Besetting Sins
It has quickly become devilishly complicated to speak about “sin” and “grief.” Slewfoot’s pitching style thrives in his combination of speed and obfuscation. Pitches come so quickly, thrown with such wild windups and wicked spin big time batsmen become professional whiffers if not stuporous lookers.
Let’s watch some tape and learn what the devil is going on. Here is Greg Johnson, a pastor in the PCA who identifies himself as a “gay Christian.”
Here is Matt Hall, provost of the Southern Baptist Seminary, an up-and-coming leader in the SBC. He identifies himself as a “racist, white-supremacist Christian.”
Greg Johnson admittedly “struggles” with his “same-sex-attraction.” But he expects no deliverance. Matt Hall anticipates being racist and a white supremacist until the day he is resurrected.
What’s the pitch? Sin is so bad, sin so abounds, sin is so intrinsic to our every thought, word and deed that whatever sins define us will do so throughout the whole of our lives this side of heaven. But it really is not sin. It’s brokenness, fallenness, a deprivation of “shalom” which hinders human flourishing.
It is interesting how the Marxist ideologies of Intersectionality and Critical Race theory have provided new static categories for “Evangelicals” to adopt. Matt Hall signs his confession of “oppressor” and Greg Johnson signs his confession of “oppressed.” The white patriarchy remains in his racism and the sexual minority remains in his lust.
Repentance does not seem to be in their vocabulary. They own their “besetting sins” but their confession is not unto repentance, but a kind of shame in which they identify, in which they revel. Beware glorying in shame.
Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
Philippians 3:17-19
Paul clearly states before this admonition that he has not arrived, but keeps pressing on in Christ. He clearly states afterward that our great hope of perfect holiness is found in glorification. These qualifications, however, do not mean we may allow our appetites to define us or glory in our shame.
Living out and going Woke glories in shame without any hope of repentance, reconciliation, holiness or cleansing. Some may speak piously of “besetting sins” but these are not “defining sins”. These sins which so easily entangle us must be cast aside and CAN be cast aside.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Christ did not rise from the dead and go about for 40 days glorying in the shame of how unjustly He had been treated. He did not make “oppression” His first, middle or last name.
We have in Christ a victorious Savior. Name your sin. Christ died for it on the cross. The guilt is gone. Name your sin. Christ was buried for it in the tomb. The power is gone. Name your sin. Christ rose from the grave in victory over it. Reckon yourself as dead indeed to that sin but alive to God through Jesus Christ, your TRUE Master.
Here comes the pitch, “Sin abounds!” Swing with Christ, “Grace much more abounds!”
