If you are anything like me, you may be surprised by the things you uncover when you clean out a drawer or cupboard. It is only when we open up those long-ignored spaces and pull out all the junk, that we see the things wedged in the back, stuck under a pile of other stuff, disregarded for months or even years together.
Our lives are fairly similar to those deep drawers and overflowing cupboards: We likely empty out the junk that is obvious to us and right under our noses. But the things that have been gathering in a quiet, undisturbed corner? Those are far more ignorable and easier to avoid. While we might stay on schedule with spring cleaning our homes, years can slip by without any deep cleaning in our lives.
Perhaps you have heard the statement, “There are no ‘big’ sins and ‘little’ sins in God’s eyes.” But do we whitewash and sanitize certain sins because their consequences seem “little” or insignificant? Do we brush certain sins under the carpet and classify them in the excusable category?
While by no means an exhaustive list, here are three sins that tend to quietly lurk in Christian culture that perhaps we ought to start paying closer attention to.
The sin masked by the euphemism of “sharing”
You may be familiar with the children’s church song that goes: “The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is the people.” But here is the thing about people—we come with chequered lives and with the capacity to talk, especially about other peoples’ colourful stories. As Christians, we seem to have given the sin of gossip a special pass and slid it under the euphemisms of “sharing” or a “prayer request” or even a “burden on my heart.” But when we get down to brass tacks, doesn’t gossip stem from pride because we want to be seen as the one with the “inside information,” or branded as the trustworthy person that someone has confided in? Or maybe gossip stems from jealousy—we feel compelled to share (or listen to) damaging details that put a dent in someone’s seemingly perfect story. It is no surprise then that God takes gossip seriously, even if we as a church culture seem to be dismissive, sometimes even welcoming, of it.
In Romans 1: 29-32, Paul includes gossiping along with other sins that the culture would consider more grievous like murder, deceit, and hating God. Perhaps this is a wake-up call that we should be as tough on gossip as we are on “bigger” sins. May it be our prayer that the Lord keeps a watch over the door of our mouths (Psalm 141:3) and may we speak words that serve to build others up rather than tear them down (Ephesians 4:29).
The sin that is masked by testifying to God’s grace
As we mature in our Christian walk and in the disciplines of Bible reading and prayer, are we inclined to believe that the work of sanctification takes place because of our own efforts? Do we subscribe to the world’s patterns as we measure ourselves by external criteria, even though in the Christian context that means things like the frequency of our quiet times or how much we have tithed, or the number of prayer groups we belong to? Self-righteousness can be one of the most insidious sins because it stems from right actions. But our good works can become a measure of our worth. We often wrap self-righteousness in the garb of testifying about God’s grace. But while speaking of grace, we have also developed the ability to slip in details about our weekly fasts or an upcoming missions trip, or our charitable giving. The more we become aware of our own righteousness, the more we tend to see the speck of dust in others’ eyes, while ignoring the log in our own. Self-righteousness creates very little space for conviction from the Word or correction from others.
But Scripture reminds us that he who began a good work in us is faithful to bring it to completion (Phil 1:6). We don’t have the capacity to carry out the work of sanctification. It is only God who saves and sanctifies us. May we pray for humble hearts that are far more intent on obeying the Lord than speaking of our obedience to others.
The sin that is masked by the glare of the spotlight
Church services and related activities create several opportunities to lead from the front —but often those opportunities can become pitfalls. If we are not watchful, the Christian life can very easily devolve into a performance. Even as we find ourselves on platforms as preachers and teachers and worship leaders, there is the distinct possibility of living for our own glory rather than for the glory of God. With the era of Instagram preachers and Christian influencers on social media, the temptation of seeking the world’s approval and adulation has never been so pervasive as now. As a writer with an Instagram business account for Christian quotes, I can see how deceptive this temptation can be—especially when the glare of the spotlight blinds me to my own pride.
While we may desire to honour God with our gifts, the enemy can exploit our platforms so we seek the applause of the world. We may want the Lord to take centre stage but also face the temptation of taking some of the credit and glory for ourselves.
But God’s Word reminds us that every good and perfect gift, including our talents, comes from above (James 1: 17). In fact, Scripture says that apart from God we can do nothing (John 15:5) which makes taking the credit an almost-laughable sin. May we take time off from the glare of the spotlight and examine our hearts in the light of God’s Word.
As part of the household of God, judgment begins with us (1 Peter 4: 17). God doesn’t request us to be somewhat holy but commands us to be holy as he is holy. Christian culture can become a hiding place for “acceptable” sins that we have given a silent nod to. But when Scripture lights up the recesses of our hearts we have no excuse for sin. It is time we pulled open all the drawers and cupboards in our lives and allowed God to do his work of deep-cleaning our hearts.
