Tag: sin
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The Love God Never Withholds
A Curious Pilgrim Reflection on Psalm 66, 1 Samuel 4:12–22, James 1:1–18, and Matthew 19:23–30 “Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer, nor withheld his love from me.” — Psalm 66:20 One of the deepest fears of the human heart is the fear of abandonment. We wonder if God has grown weary of…
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The Sin We Often Forget
A Curious Pilgrim Reflection Tomorrow I will stand before the bishop at St. James Episcopal Church in Springfield, Missouri, and be confirmed as a member of the Episcopal Church. Today, during our confirmation class, we discussed the definition of sin found in the Book of Common Prayer: “Sin is the seeking of our own will…
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Sin as rule-breaking
Sin as rule-breaking, defines sin primarily as disobedience to God’s laws or commandments. The focus is placed on violating prescribed rules rather than on the deeper condition of the human heart and humanity’s relationship with God. In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly challenges this way of understanding sin. In Mark 3:1–6, Jesus is criticized for healing…
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God’s Goodness, Our Sin, and the Gift of Gratitude
A Reflection by Roy Pearson Scripture Focus:“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” — 1 Timothy 4:4–5“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23…
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Empathy Is Not a Sin: A Biblical Response
In recent years, a curious argument has emerged in certain Christian circles: that empathy itself may be a kind of sin. Voices like Allie Beth Stuckey, Joe Rigney, Pete Hegseth, and J. D. Vance warn that empathy can cloud our judgment, compromise our convictions, and even lead us into affirming sin. They argue that empathy…
The Curious Pilgrim 