The Mischief of Sin: Recapturing the Stigma of Sin in Preaching

Since the subject of sin is prevalent and predominant throughout Scripture, it has always been integral to the Christian faith and message. While many may still associate Christians as being against sin, mainstream Christianity has undergone profound changes on the subject. The language of sin is being jettisoned in favor of psychological labels like “compulsions” and “dysfunctions” that ultimately lessen the stigma of the evildoer. Moreover, there are significant attempts today to root the effects of sin like depression, anxiety, anger, and guilt into biological abnormalities rather than in human depravity. Losing the concept of sin will ultimately marginalize the role of the church and, especially, the role of preaching in society. When the comprehensive importance of sin is recovered in a preaching ministry, the role of preaching takes on a whole new level of significance. Anemic sermons that only address superficial needs will be rejected. The Mischief of Sin seeks to inspire in a new generation of preachers a courage to call sin what it is and to recover a new-found confidence in the gospel, which is the only remedy to man’s sick condition.