The Sins That Entangle
The Bulletin, 7/8/26
In one sense, all sins are equal in their power to separate us from God. In another, some of them are far easier to slip into than others. As Jesus pointed out, we may not ever murder somebody, but we sure can hate them, and that’s no good either.
So, it’s those little sins that can tangle up our feet as we run our race toward Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Consider a few of the more commonly accepted ones and why they can be so detrimental:
The juicy gossip
It’s hard to resist listening in on that tidbit about so-and-so, or chiming in with an unflattering story about someone being discussed. But does it pass the Golden Rule test? If you were the one removed from that room, would you want it being said about you?
The lingering look
It’s far less than a pornography addiction, so that lingering look at a body that catches the eye can be easier to justify. Whether it’s a person walking down a street or someone in an unfortunate internet ad who has just a little too little clothing on, they can serve as a test of our belief that we are better off serving God than indulging the flesh.
The casual grumble
Mondays, amiright? Ugh, bills. You know the type of speech. It’s ok to be frustrated at some of life’s inconveniences, but grumbling is incompatible to our command to rejoice in all things. And, it becomes a self-feeding habit in which things to complain about are easier to see with each passing grumble, and we end up surrounding ourselves with people who like to complain with us.
If you committed adultery or robbed a bank, it would be headline news, and you’d probably face strong opposition. Commit one of these “little” sins though, and most won’t confront you or even know that they need to.
Policing our thoughts and our words is one of the toughest parts of our sanctification, but it’s vitally necessary if we’re going to enjoy Christ as we should.