What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits

I wonder if perhaps we, the church, the followers of Jesus, have focused on & mis-taught "sin"?  For many, "sin" is some arbitrary rules the Great Guy in the sky has given us, so we'd better stay in line or else. But I would suggest that is very inaccurate, and yet a fairly common way for people to perceive God/sin. I would suggest that since God defines Himself as "Love", then He is, at His core, a relational being. And since 'we' are created in His image, then we too are relational beings. We read in the scripture, the "first" time God said something was "not good", was not sin, BUT that "man should not be alone"...once again suggesting our relational nature. And man was not alone in His relationship with God, man walked and talked with God in the Garden, "yet it was not good that he was alone"...he was in fact without another human. Sin enters the picture after this. Perhaps if we see sin as the outcome or result of "aloneness" we may get a more accurate picture. Sin are the "relationship busters" of our existence, both our relationship with God & with each other. Have you ever noticed that most of the commands focus on how people should treat people? Nothing damages relationships like "lies"..."stealing from each other"..."taking your neighbors wife"...or "envying each others stuff". Maybe when God says He hates sin, what He is really saying is "I hate anything that damages your relationships...both with Me...and with those around you." Maybe God sees sin as those things that damage a relational people deeply. I know, for me personally, you can cut off my arm...or take my stuff...but losing a valued relationship due to death or divorce or bitter argument, is some of the deepest pain we feel as humans. Perhaps a relational God knows this...and it hurts His heart to see His relational people struggle through life with broken relationships.  This is not as it should be. Perhaps since God is relational, He knows this pain all too deeply. Perhaps if we taught "sin" more in this light, people may begin to see a God of Love, who knows and cares for them deeply...and the people around them. In that, Jesus words summing up the commands makes much more sense..."to love God with your whole heart...and to love others as yourself"...which He said, "sums up all the commands".  Perhaps what we have seen simply as 'vices' & 'sins' are actually behaviors, attitudes and habits that short circuit the relationships around us?  And maybe, just maybe, God isn't just arbitrarily laying down the law, to see if we can measure up...but instead, the God of all relationships, who designed us for relationships, is trying to protect and preserve those relationships He made us to enjoy.  Perhaps that picture is more consistent with the God who defines Himself as Love!  At Friends, we hope to express this heart of God...

be God's!
BrianO
ECHO
Lead Pastor dude
Friends Community Church
Tyler, Texas