The book was a birthday gift. In other words, the book found me, I did not find the book. The author is Notre Dame Old Testament professor Gary Anderson. In very small letters on the front cover are the words “A History.”
In the book Anderson looks at the images and words that are used in the Old Testament to describe sin. He does a very careful job of putting the sin images and words into their historical context. For me it is a reminder that our understanding of sin is ever changing. It is the task of the clergyperson to find new words and images to communicate a reality. Things are not the way they ought to be. It is the minister’s job constantly to analyze and critique society and to point people to a better path.
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In the New Testament writings and in the teachings of Jesus in particular we find a reworking of the meaning of Torah and new insights into sin. When Jesus was asked what was the greatest expression of Torah, he responded “Love of God and love of neighbor.” His follow up comment was simple. He said that the whole will of God is summed up in those two statements. These are the standards that Jesus has set for his followers. When we fall short or miss the mark, we sin. Pure and simple, sin is the appropriate word to use when Christians fall short of the standard of love of God and love of neighbor.
Earlier this month I listened to Tiger Woods’ public apology to his wife, his family, to the golf industry and to the nation. It was refreshing to hear him speak about standards of behavior. I have never heard a clearer acceptance of personal responsibility. He admitted to knowing a standard of sexual behavior that he had flagrantly violated. He blamed no one other than himself. I respect his public confession. I look forward to watching him play golf in the near future.
I was glad to see the dynamic in action. He acknowledged there is a standard. He accepted responsibility for violating the standard. Is he suffering guilt? I would hope so. Is Tiger suffering shame? I would hope so. He looks forward to living more responsibly.
Tiger Wood needs our encouragement.
Just as Tiger Woods needed to face the necessity of standards and accepted responsibility to live by them, so also do communities and nations.
The United States is a secular nation made up of a racial, ethnic and religious mixture that is almost beyond imagination. In such diversity can there be a working understanding of the way things ought to be that can be accepted by us all? In a diverse world can we arrive at standards by which our collective behavior will be measured? How are we to define sin in a modern world?
Two things come to mind. The first is that we must return to Jesus’ concern for neighbor. Jesus told the story of The Good Samaritan in response to a question. The question was simple. “Who is my neighbor?” All of the world’s religions have some sort of teaching about neighbors. In this modern world, a neighbor is not simply the person next door. A neighbor is in India, Iran and Indonesia. A neighbor is a Haitian immigrant. According to the Jesus standard, neighbors are to be loved as if they were family members.
With this understanding, no one is an alien. Racial or social distinctions are washed away by love. To exclude or discriminate is sin.
Second, Jesus gave some additional advice that is well worth considering. In the Matthew gospel it is reported that the mother of James and John came to Jesus and asked for a favor. She wanted her two sons to be named to sit at the right and the left of Jesus when he came into his kingdom. It was a teaching moment. Jesus made it clear that he had not come to be served, but to be a servant. He then left us these words, “If any of you want to be great, let him be the servant of all.”
By the Jesus standard, the seeking of privilege for oneself is wrong. His followers are a servant people.
We need to discuss a bit more the subject of standards and sins. I strongly suspect treating neighbors as aliens and seeking privilege for ourselves are far more destructive than Tiger Woods’ sexual misdeeds. He was willing to say he was wrong. The privilege seekers and the alien despisers are not willing to face their sins.
The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer. His e-mail address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.
Comments
4 comment(s)Christian wrote on Mar 4, 2010 7:30 PM:
Angela wrote on Feb 28, 2010 4:40 PM:
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Translator Needed wrote on Feb 26, 2010 3:44 PM: