Pop’s Lessons— Part Thirty Six

Last updated on: June 27, 2022 at 1:46 am by Ben Witherington

Pop’s Lessons— Part Thirty Six 2022-05-07T10:15:55-04:00 Ben Witherington

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

8/5/1979

In today’s world things are changing so fast that our understanding of religious truths or ideas must be constantly revised to keep pace with changing times and conditions. Just as there existed, traditionally, the seven deadly sins, so there are seven modern versions of these ancient errors. Today, the first deadly sin is ignorance. Ignorance is a sin because it blocks the free flow of the creative goodness of God. We need to know how evolution works, we need to understand population problems, ecology, our own aggressions, problems of community life, shortages of energy. Ignorance in these areas will frustrate the work of God because God doesn’t change, we do. Arrogance is always a sin, and it comes from ignorance. Being sure of yourself prevents your learning from others. God meanwhile, is constantly revealing Himself anew. Greed is a modern sin and is destructive to ourselves as well as others. Violence, like greed, is a modern sin and coercion destroys our freedom. Dishonesty is a modern sin. If God is love, then any word or act that misleads must be contrary to the will and goodness of God, and basic relationships are thereby damaged. Indifference is a modern sin as well. It is commonly assumed today that those in government can’t be trusted. This applies in many areas of life, and even religious leaders and their religion have become suspect. The opposite of love is not hate, but rather indifference. The most tragic thing of all in the long run is the attitude that things don’t matter, and despair rules the day. Our world is under great pressure, and when we get through hating, we turn away in indifference. The only way to solve our problems is to care more and more each day that we live.

The first of the original commandments is that we must love God with all our being with no substitution. Idolatry persists today and is equally dangerous as it was in Biblical times. We exalt ourselves or our achievements above those of the divine, making these things more important than God. Surely God is more than anything, any quality, any value, any idea or any achievement of human beings. God may reveal himself in many ways, but the simple truth is if we accept God wholly and fully we will not be guilty of any of these seven deadly sins of the modern world– ignorance, arrogance, greed, violence, dishonesty, indifference, and idolatry. If we would rather go on growing in wisdom and understanding and in the depth and quality of our relationships with and others, then these seven things must be rejected, shunned, condemned. As the Bible says– ‘Be sure your sins will find you out’.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

June 26, 2022

Pop's Lessons-- Part Thirty Five

Next Post

June 28, 2022 Pop's Lessons-- Part Thirty Seven

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz