in Christ is freedom from the bondage and deception of sin. The Scriptures are at odds with modern thinking both within and without the Church. Redefining and rewriting Holy Writ does not alter the objective truth and reality that God has decreed. All Christians are called to pursue the holiness which can only come from Him, "without which no man shall see the Lord." We must walk in the light now, because darkness is rapidly descending upon the world, and upon the Church too. The "falling away" is not on its way, but is already here.