This great question identifies a conflation of the corrupting force of Original Sin and the brokenness of this fallen creation. It ties-in to the discussion about love is love and homosexual inclinations.
To state it another way, “sin entered the world, and all of the world exhibits brokenness as a result of sin; that brokenness is sin.” The question is a logical fallacy. Sin’s corruption in the world is plainly visible from violence in the animal kingdom to viruses that sicken and kill, from weather disasters to birth defects. These things are not sin, nor are they sinful.
All of the physical weaknesses and brokenness in our flesh are a result of sin entering the world and are part of its curse. “… cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken…” [Genesis 3:17b-19a] Even the ground suffers under the curse of sin without the ability to sin.
Not all of the aspects of the curse of sin in the world and in our bodies are sin. A cleft palate, a club foot, phenylketonuria, etc.; these are examples of the brokenness of creation caused by sin’s curse on the world. They are not sin, nor are they sinful.
Sin is, however, in the things we do. And we are inclined to sin from our birth. Each of us suffers differently with the sinful inclination of our corrupted nature. Some struggle with hatred/murder, some disobedience, and others covetousness. The sin confusing our culture most today is the sin of adultery. God created us man and woman. God has commanded sex as His gift only to those joined together in life-long marriage between a woman and a man.
Our inclinations to live life outside of God’s commandments are sinful. We are to turn from that sin in ourselves. We are to condemn sin in the world too. Love of our neighbor can never excuse sin. Love of our neighbor can never embrace sin and call it righteous.
That’s not end of it either. Jesus came into the world to save us from sin and from its curse. “For our sake [the Father] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” [2 Corinthians 5:21] Forgiveness in Jesus is freedom from sin. That’s exact opposite of calling sin righteousness. He gives us forgiveness and faith that pursues righteousness.
The modern virtue of acceptance fights against the faith in us that wants to flee from sin. “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who have died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” [Romans 6:1-4]
Jesus forgiving sin and driving us away from it is the struggle of this life for Christians. We are forgiven. Yet, we still battle within ourselves against sin. We still live in a world broken by the ravages of sin. But, this will be restored on the last day. “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.” [Revelation 22:1-3]
In the resurrection even the earth will be restored/recreated from its brokenness. Sin will be wiped away forever. The sin of our deeds in faith is forgiven and will be eradicated from us on that day. The brokenness of creation as a result of sin will also be undone.
Praise be to the God of the resurrection!
Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX
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