Faith and Sin

Is faith only a private matter? I hear arguments from some Christians that say that their faith is only a private matter, that it is only a matter of personal piety — how one acts privately.

But I find no Scripture to support such a claim. And I find many elements of this argument lacking on many levels. It seems like faith is a waste. If faith is only a private matter, then what’s the point? If faith is only a private matter, then how exactly is it transformative?

Scripture tells a different story. Jesus sends the disciples out to proclaim the Good News. That’s not a private piety. It has a public impact.

Jesus eats with sinners and tax collectors. That’s not a private piety only. It has a public impact — the Pharisees and Sadducees comment on it and criticize it. It impacts them. And it impacts the lives of the people Jesus ate with. It gave them dignity.

Matthew 25 records Jesus telling us about how the nations will be judged. That’s certainly not a private piety matter — it’s very public. It has public impact.

Jesus is labeled many things — Messiah, King of the Jews, King of King, Lord of Lords, Son of Man (or humanity if you think in the broader sense), and many more. All of these titles have public implications, not matters of private piety.

Jesus wasn’t crucified because of his private piety. He was crucified because of his public ministry and what it meant. It was having an impact on people’s lives in very public ways — affecting the status quo and…