Dear Pastors, this Sunday I urge, I challenge you to ask the congregation WHY they are sinners. Now, I don't want you to answer for anyone. Allow feed back...dialogue instead of monologue...or at least with the monologue. I don't know what to tell you if you have 2000 members...maybe split into a more manageable group?

Anyhow, I think you will be surprised by the answers. Many people won't know how to answer.

1. We are sinners only when we do bad things.
2. We do bad things and that makes us sinners.
3. We are sinners because the Bible says so.

With Christianity, as well as other religions is this notion that someday evil will come to an end or be ended by divine intervention.

Today (April 15, 2013), in Boston Massachusetts two explosions occurred which appear to be the work of either foreign or domestic terrorists. The left-wing media is speculating that the attack was by a right-wing "extremist". Obviously, at the time of this writing, no one really knows. It is not the typical tactic of so-called "right-wing extremists" as if and when they protest or do violence; it is generally directed at the government. This attack was apparently on the spectators and participants of the annual Boston Marathon -- an event that you'd think a "right-winger" would appreciate since it is an American staple, having started in 1897 and being the world's oldest annual marathon. Add to this that Boston is historically the home of the American Revolution. And lastly, this event was held on "Patriots Day"; a day that commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord, fought near Boston in 1775. This just doesn't seem like the work or target of an over zealous "patriot".

A question arrived in my inbox asking: "If Christ took away all sin from mankind, which He did. Could you explain Matt. 12:31-32"

Now, the first issue is to address the claim that Christ took away all sin, since people do indeed continue to break not only the 10 commandments but Jesus' commandments as well as other biblical precepts.

WHAT IS SIN?

The study of sin is called Hamartiology. Sin in the most simplistic form is disobedience to God's desire, which does not require a stated command. This was the point of many of Jesus' lessons; that people could keep the letter of the Law but were breaking the intent or desire of God. God should not have to write out every little thing that constitutes a sin.