Sinners All

I have a good friend that worked as part of our liturgy team designing and assembling liturgies for a contemporary service. I remember her muttering -- at least once a meeting -- her objection to our use of the word "sin" in the service. And I understand and agree with her viewpoint here. Another member of the team -- also a friend, of a more traditional nature -- could be counted on to respond sarcastically "I'm glad to hear that nobody at the contemporary service ever sins."

Argh! Talk about missing the point -- this (predictable, repeated!) response does just that. In our culture, the word sin comes loaded with so much unhelpful baggage that it has become a useless way of talking about how to transform ourselves from creatures that plod through the ordinary, willfully manipulating it to our advantage into beings that see and strive to bring God's kingdom to the world. It is an issue of learning to be and to do, rather than one of living in guilt and learning to don't.

When I read what Jesus taught, I see him talking about redefining our lives and actions to align with a path into wholeness and health for all of the world. "Blessed are the peacemakers," "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," and "Follow me" are all examples calling us to leave behind self serving choices, and to move to a place of being -- be a peacemaker! -- and doing -- seek God's righteousness! -- in order to be fulfilled.

That is also what I see when Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery to "go and sin no more." I hear his call in these simple words not to stop, but to start living a life of love and respect for one another, so that we can be transformed into beings that show God's grace to the world.

Yes, we are all sinners. But God's call and desire for us is that we focus on becoming instruments playing out God's grace in a broken world.