“We are most scandalized by sins of the flesh. Jesus was most scandalized by sins of the spirit.”- John Ortberg
“The sins of the flesh are bad, but they are the least of all the sins. All the worst pleasures are purely spiritual: the pleasure of putting other people in the wrong, of bossing and patronizing . . . the pleasure of power, of hatred.”- C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
As John Ortberg moves on in Chapter 5 of Everybody’s Normal . . ., he notes that, throughout history, Christian thinkers divide sin into two categories:
- sins of the flesh.
- sins of the spirit
In general, sins of the flesh involve appetites that get out of control. As was the case with the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), sins of the flesh inevitably lead to other sins as well. Sins like deceit, betrayal, or despair.
However, sins of the spirit center in our souls more than our biology. Hence, in general, sins of the spirit lack the colorful aspect of sins of the flesh. Most significantly, John observes, churches rarely exercise discipline over sins of the spirit. Thus, sins like arrogance or self-righteousness rarely scandalize churches.
But such sins scandalized Jesus. Above all, John notes, the New Testament tell a striking number of stories involving the triad of a sinner of the flesh, a sinner of the spirit, and Jesus. In addition, in these accounts people guilty of sins of the flesh knew big trouble awaited them. Yet, they also saw Jesus as approachable.
And, in all these stories, sinners of the spirit blinded themselves. Because they believed it was possible to love God and despise people. Since they avoided sins of the flesh, they viewed themselves as paragons of spiritual maturity. Consequently, this belief crippled their ability to love.
That’s what makes sins of the spirit most destructive and dangerous of all sins. Because we fail to see people standing around us who tremble in brokenness, guilt, fear, or lostness. Or worse yet, we see them and aren’t moved.
Today’s question: As you more scandalized by sins of the spirit or sins of the flesh? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Simply irrelevant – condemnation”