Helping Students Think About Sin

It is impossible to proclaim the gospel without talking about sin. And yet, this is increasingly tempting to attempt. Maybe it’s an effort to be relevant, or seeker friendly, or winsome. But in my experience it’s usually due to fear. Fear of students being offended, complaining to their parents, blasting the ministry on social media, or merely rolling their eyes at their out of touch youth pastor. 

But there’s no escaping it. If we avoid talking about sin, we will either preach a social gospel or one that’s so unimpressive it’s no wonder students are bored with it. We need to help students think about sin. 

What’s the Big Deal?

How many times have we heard students say, “What’s the big deal? This isn’t hurting anyone, why should anyone care?” 

Sin doesn’t fall on a sliding scale, according to the hurt it causes others. That would imply that sin is only against other people, and not against God. Joseph spoke about sin the other way around - when he was sexually propositioned by Potiphar’s wife he said, “How could I sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). Similarly, the psalmist brings his sin before the Lord with this cry, “against you, you alone, have I sinned” (Psalm 51:4). Sin is never merely an offense between two people. There is always a spiritual dimension because it is a self-determined effort to redefine what is good and beautiful and satisfying. It is an attempt to be self-satisfied rather than satisfied in God’s created order. 

Since many today have removed God from their worldview, “sin” and morality is either good or bad, right or wrong based on whether or not it directly harms other people. This makes sense from an atheistic viewpoint. So, if a young man and young woman want to have sex, they should be able to do that without any sin according to this false view of sin. 

Sin and Transgression

Romans 3:23 famously teaches, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Many youth workers have explained that sin was an archery term that meant, “to miss the mark.” This is a fine start to help students think about what it means to “measure up” to God’s holy standard, and to grapple with the reality that we all sin and fall short. But if this is the extent of what we teach about what sin is, then our students will have an incomplete view of what the Bible teaches about sin.

Sin is more than making mistakes and it isn’t measured by the amount of harm it causes someone else. And yet, these are the ways students often think about sin. It’s important to show students that “accidental” sins are still sinful. Every student can think back to a time when they were accidentally hurt by a sibling or a friend. That kick to the face or push off the couch wasn’t intentional, but it still hurt! Accidents matter in “the real world.” They matter to God too. 

Biblically speaking, sins that are “accidents” are often referred to simply as “sin,” while sins that are an intentional act against God’s law are called “transgression.” We stand guilty before our holy God because of sin and transgressions, for accidental sins and for blatant lawbreaking. For the most part, even though they might disagree with what God’s law calls sinful, most students will agree that transgressions (like murder and violence) are sins that should be avoided. 

Sins of Commission & Omission

Sins of Commission are when we do what we are commanded not to do. When people think about “sin,” this is usually what they think about. Sins of Omission are those sins that take place because we failed to do what God commanded. James 4:17 explains, “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” 

Students understand this when you put it in terms they already use. Consider something like racism: committing a racist act against someone because of the color of their skin and remaining silent in the face of racism both make you guilty of injustice. The two acts are not the same, but both are wrong. And that’s the point. Trying to determine degrees of sinfulness is completely missing the point. 

The cumulative effect of our sins of commission and omission make it obvious that we need a savior. We need a savior who will rescue us from the sin we commit and from the sin that results from what we’ve left undone. 

Saved From Sin?

Talking about sin can be triggering. It can make students feel like you’re accusing them of doing something wrong. You are. 

Don’t be shy about that reality, but take the opportunity to confess that you are all in the same condition before the Lord. The only difference is whether or not we’ve been saved from sin by faith in Jesus Christ. Those who are offended by sin are the ones who actually understand what you’re teaching. 

But ministers of the gospel never preach sin and judgment without setting them in context: God saves! And like Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). Jesus is full of grace for sinners who confess their sin and trust in him for new life. 

It’s important to teach about sin. Your ministry is to proclaim the gospel, it is the Holy Spirit’s work to convict them of sin. Teach in such a way that students walk away astounded by the holy love of God that saves sinners… even sinners like them.