7 DEADLY SINS
How Our Oldest Temptations Can Lead You from Vice to Virtue
By Ryan Denison and Dr. Jim Denison
7 Deadly Sins How Our Oldest Temptations Can Lead You from Vice to Virtue
by Ryan Denison and Dr. Jim Denison
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All biblical citations, unless otherwise noted, are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2011).
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An introduction to the nature of sin...... 9 1. Pride...... 13 2. Envy...... 21 3. Wrath...... 31 4. Slothfulness...... 39 5. Greed...... 47 6. Gluttony...... 57 7. Lust...... 67 Conclusion...... 77 Discussion questions...... 79 About the Authors ...... 83 About the Denison Forum...... 85 Notes...... 87
An introduction to the nature of sin
The seven deadly sins have morphed beyond what they were originally meant to accomplish. Books like Dante’s Inferno and Purgatorio or the filmSeven have probably done more to educate our present understanding of the sins than history or Scripture. For instance, it might surprise you to learn that the seven deadly sins are not found in the Bible—at least not as you might expect. Pride, envy, wrath, slothfulness, greed, gluttony, and lust are absolutely condemned as sins within God’s word, but it wasn’t until fourth-century Christians began simplifying their teachings on the virtues and vices that the list took its first steps down the path to infamy. The next leap in that process came when Pope Gregory the Great codified the list toward the latter part of the sixth century. By the end of the thirteenth century, they were an integral part of the church’s teachings on sin. (Gregory’s original list included 10 7 Deadly Sins sadness in place of slothfulness, but the change was made in subsequent centuries to better fit with the larger purpose of grouping them together.) History awarded Gregory his surname in part because he, as much as any pope before or after him, concerned himself with the spiritual training of Christians. Gregory was the first monk to eventually ascend to the position of pope, and that background can be seen in a lot of his decisions and emphases. Consequently, it should not come as a surprise that he gravitated toward a list that would make it easier for people to understand the nature of these sins and better avoid their dangers. During Gregory’s time as pope, the majority of the population was illiterate, so organizing sins in this fashion was a helpful way to teach people since they couldn’t just open the Bible and read about them on their own. That each vice could rather easily and effectively be portrayed visually via art helped ensure their place in the teachings of the church across subsequent centuries. Today, the list can still be a good and helpful introduction to the nature of sin, as well as a practical way to help people recognize the traps into which each of us can so easily fall.
The seven deadly gateway sins In many ways, the seven deadly sins are perhaps best understood as gateway sins: each one, if left unchecked, can lead to sins that carry even greater consequences. Introduction 11
For much of Roman Catholic history (and, therefore, church history in general), those consequences have included mortal sins: sins that, absent repentance, were believed to lead to damnation even for the believer. So wrath, for example, was seen as a pathway to murder (a mortal sin). If one could address the temptation toward wrath before it ever moved beyond that point, then it followed that one was unlikely to commit murder. The same was true for lust as a pathway to adultery, greed as a pathway to idolatry, etc. In addition, each of the seven deadly vices was paired with a virtue meant to help us better understand how we can avoid sin by focusing on a more appropriate and God-honoring action. So gluttony, for example, is paired with temperance, greed with generosity, pride with humility, and so on. We’ll take a closer look at the link between each of those vices and virtues in their respective chapters, but it’s helpful from the start to remember that often the worst way to avoid a particular temptation is by trying to avoid it. It is typically far better to focus instead on a positive action that will remove you from that danger.
The seven deadly addictions To that end, it’s also worth noting that the true danger of these sins does not come from engaging in them just once. Overeating at Thanksgiving may be gluttonous, but it’s not necessarily a sin or going to lead you to a life of utter degradation. Rather, these vices become an issue when they become habitual. It’s when you get into the pattern of always going back for one more helping than you need that the problems begin. 12 7 Deadly Sins
In a sense, each of these sins can act like an addiction. Their hold on us tends to grow over time as indulging in them simply becomes part of our lives, often in ways that are difficult to fully recognize. That these vices frequently manifest in less noticeable ways is a key component of that difficulty. But it’s also helpful to remember that how we understand these sins today can vary a great deal from how they were understood in earlier eras. Consequently, going back to examine what Pope Gregory and other early Christians meant when they set apart these seven sins will play a crucial role in the coming chapters. With that in mind, let’s now turn our attention to the sin that C. S. Lewis argued “leads to every other vice”: pride. Pride
“In God you come up against something which his in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that—and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison—you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” —C.S. Lewis 14 7 Deadly Sins
The major was promoted to colonel and received a fancy new office. As he entered it for the first time, sitting in the nice new chair, a knock came at the door. He said, “Come in,” then quickly picked up the telephone as a corporal walked in. “Just a minute,” the colonel said to the corporal. “I have to finish this telephone call.” Then the colonel began speaking into the mouthpiece: “Sorry about the interruption, General. Yes, sir, I will take care of that. Yes, I’ll call the president after I finish talking with you, General.” The colonel ceremoniously put the telephone down, turned to the corporal, and said, “What can I do for you?” The corporal replied, “Well, colonel, I just came in to connect your telephone.”
What is pride? Pride is typically listed at the top of the seven deadly sins, and for good reason. So many of the other issues against which we must fight on a daily basis are rooted in a prideful sense of identity that runs counter to the will and image of God. That’s not to say, however, that there is nothing good in us or that it’s always a sin to be proud. For instance, Paul writes, “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God” (Romans 15:17). The key is to be mindful of the source of our pride, and the degree to which it honors ourselves instead of the Lord. Verses 18–19 further clarify Pride 15 that the pride Paul felt was because of what “Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.” It’s right to be proud of what God has accomplished through us, or those we love, if that pride directs our focus back to the Lord. Moreover, telling those who are close to us (especially when it comes to our children) that we are proud of them when their behavior or character honors God is a crucial part of building up the body of Christ. The problem comes when that pride leads to self-sufficiency and the denigration of God’s role in our lives. And that was just as true for the Christians of ancient times as it is for us today.
Understanding pride historically In many ways, pride is humanity’s original sin. When Adam and Eve first succumbed to the serpent’s temptation, it was because he promised they could “be like God,” and that desire to elevate ourselves above the Lord and above others has never really left us (Genesis 3:5). While it should come as no surprise that Scripture speaks clearly on the dangers of pride, even secular authorities across the ages have recognized its dangers. Plato claimed that “the proud man is forsaken by God” while the philosopher and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius remarked that “pride is a master of deception.” 16 7 Deadly Sins
A few centuries later, St. Augustine remarked, “And what is the origin of our evil will but pride? For ‘pride is the beginning of sin.’” And Pope Gregory I, the one who first codified pride atop his list of deadly sins, noted that “The devil, through envy, inflicted the wound of pride on healthful man in Paradise; in order that he, who had not received death when created, might deserve it when elated.” It was not all bad news, though, as Gregory continued, “The humility of God appeared amongst men, as a remedy against this wound inflicted by the proud devil, that they who had fallen through imitation of their haughty enemy, might rise by the example of their humbled Creator. Against, therefore, the haughty devil, God appeared amongst men, having been made a humble man.” As we can see, whether from Christian or non- Christian sources, humanity has long had a clear understanding of the dangers posed by pride. If we recognize that danger, though, why do we keep falling victim to it?
Why we perpetuate the sin of pride The first reason, as Nietzsche observed, is that the “will to power” is the basic drive in human nature. From the first temptation in the garden to today, the desire to have more, be more, and do more has driven people to accomplish great things and terrible evils. This ambition is not always a bad thing, though. To some extent, it comes from God’s first command: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue Pride 17 it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). The Lord created us to accomplish great things, but the problem comes when that will to power drives us to try to accomplish them to further our glory rather than God’s. Very little that we strive to possess and achieve has intrinsic merit worthy of the sacrifices required to attain it. Money is just green paper. A $100,000 vehicle is not so much more efficient than a $20,000 car. Most of us could live in half the house we occupy and get by. At issue is the will to self-serving power. The more we do and own, the more powerful we feel we are. Again, that’s not to say it’s inherently sinful to have money or a nice home. The sin comes when our quest to gain those things and the status they provide becomes a higher priority than serving the Lord. When we are driven primarily by the desire to further ourselves rather than God’s kingdom, we’ve allowed pride to take us down a dangerous path. Second, pride covers our self-perceived inadequacies. We were each made by a perfect God, for perfect relationship with him. Though we have fallen into sin, there’s something inside of us that still remembers the way things should be and wishes they were that way still. So, we know our failures and weaknesses, but, rather than admit them, we compensate for them. Our prideful actions are often meant to cover our self-esteem issues and inadequacies. We act in haughty ways to convince others that we are what we pretend to be. 18 7 Deadly Sins
Years ago, a psychologist friend of mine stated our self- awareness this way: “I am not what I think I am, or what you think I am. I am what I think that you think I am.” We will never regain the sense of purpose and identity we’ve lost to sin through sinful means, yet that will often be the path down which our pride will attempt to take us. Third, self-reliant pride is the basic strategy of the enemy. Jesus’ temptations were each to self-reliant pride: turn the stone to bread to take care of yourself; jump from the temple and impress the people; worship me and I’ll give you the kingdoms of the world. Satan knows that this is where the spiritual battle is won or lost. So he works on us here if nowhere else. If he’d try it against God incarnate, be assured that he’ll try it against you as well. Oftentimes, it’s the places where we think we’re strongest that Satan can best find a foothold in our lives. Don’t let pride over your past success blind you to your need for God’s help. Most of us, however, are fairly cognizant of the ways pride can lead us to sin. Yet, as we’ve already discussed, pride is not always a vice. So how can we better recognize when we cross that line?
Discerning sinful pride The clearest example of when pride becomes sinful is when it rejects the Lord. “Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go’” (Exodus 5:2). The refusal to recognize God as king will invariably lead us to consider ourselves as a greater authority over our lives than he is. Pride 19
Pride is also a sin when it uses others. As the Psalmist wrote, “In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises” because “in his pride . . . there is no room for God” (Psalm 10:2, 4). When we come first, everyone else comes second and is a means to our end. Lastly, pride is a sin when it leads us or those around us to destruction. When Haman, for example, “saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged” (Esther 3:5). His subsequent plot to kill Mordecai and the Jews led instead to his own death. As Solomon notes, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). What then can be done to avoid the sinful manifestations of pride in our lives?
A cure for pride As we noted in the introduction, historically each of the seven deadly sins was paired with a virtue meant to help guide people down a better path. For the vice of pride, that virtue is humility. Humility, however, is often misunderstood to imply some sort of forced self-deprecation. Far too many Christians mistake humility as an inability or unwillingness to receive a compliment or recognize their gifts. Charles Hodge said it well: “Christian humility does not consist in denying what there is of good in us; but in . . . the consciousness that what we have of good is due to the grace of God.” 20 7 Deadly Sins
True humility will always lead our focus back to the Lord. The humble person can accept a compliment by seeing in it the chance to give God glory for what he was able to accomplish through us. The humble person can take joy (and, yes, even pride) in one’s gifts by seeing them as a work the Lord has done to better equip us for service to his kingdom. And the humble person can delight in the good works of others with a sense of genuine gratitude and joy for what God is doing through them as well. As Lewis noted, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people,” and that’s true when the person we’re looking down on is ourselves as well. Everything that tempts you to self-rejection will lead to pride as compensation. When our focus remains on trying not to be prideful instead of on trying to be humble, then the sin of pride is still limiting what God can accomplish through us. The best way to know the difference is to ask God to help you see yourself as he does. When we define ourselves by our relationship to him rather than by what we can accomplish or build on our own, we’re far less likely to fall prey to pride. Envy
“It is a very human trait in us to feel that another’s advancement is in some way a blow to ourselves. It is equally a human trait to feel that another’s downfall and disgrace in some way adds a bit of luster to our own crowns. Of course, nothing could be more utterly false.” —Clovis G. Chappell 22 7 Deadly Sins
Envy is one of the devil’s most effective weapons no matter who we are. Years ago, I came across this painfully relevant story: Once there was a monk who lived in a cave in the wilderness. He had a great reputation for holiness. His reputation reached Hell itself, whereupon the devil took three of his key demons with him to tempt the monk out of his sanctity. When they reached the wilderness, they found the monk sitting at the mouth of the cave with a serene look on his face. The first demon walked up to the monk and planted in his mind the temptation of great power, with visions of kingdoms and their glory. But the face of the monk remained serene. The second demon walked up to the monk and planted in his mind the temptation of great wealth, with visions of silver and gold and all that money can buy. But the face of the monk remained serene. The third demon walked up to the monk and planted in his mind the temptation of sensuous pleasure, with visions of dancing girls. But the face of the monk remained serene. Annoyed, the devil barked, “Step aside, and I will show you what has never failed.” The devil strolled up beside the monk, leaned over and whispered, “Have you heard the news? Your classmate Makarios has just been named bishop of Alexandria.” And the face of the monk scowled. Envy 23
What makes you envious today? Someone else’s possession? Position? Status? Family? Happiness? Health? Whatever the case may be, all of us are prone to envy in some form or fashion. But why is that? After all, envy is not nearly as enjoyable a sin as some of the others discussed in this book. If we’d rather not be jealous of others, though, why does it seem so unavoidable?
The biblical root of envy While pride is often and accurately considered to be the root of all other sins, envy is perhaps a close second. Few things can change our disposition as quickly as discovering that someone else possesses something we want. Biblically, there are four main reasons why that is the case. 1. A feeling of entitlement
In the illustration given above, the reason that the monk was filled with resentment upon learning of his classmate’s new position is likely that he felt as though he deserved it just as much, if not more. We see this sensation play out numerous times throughout Scripture, and every time it ends in sin. In the story of Cain and Abel, for example, Cain’s anger at his brother was motivated in large part by the fact that the younger man’s offering was accepted while 24 7 Deadly Sins his was not (Genesis 4:1–8). That Cain did not offer his best while Abel did does not seem to factor into the equation. Instead, Cain fixates on what he considers to be inequitable treatment by the Lord. We see something similar play out with Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 37). There were certainly a number of things Jacob and Joseph could have done better not to inflame the envy of the other eleven, but, ultimately, their decision to throw Joseph into the cistern and sell him into slavery was motivated by the belief that they were entitled to just as much of their father’s love and respect as he was. They hated Joseph because they saw him as their equal and then sought to make reality reflect that belief. When we look at what others have and believe that we are entitled to the same, the resulting envy will inevitably lead us to sin if left unchecked. Moreover, such envy can also blind us to our own problems, which serves as another reason people throughout Scripture fell prey to this vice. 2. An inability to see ourselves objectively
The fact that we cannot see ourselves without bias is a second biblical reason why we often struggle with envy. Take Saul and David, for example. Saul’s insecurities were evident from the beginning, as demonstrated when he hid among the supplies after Samuel tried to anoint him as king (1 Samuel 10:20– 22). However, as Saul grew in his accomplishments, it seems as though he became more comfortable in his position. At the very least, he became fearful that his kingship would be taken away from him. Envy 25
So, when David grew in favor among the people—and even among the members of Saul’s own family—Saul became “jealous and did not trust David from that day on” (1 Samuel 18:9 NLV). It didn’t matter to Saul that David deserved the praise he received. Nor did Saul consider that his own inadequacies and past mistakes were the reason God had rejected him as king (1 Samuel 15). All he would allow himself to understand was that David garnered higher praise than him, and it drove Saul to sin time and time again. When we fail to realize that others are often justified in receiving more than us, we miss out on the chance to grow as people and in our walk with the Lord. It could be that the reason we feel entitled to the position or accolades another person has received is that those are things that God wants to give us as well, but we simply haven’t earned them because of our own sins or shortcomings. If left unhindered, that envy will not only rob us of blessings God may want to give, but it will also create a self-imposed ceiling on what the Lord can accomplish through us. In so doing, the devil wins twice. 3. Misplaced ambitions
The desire to accomplish great things is not inherently sinful. In fact, it’s often a healthy and helpful part of fulfilling God’s calling for our lives. But when we define our goals rather than allowing the Lord to guide them, we’re likely to end up pursuing things that will necessarily place us outside of God’s blessing. Samson’s cautionary tale is due in large part to this sin. From the time of his conception, Scripture is clear that 26 7 Deadly Sins
God had big plans for Samson’s life and gifted him with everything necessary to become one of Israel’s greatest heroes (Judges 13:2–5). Samson, however, had a different idea for how his days should be spent. And while he still accomplished the ultimate purpose for which he was born (Judges 16:30), history remembers him more as a petulant child than someone worthy of respect because he refused to allow God to direct his ambitions. If we were to choose a biblical character to emulate, Samson would be pretty far down most people’s lists. However, far too often, we do just that. When our ambitions lead us to leave God out of our decisions, we become modern-day Samsons. Envy over the accomplishments or freedoms of others can drive us to strive for great things, but, if those goals do not originate with God, then we are going to sin. 4. Discontentment
A final reason we can so easily fall prey to the sin of envy is that we are simply discontent with what we have. That lack of peace can be the result of the previously discussed reasons, but it can also be due to boredom or dissatisfaction with our current state of life. There doesn’t always have to be some deep, dark sin to motivate us toward jealousy. We can even be happy for what someone else has and still commit the sin of envy when those blessings rob us of contentment. Paul speaks to the kind of contentment we can learn as Christians: “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am Envy 27 to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11–13). Note that contentment did not come naturally to Paul. He intimates that it was a lesson he had to learn and that those lessons came through the times when he was brought low, as well as the times when he had an abundance. One of the key reasons why jealousy can so easily rob us of the contentment Christ offers is because contentment is not something that will ever really come instinctively. It will always take more effort to be content than to want more, and that’s true whether the ensuing jealousy is the result of entitlement, poor self- awareness, misplaced ambition, or a general unease with your current situation. Fortunately, the God who warns us against envy can also equip us to better fight against it.
A cure for envy Historically, the virtue most often associated with the vice of envy is kindness. That may seem strange at first, but, if you consider the issues at the core of jealousy, it begins to make sense. After all, if you think about the Bible’s teachings on kindness and the traits most often associated with it, living with that mindset toward others would greatly minimize the reasons for envy outlined above. 28 7 Deadly Sins
In Ephesians, for example, Paul concludes his list of characteristics that should be found in those who have new life in Christ by saying, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). Elsewhere, he associates kindness with compassion, humility, meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). It’s clear by the company kindness keeps throughout the lessons of Scripture that those who exemplify that characteristic in their lives will genuinely rejoice in the blessings experienced by others without feeling any resentment or jealousy. If the kind person sees what another person has and wishes they could have that for themselves, they will simply work harder to attain it rather than begrudge the fact that the other person has already obtained it. And if it becomes clear that, for whatever reason, that object, position, or characteristic is simply unobtainable, there may be some regret or disappointment—but never to the point of jealous sin. For that to be the case, however, this kindness must be accompanied by a sense of contentment and joy in the Lord that enables us to find peace that transcends our circumstances. After all, contentment is more than a simple resignation to one’s lot in life. It carries with it the genuine expectancy that God can work in and through whatever circumstances we may find ourselves in to bring about something truly great for the kingdom and for us. When our primary concern is the advancement of God’s kingdom and the fulfillment of his will, anything that works to that end is cause for rejoicing. And anything that does not work to that end barely even registers as something we’d want in the first place. Envy 29
Living out that ideal will seldom come naturally to us, though. And while it can get easier over time, there will always be things that tempt us toward discontentment and envy. When that happens, it can be helpful to remind ourselves of why those sinful feelings should not define us. As St. Francis put it, “Blessed is the servant who does not esteem himself better when he is praised and promoted by people than when they look on him as vile, stupid, and contemptible, for whatever a man is in the sight of God, that he is and no more.” Envy is simply allowing ourselves to be defined by the possessions and achievements of others rather than by the love and worth bestowed on us by God. The former is fickle and ultimately empty. The latter, however, is a source of joy and peace beyond anything we could ever attain for ourselves. There is no room for envy in God’s kingdom because the only thing about which we should be truly envious is offered freely to us all. We simply have to be willing to accept it.
Wrath
“The explosion of anger never simply comes from the incident. Most people carry a supply of anger around with them.” —Dallas Willard 32 7 Deadly Sins
Frederick Buechner describes the deadly sin of wrath (or anger, in his terminology) well: “Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back—in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.” But why is it that wrath can be so intoxicating? What is it about that sin that makes it so dangerous, yet also so difficult to avoid?
Defining wrath biblically Six biblical words are translated for the single English word anger or wrath: 1. In Hebrew, ap denotes either divine or human anger; the term means “nostril,” which was considered the locale of anger. We get a picture of someone who is “fuming.” 2. The Hebrew verb hara means “burn,” as when Balaam “was angry and beat [his donkey] with his staff” (Numbers 22:27 NIV). 3. The Hebrew word za’am means “indignation” or “enraged.” 4. Ebra means “boiling rage” (used of Haman versus Mordecai, Esther 1:12). 5. Thymos in the Greek is associated with the word for “burning” and describes a passionate longing to injure. 6. And orge is the human emotion caused by jealousy or other harm. Wrath 33
Thus, we could say that the Bible defines “anger” as the emotion of being displeased or upset with something and then motivated toward action by that feeling. This idea, by itself, is normal and human. In fact, as an emotion, anger is not even necessarily sinful. As we will see, God feels “anger” against sinful actions and that in no way compromises his holiness and perfection. Rather, wrath becomes sinful when it leads to sinful actions, e.g., when it causes us to hurt those who hurt us. It is thus a “deadly” sin because it can so easily lead to other sins like murder, injury, and vengeance. Even if it never progresses that far, however, the repercussions of giving in to our anger are almost always sinful and can do great harm to our witness. While I think most of us would agree that lashing out in anger is a sin, are all actions motivated by wrath inherently sinful? After all, Scripture gives multiple examples of God acting in anger and surely that wasn’t sin.
God’s wrath versus our wrath One reason wrath can be so difficult for us to deal with is that we can frequently argue our way into justifying why it was an appropriate reaction for a given situation. After all, if someone hurts or threatens us, the answer is not to simply act as though it never happened. Some response is often necessary. When we compare our wrath with that of the Lord, however, it becomes easier to distinguish between righteous and sinful anger. The third and fourth chapters of Genesis offer a helpful example of this distinction. 34 7 Deadly Sins
In chapter 3, we see God’s response to the sin of Adam and Eve. He directly addresses what they’ve done wrong and disciplines them in a way that reinforces the gravity of their mistake. But, in both respects, he does so from a place of holy opposition to sin rather than a desire to see them suffer. Contrast those elements with Cain’s response to his anger at Abel’s offering being accepted by God while Cain’s was not. Cain’s murder of his brother was motivated by insecurity, jealousy, and wrath. Even if Abel had carried some blame in the situation, which Scripture is clear was not the case, such a response would not have constituted a just reaction to the situation. Now, remember that God led Moses to record these stories while the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, searching for a better understanding of their proper relationship to him. Among the earliest truths that the Lord wanted his people to know was that they could trust his discipline to be as harsh as was necessary, but also as gentle as possible. He could have easily and justifiably started over with the human race after that first sin but chose instead to make a path forward—and he would do the same for them. A second truth was made equally clear, though: they could not and should not trust one another to address sin with the same restraint. The primary difference between God’s wrath and our wrath is that God’s is tempered by his holiness and love. As such, his discipline is measured out according to a just understanding of our sins. He doesn’t punish us for the sins of others but only in accordance with what our actions deserve. Wrath 35
However, when our anger leads us to action, the result is often far more akin to a volcano that has been building toward eruption over a long period of time. Whatever or whomever it is that finally sets us off is likely to receive far more than their fair share of our wrath. As Dallas Willard remarked, “The explosion of anger never simply comes from the incident. Most people carry a supply of anger around with them.” Acting in anger will always lead us to sin because our response can never be as just or holy as the Lord’s. We will inevitably allow at least some small portion of the anger caused by the person who cut us off in traffic to filter into our response to someone else. And, considering that most of us are good enough at controlling our tempers during the day to prevent that unfortunate individual from being a coworker, stranger, or associate, more often than not, it means that we will respond most sinfully to those closest to us. If you doubt the validity of that statement, think back to the last time you got into a fight with your spouse, child, or a good friend. How had your day been prior to that moment? How about the other person’s day? Chances are that at least one of you was already a bit stressed out and carrying around a decent supply of anger before that fateful argument began. You (or perhaps both of you) acted in sin because your response was fueled not just by the perceived slights of the other individual but also by the perceived slights of everyone who’d come before them as well. That is why, when we respond in anger, we cannot help but sin. That is why wrath is so deadly for us. 36 7 Deadly Sins
Fortunately, that’s not how it works with God. So, what steps can we take to help our responses better mirror his? After all, anger is unavoidable, so figuring out a better way to manage it is crucial to living the kind of life to which we’re called.
A new perspective In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructed his followers to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). He said this knowing full well that doing so would require a conscious and continual effort on our part. What would it look like, though, if our first response when people wrong us was to pray that God would help them find forgiveness and salvation in the Lord? What if we prayed for the chance to spend eternity with them in heaven? If it’s other Christians who have wronged us (which will absolutely happen), what if our prayer was centered on asking God to help them see the error in their ways and be restored to a right relationship with him? And, before you get too far down that path, understand that these prayers need to come from a place of genuine concern for their spiritual well-being rather than something more akin to: “Lord, help them to understand how awful they’ve been—and, if you want to smite them just a bit in the process, that would be all right too.” Wrath 37
In short, imagine the difference it would make in our struggle with wrath if our first and most lasting thoughts when people wrong us were asking God to bless them. Biblically, we know that the ultimate blessings can’t take place apart from genuine repentance on their part, so we’re not requesting that they be let off the hook or for the Lord to overlook their wrongdoings. Rather, we’re simply asking the Lord to help them. In so doing, we’re taking the necessary first steps to seeing people as God does. In turn, that can help us respond from a place of love rather than wrath.
A cure for wrath A small boy had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he had to hammer a nail in the backyard fence. On the first day, the boy drove thirty-seven nails into the fence. The number gradually dwindled down as he discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father, who suggested that he now pull out one nail for each day he was able to hold his temper. Finally, the day came when the boy could tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father said, “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you act in anger, it leaves a scar, just like the nails did to the fence.” 38 7 Deadly Sins
Wrath may feel good and even justified in the moment, but the long-term consequences will always outweigh the short-term benefits. When our actions are motivated primarily by anger rather than God’s holy justice and love, we will inevitably sin. We simply lack the capacity to do otherwise. That truth points to the reason why the virtue most often associated with pride is patience. When we must practice Christian discipline with one another, be it with our kids, a fellow believer, or anyone else who needs to be held accountable for their actions, it is essential that we take the necessary time to pray and calm down before doing so. When you reach the point that you genuinely desire the other person’s good over the satisfaction of your ego, perhaps then you’re ready to speak or act in righteousness rather than wrath. Until then, anything you do will lead you down a deadly path. Slothfulness
“People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and de- lude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.” —D. A. Carson 40 7 Deadly Sins
For most of us, I imagine that the sin of slothfulness essentially boils down to being lazy. While that is part of it, the vice has had a much deeper meaning historically. After all, for most of Christian history, laziness was a problem that resolved itself since it almost invariably led to starvation and death. The idea that the average person could coast through life without working very hard is a relatively modern concept. No, when previous generations of Christians enshrined slothfulness as a vice that carried as grave a risk to a person’s walk with God as wrath, lust, and greed, they did so because they understood that its implications extended well beyond binge-watching your favorite show or spending too much time on social media.
What is slothfulness? The Greek term from which the idea of slothfulness finds its origin is akedia, the negative form of a word that refers to loving one’s family. Christians have historically understood it to be a sin associated with the kind of loveless apathy and depression that would drive a person to seek escape from their obligations to those close to them. As such, it is more of a communal sin than a personal one in many cases. When we are slothful, those around us suffer. As St. Thomas Aquinas warns, however, often there is far more to slothfulness than a simple desire not to work. He defined it as “a kind of sadness, whereby a man becomes sluggish.” It has often been seen as a sin that’s due more to depression and spiritual detachment than pure laziness. Slothfulness 41
That’s not to say that a person cannot sin through inaction, as we’ll discuss in greater depth soon. But it’s important from the start to realize that if our only answers for the sin of slothfulness are to work more or try harder, then we’re not going to get very far toward a real solution. And, should we misunderstand the nature of this sin, we can often do far more harm than good to those for whom simply going through the day can seem like an overwhelming task. What may seem like laziness to one person could be the kind of rest and rehabilitation God desires for another. As such, to both accurately recognize the slothfulness in our own lives and to better hold one another accountable when we see it in the lives of others, we must understand that the root cause is more about the selfish search for escape than the manner in which that escape takes place. So, what are some of the more common ways that slothfulness can manifest in our culture today?
Recognizing the slothfulness around us The most obvious manifestation of slothfulness is the simple act of being lazy. Most of us can think of examples, either from our personal life or the lives of those around us, where someone’s lack of effort made things harder for others. Whether it was a project at work, a family member who didn’t pull his or her weight, or countless other examples, when slothfulness manifests itself as laziness, it’s fairly easy to spot. 42 7 Deadly Sins
And Scripture is clear that such lethargy is often sinful. When Jesus spoke about the need to steward our gifts well in the parable of the talents, his condemnation of the “wicked and slothful servant” who chose to sit idly by while the others worked, content simply not to lose what was given him, clearly demonstrates that the Lord has high expectations for how we should approach our God-given gifts (Matthew 25:26–28). Paul warned the people of Thessalonica that “if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living” (2 Thessalonians 3:10–12). Notice that neither example is focused primarily on the results of one’s work but rather on the willingness to try. As such, there is no one exempt from the responsibility to work in one form or another. God has given each of us the ability to do something to help build up his kingdom, and he expects us to steward that gift well. If you find yourself in a state of depression or overwhelmed by the kind of anxiety that can make even the simplest tasks seem like a burden that is too great to bear, know that the Lord understands those feelings as well. In such circumstances, perhaps the work God has for you is simply taking the time to get yourself right. That doesn’t mean wallowing in self- pity but rather actively seeking the help of God and others to address whatever problems have led to your current state. What might be slothful for some could be precisely what the Lord wants for someone else. Slothfulness 43
In either circumstance, however, when we refuse to put forth the effort or do only the minimum required to get by, we sin and hurt the kingdom as a result. Yet not every instance of slothfulness is as simple as a lack of work. In our culture today, the sin can manifest just as often (and to an even greater detriment) in ways that may seem worthy of praise. Because the root of the vice is in the selfish desire for escape, the most industrious workaholics you know could be guilty of slothfulness for the simple reason that they’ve chosen to arrange their priorities with little regard to those around them. Many attempt to justify the extra hours at the office by saying they’re doing it to provide a better life for their family, which might be true in some cases. However, I suspect that a larger percentage of those who lose themselves in their work do so because it seems easier than listening to their spouses discuss the day or helping the kids with their homework. They’ve come to define themselves by what they do and have lost sight of their other responsibilities in the process. That too is sinful. In such instances, it can be difficult to discern where the line stands between hard work and slothful work. So, what steps can we take to better discern when our actions stray into sin?
How to find purpose in every moment A good way to tell if your actions are motivated by a spirit of slothfulness is to ask yourself two questions: 44 7 Deadly Sins
1. Does my current activity (or inactivity) serve a purpose? 2. If so, is that purpose good or bad? Rest, for example, serves an important, biblical purpose. So does stillness and taking a real Sabbath day. Scripture is clear that God, from the very beginning, intended for us to have periods in which we stopped working to recharge and refocus on him: “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord” (Exodus 31:15). Jesus then expanded upon that principle when he called the disciples to get away from the very good and kingdom-building work they were doing to “come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). Notice, though, that the rest was warranted because of the work they had been doing. Conversely, procrastinating because we can still find time to get the job done, regardless of the extra stress it may cause our coworkers or loved ones, is most likely sin. Checking social media when we should be working is sin. And choosing to do the minimum at your job instead of your best because it’s enough to get by is sin. Ultimately, God has a purpose for every aspect and every moment of our lives, whether they are filled with work or rest, and we must learn to see each moment through that prism if we want to avoid the many ways we can fall prey to the vice of slothfulness. Speaking about this perspective of intentionally pursuing God’s purpose, the apostle Paul told the church in Philippi that “forgetting what lies behind and Slothfulness 45 straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14). It’s difficult to believe that Paul never took a lunch break or needed a moment to get away. But, even in those moments, he remained open to allowing God to direct his time and actions. In so doing, he allowed God to imbue every moment of his day with the kind of purpose and potential that can help build his kingdom.
Embracing a zealous life The virtue meant to help us combat the vice of slothfulness has historically been zeal. That’s important because having a zealous attitude does not simply mean that one works harder or accomplishes more. Rather, it reflects a way of life that is focused on achieving a primary goal and changing the world around us in the process. It speaks to a character that will not be distracted from its task but will see every moment through the lens of how to best bring about a desired end. For zeal to be a virtue instead of a vice, our priorities must reflect those of the Lord. A key component to slothfulness is a sense of selfishness that places us atop our list of concerns. By contrast, a life that reflects a zeal for the Lord will be able to say alongside Paul that “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” is our guiding principle and primary motivation. However, there is little in our fallen nature that is going to help us pursue a zealous life in service to the Lord. 46 7 Deadly Sins
This chapter began with a quote from D. A. Carson, and his warning bears repeating: “People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from a grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith.” That is the natural state of humanity, and it has been from the start. If we want something more, something that better resembles the life to which God has called us, then we must allow God to have the final say over how we allocate our time.
A cure for slothfulness Fortunately, granting God the authority to guide our days shouldn’t be a scary proposition. Scripture is clear that he is a good Father rather than a harsh taskmaster, and he doesn’t intend us to spend every minute slaving away at a given set of duties. Resting well is just as important to the Lord as working well. If we can learn to do both according to his leadership, then even things like scrolling through social media can serve a kingdom purpose as he helps us better notice friends who might need help or people for whom we should pray. The first step, though, is actively surrendering each moment to him. That’s the best way to ensure our days are filled with virtue rather than vice. Greed
“Faith is a reasoning trust, a trust which reckons thought- fully and confidently upon the trustworthiness of God.” —John Stott 48 7 Deadly Sins
A notorious miser was called on by the chairman of the community charity. “Sir,” said the fund-raiser, “our records show that despite your wealth, you’ve never once given to our drive.” “Do your records show that I have an elderly mother who was left penniless when my father died?” fumed the tightwad. “Do your records show that I have a disabled brother who is unable to work? Do your records show I have a widowed sister with small children who can barely make ends meet?” “No, sir,” replied the embarrassed volunteer. “Our records don’t show those things.” “Well, I don’t give to any of them, so why should I give anything to you?” It’s easy to recognize greed when it shows up like the kind of miser above who’d make a pre-penitent Scrooge proud. It’s typically far more difficult when it comes to the greed in our own lives. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at why recognizing our own greediness is often more difficult than spotting it in others.
The importance of faith We started off the chapter with a quote from John Stott about the nature of faith. That may have seemed out of place in a discussion about greed, but it actually gets to the heart of the matter. At its core, greed most often comes down to a lack of faith. Greed 49
There are exceptions to the rule where people are greedy simply because they feel that what’s theirs is theirs to do with as they please. But, for most Christians at least, the roots of greed often run through the fear that we can’t really afford to part with what God is calling us to give. After all, most people who have been around the church for very long are well aware of Scripture’s teachings on tithing and giving to the needy. We’ve also probably heard plenty of lessons reminding us that we can’t serve God and money (Matthew 6:24) while also being warned that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:10). There are times when such teachings are offered more to build up the church’s coffers than the souls of their listeners, but most pastors and leaders speak on the dangers of greed and issues of money from a place of genuine concern for our spiritual and general well-being. They understand how insidious the temptation can be to keep what the Lord has called us to give because it may be something with which they struggle as well. Greed can be hard to spot because most of us are giving something, and we can usually point to others (who are doing less) in order to make ourselves feel content with our current levels of generosity. It’s when God calls us to give beyond our respective comfort levels that we can best discover the extent to which this sin has taken residence in our lives. It’s also at that point when obedience becomes an issue of faith more than reason, not because the two are in opposition but because we can usually justify our explanations for why holding onto something is being 50 7 Deadly Sins prudent rather than greedy. Discerning when we’re being good stewards and when we’re being unfaithful requires a level of familiarity and openness to the Holy Spirit’s guidance that is not always present in the lives of believers. That reliance upon God to direct our giving is an essential part of combatting greed because the biblical solution is not always to simply be more generous.
Biblical generosity A helpful model for understanding what God wants from our giving is found in Acts 4 and 5. Toward the end of chapter 4, we find a note about how the believers had everything in common, with Barnabas praised in particular because he had “sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:37). Verses 34 and 35 make it clear that he was not the only person engaging in such giving and that the community as a whole was able to better focus on serving the Lord because of the generosity that characterized their interactions with one another. It could be tempting to read this passage and conclude that either our churches today should be engaged in the same level of communal living or that such generosity was merely meant for that particular period in Christian history. The start of chapter 5, however, provides an important context from which we should understand why God inspired Luke to include those notes about Barnabas and the others. Greed 51
In this passage, we’re told about a man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira who also sold a piece of property and donated part of the proceeds to the church. However, instead of receiving praise, they both died. On separate occasions, they had each lied by stating that they’d donated all of the money they had received for the land. Their greed led them to try to deceive the Lord and their fellow Christians. Verse 4 is clear that God wasn’t mad that they kept back part of the proceeds. They were free to keep or give as much as they wanted. The problem was that their hearts were more focused on earning the praise of their fellow believers than on actually serving the Lord. They wanted to be seen in the same light as Barnabas—but without having to be as generous. And note that we’re never told how much each party received for their respective pieces of land. It could very well be that even the portion of the proceeds that Ananias and Saphira donated amounted to more than what Barnabas gave. Scripture doesn’t specify because the price isn’t the point. Rather, it’s the faithfulness to give according to the Spirit’s leading and for the purpose of serving him rather than ourselves. Biblical generosity simply means giving in obedience to what God asks of us. There will never be a universal dollar amount attached to his request, and the Lord wanted to make that understanding clear from the very beginning of his church. Being a Barnabas today doesn’t necessarily mean selling property to help provide for the needy (though it can if that’s what God asks of you). Rather, it simply 52 7 Deadly Sins means approaching our possessions, our time, and our finances from the perspective that God is king over all of it, to do with as he sees fit. Greed, however, places limits on how much of ourselves we will allow him to use. That’s why it’s so deadly to us and to his kingdom. But, while it would be great if we could conclude that the key to combatting greed was just trusting God more, that’s far easier said than done—especially when it comes to our finances and time.
How to make peace with trusting God In trying to develop a practical approach to trusting God more, a helpful first step is to embrace that it will be uncomfortable and at least a little scary. Throughout the Psalms, we find David lamenting all the hard things he’s going through before eventually reaching a point where he trusts God and finds peace. While greed was not necessarily the reason he needed to trust the Lord in those moments, the lesson is relevant to our present conversation. Psalm 69 exemplifies this pattern well. David begins with a plea for God to save him, followed by a litany of reasons why he’s being unjustly persecuted. In verse 13, he then moves to a place where he’s essentially reminding himself of why he can trust God despite his circumstances. He then concludes the psalm with seven verses in which he takes those reminders to heart and demonstrates a clear shift in his level of confidence in the Lord. Greed 53
When God asks us to give what we would prefer to keep for ourselves—time, resources, control, etc.— saying yes will never be easy. It can and will get easier the more we do it, but simply surrendering everything to the Lord to do with as he sees fit will always be a battle this side of heaven. That reality should not make us doubt our faithfulness. Rather, we should embrace those natural senses of fear and reservation and, instead, allow them to serve as a chance to remind ourselves once again of why we can trust God and his will. Hesitancy is normal. Just don’t let it turn into disobedience. Another key to increasing our trust in the Lord when we are tempted toward greed is to place our faith in the God of Scripture rather than the God of our misperceptions. As we discussed briefly in the chapter on slothfulness, we serve a good God and a perfect Father. Jesus speaks to this reality in Matthew 7 when he rhetorically asks what kind of father would give his son a stone instead of bread or a snake instead of a fish. His conclusion was that “if you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11). Far too often, though, when it comes to our giving, we act as though our heavenly Father was more akin to a greedy, uncaring earthly father. If God asks something of us, there’s a good reason for it (and likely several such reasons). 54 7 Deadly Sins
Greed in the face of God makes us like the “ignorant child” C. S. Lewis spoke of “who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.” As Lewis concluded, “We are far too easily pleased.” We must not desperately hold on to our mud pies when God calls us to put them down as a prerequisite for something so much better. But that’s much easier to do when we remember that the Lord is the perfect Father Jesus described. The final key to better trusting God is learning to discern his voice. One of the greatest stains on the gospel in modern society is the litany of televangelists and other charlatans who promise innumerable blessings in return for supporting their ministries. It’s not greedy to refuse such people. That’s just good stewardship. But what about situations that are less clear? What about a needy person at the street corner or a missionary who comes to speak at your church? Is it greedy not to give to a good cause? Not necessarily. You see, the community of faith is quite large, and the role God has called and equipped you to fill in it is unique. As such, not every good cause requires your financial support or involvement. God will let you know where you are called to help if you’ll take the time to ask him. Just be careful not to use that as an excuse for greed. Determine that you will obey whatever he asks of you before you pray and you’re far more likely to get a clear understanding of what to do. Greed 55
Discerning between his voice and those of everyone else (including our own) can make it far easier to give generously because we can do so with confidence that the request comes from God. Again, saying yes might still be a bit difficult, but, if you’re tempted to say no, then understanding whether that answer is coming from a place of greed or good stewardship can certainly make it easier.
A cure for greed Historically, the virtue most often associated with the vice of greed is generosity. As we’ve seen, though, that generosity must be based in sound, biblical principles to prove effective. Simply giving to everyone who asks is not good stewardship, and that understanding has tempted a great many Christians to mask their greed with something that looks and sounds righteous. But, while we can deceive ourselves, we can’t trick God. He sees our hearts and knows our minds even better than we do. As a result, he must play a central role in our fight against greed. No one but God is in a position to tell you how much you should give and how much you need to hold on to. He knows not only your present circumstances but also your future circumstances. As such, he is uniquely capable of helping you avoid the dual pitfalls of greed and wasteful giving. Walking that path well takes the faith to say yes whenever and however he calls you to be generous.
Gluttony
“Everyone’s a biblical literalist until you bring up gluttony.” —Kevin DeYoung 58 7 Deadly Sins
Of all the seven deadly sins, the one we seem most interested in avoiding on a personal level is gluttony. People are constantly looking for new diets or exercise fads to help them shed unwanted pounds. However, gluttony also seems to be the sin we’re least comfortable discussing as a community of faith. Of all the seven deadly sins, it seems safe to say that most pastors have probably spent the least amount of time preaching on this one. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, when it comes to practical ramifications and the sins that do the most harm to our witness, lust, greed, and wrath most likely rank a good bit higher on the list of sins for which we’re judged. Gluttony deserves its place alongside those other sins, though, because it can be among the most damaging and caustic to our walk with the Lord. You see, while the dictionary defines gluttony simply as “excess in eating,” there’s far more to it. Overindulgence in food can certainly be sinful, but it’s excess in general that serves as the key component in understanding why so many of us seem to struggle with this particular sin. After all, the line between enjoyment and excess can be murky at best.
Historical gluttony The question of how we should define excess has been around for millennia. Consider the first-century spectrum. Gluttony 59
The Romans sought pleasure at all costs. Their “vomitoriums” were famous—they would gorge themselves, throw it up, and return to the banquet. Prostitution, concubines, and homosexuality were rampant. Gluttony was a celebrated way of life. Not all Romans fit that description, however. The Epicureans, a group to whom Paul witnessed at Mars Hill (Acts 17:18), advocated for pleasure as the point of life and believed that happiness comes from seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. But they cautioned against excess because it could cause pain as well. Thus, they advocated drinking wine, but not drunkenness. Their goal was pleasure in moderation. The Stoics were another group present at Mars Hill (Acts 17:18). They saw the purpose of life as duty. Eat only what you must to be effective in life. Eat only when you are hungry. Pleasure is a side effect, not the purpose. Health is a means to the end of doing what you are required to do in life. At the remote other end of the spectrum lived the Cynics, a third school of philosophy current in the New Testament era. They argued for the most ascetic lifestyle possible. The body is evil, so it must be punished and restrained. Eat only what you must to live. One of their leaders spent years living in a barrel that also clothed his body. He owned only a wooden bowl and spoon until he saw a beggar boy eating with his hands. Ashamed, the man threw his bowl and spoon away. (The boy would probably have liked to have them.) The Christian ascetics, who eventually gave rise to the early monastic movement, were generally somewhere 60 7 Deadly Sins between the Stoics and the Cynics. While they did not typically believe that the body was evil, they also saw eating as little more than a necessity and often regarded pleasure with great suspicion. In so doing, they tended to cross the line into the kind of legalism for which Christ had so little patience in his interactions with the religious leaders. Yet they also helped to call an increasingly hedonistic Christian society back from the brink of sin. Pope Gregory and the other monks who set apart these particular sins came largely from this tradition, so it should not come as a surprise that they would see overindulgence as a gateway sin of the highest order. Ultimately, these examples demonstrate that human efforts to reason a better path away from gluttony are likely to leave us in the ditch on one side or the other. So, is there a better answer?
Understanding gluttony biblically Jared Wilson argues that “at its core, gluttony is about dissatisfaction.” He goes on to point out that gluttony often manifests by either consuming more of something than you should or in the inability to realize when you’ve had enough. What I like most about that definition is that it leaves ample room for the notion that we can be gluttonous about anything. While the biblical examples often center on food, even then it’s typically more of a gateway to a larger conversation than the end of the topic. Gluttony 61
Paul, for example, uses indulging in meat that was sacrificed to idols to transition to the instruction that “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). And, as demonstrated in his next chapter, overindulgence in food and drink was clearly a problem for many in the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 11:17–22). Paul could have easily limited the conversation to food in chapter 10, yet he chose not to. He understood that, while being gluttonous with what we eat or drink is absolutely a sin, we’re unlikely to change if our focus remains on just trying to practice moderation. Rather, the solution comes when we make God our focus rather than the sin we’re trying to avoid. However, approaching gluttony from that perspective is a lot harder to practice than just trying to eat better or drink less. I suspect that’s a big reason why we so often keep the conversation limited to food. After all, you’re going to step on a lot fewer toes preaching about the need to watch what we eat than by holding people accountable for how they’re gluttonous with regards to time spent on their phones, watching TV, or indulging in other distractions.
Practical ways to combat gluttony With most of these sins, the problem is ultimately less about recognizing them and more about learning how best to combat them. Gluttony is no different. If we’re honest with ourselves, most of the time we’re already aware of the parts of our lives where we’re most susceptible to overindulgence. 62 7 Deadly Sins
So, what steps can we take to actually fight our gluttonous impulses? The first step is recognizing that the problem is seldom as simple as it seems. While there are some things that are simply so enjoyable that it can be difficult not to take them to extremes, most of the time our gluttony is motivated by something else. WebMD, for example, lists six reasons why people tend to binge eat: 1. A genetic predisposition 2. Examples from family 3. Depression 4. Low self-esteem 5. Stress and anxiety 6. Extreme dieting While we can debate to what extent these reasons are all valid or applicable to the current conversation, it’s clear that people who chronically overindulge in food often do so to mask a deeper need. The same is true for those who are gluttonous about everything, from time spent on social media to time spent at the office. When we try to cover up our perceived inadequacies by excessively pouring ourselves into something else— no matter how benign or even beneficial that other task might be—we’re sinning. By recognizing that tendency and being honest with ourselves about it, we’re better equipped to mitigate the factors that can so often make gluttony a deceptively difficult vice to overcome. Gluttony 63
However, simply recognizing the areas where we’re most tempted is not enough unless we can then take the necessary measures to improve. A second helpful step is to seek accountability with someone you trust. Having others who know of your struggles and are willing to walk alongside you as you pursue the Lord in the midst of them is helpful for all of the seven deadly sins. Gluttony, however, is perhaps the area in which the greatest benefit can be gained. (Slothfulness would be a close second.) And because we so often indulge in sins of gluttony in private (or in community with equally gluttonous people), accountability is not something that will find us. Rather, we must seek it out if we’re to gain the help we need. And, make no mistake, such help is often necessary. As the writer of Ecclesiastes points out, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10). One of the most practical yet difficult steps we can take to combat temptations toward gluttony is to make sure that when we fall (and we will fall from time to time), there’s someone there to help us get back on track. But, while having accountability with other people is important, accountability with God is vital. 64 7 Deadly Sins
As Jesus told his disciples just before he died, when the Holy Spirit comes, “he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” and “guide you into all the truth” (John 16:8, 13). When our relationship with God is working properly, our hearts and minds are attuned to the Holy Spirit’s conviction. That doesn’t mean such accountability will be enjoyable, as none of us like it when we’re called out for our sin. But the ability to receive that conviction and repent of our gluttony (or whatever other vice we are shown) is the quickest path to real growth in our walk with the Lord.
A cure for gluttony Gluttony made the list of seven deadly sins because it’s something that all of us are likely to struggle with in one form or another. The temptation to disregard the boundaries of what’s ultimately best in pursuit of what seems preferable at the time has been and always will be part of our fallen nature (at least on this side of heaven). Traditionally, the virtue most often given to help combat that reality is temperance. But while the pursuit of moderation can be a useful tool in our struggle against gluttony, it’s unlikely to prove consistently effective. Fortunately, Jesus gives us a better answer. In Matthew 5, Christ taught, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). Gluttony 65
When Jesus promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be blessed and filled, he pointed to the reality that the only surefire way to avoid the temptation toward gluttony is to desire God’s will above all else, i.e., to allow his purpose for every moment of our lives to so sufficiently satisfy us that our desires for everything else pales in comparison. If we can reach the point where we see every facet of our lives, including what we eat and how we spend our time, as a chance to pursue the righteousness of God, then it will be much easier to avoid the kind of excess that leads to gluttony. And God promises that when we do, we will be satisfied.
Lust
“This is the vicious cycle of lust. Lust never has what it wants because it never has enough. Lust steals joy by creating an endless state of discontentment in the constant search for that one next thing you don’t have yet. Lust is never happy because lust is never full.” —Heath Lambert 68 7 Deadly Sins
Charles Spurgeon once told a parable that sums up the problem with lust quite well: There was once a tyrant who summoned one of his subjects into his presence, and ordered him to make a chain. The poor blacksmith— that was his occupation—had to go to work and forge the chain. When it was done, he brought it into the presence of the tyrant, and was ordered to take it away and make it twice the length. He brought it again to the tyrant, and again he was ordered to double it. Back he came when he had obeyed the order, and the tyrant looked at it, and then commanded the servants to bind the man hand and foot with the chain he had made and cast him into prison. As Spurgeon concluded, “That is what the devil does with man. He makes them forge their own chain, and then binds them hand and foot with it, and casts them into outer darkness.” Few sins fit that description as well as lust. After all, we can “lust” for nearly anything. Oswald Chambers is right: lust is saying, “I must have it now.” We can “lust” for more money, for more power, for a new car. But the Bible typically speaks of “lust” in relation to sexual desire. As such, while the principles we will study in this chapter can apply to lusting after anything, they are most clearly demonstrated in that context. One point must be made at the very beginning of our study: sexual attraction is not lust. God made us to be attracted to the opposite sex. It is not a sin to notice a beautiful woman or an attractive man. Lust 69
It is only sin if we take that attraction to the next step. The sin is not the first look, but the second. And that second look has been a problem for a very long time.
Sex in the ancient world The subject of sex was as perplexing to the ancients as it is to us. Agur, the writer of Proverbs 30, admitted that “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden” (vv. 18–19). And King Lemuel, author of Proverbs 31, added this advice from his mother: “What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings” (Proverbs 31:2–3). The word sex appears only one time in the Revised Standard Version and not a single time in the King James Version. But the subject itself was of enormous significance for the ancient world, as for us. Ancient Egyptians were typically monogamous, though kings and nobles could have more than one wife. Brothers and sisters were often married; circumcision was widely practiced. Mesopotamians, on the other hand, allowed men to indulge in any sexual activities they might choose. Marriage was for procreation only. Homosexuality was strictly forbidden. 70 7 Deadly Sins
Greek and Roman culture were extremely tolerant of prostitution, fornication, adultery, and homosexuality. Extramarital intercourse was permitted to Greek men, but not to their wives. Marriage was typically monogamous, though divorce was common and frequent. In ancient Judaism, women were expected to be married and to bear children; failure to have children could lead to divorce after ten years. They were expected to satisfy their husbands sexually and to refrain from tempting others; thus, they were typically veiled in public and separated from men. Monogamy was widely practiced by the first century AD, though polygamy was common among the wealthy; divorce was permitted only to men. Sexual immorality was prohibited by the Torah, including fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and “unlawful” marriages. And not much had changed by the time Pope Gregory I, St. Thomas Aquinas, and others helped enshrine lust as one of the seven deadly sins. The gap between the urges of fallen people and the kind of loving, monogamous marriage for which sex was created remains large enough to form a pit into which all are tempted to tumble. So how can we stay on the correct side of that gap and avoid falling prey to the sin of lust?
Why we lust The key to understanding how to avoid lust is Lust 71 understanding why we struggle with it in the first place. Why is it that our lusts are so difficult to satisfy, whether they be sexual in nature or any other manifestation of sinful urges? As Heath Lambert pointed out in this chapter’s opening quote, there’s something truly insatiable about lust to the point that it is more akin to an addiction than a natural desire. The first reason is that lust can often serve as an appealing distraction from the stress or more mundane elements of life. For most of us, sin is not something for which we actively search. Rather, we fall prey to it most when we are simply unprepared for it or unaware of its arrival. That appears to be what happened when David lusted after Bathsheba. In 2 Samuel 11:1, we’re told that “In the spring, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel.” While they were gone, “It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was beautiful” (2 Samuel 11:2). That woman was Bathsheba, and the rest of the chapter details how his decision not to run from that inappropriate sight led him to commit adultery and murder. When David chose to take a stroll on his roof that fateful afternoon, he never intended to commit such heinous sins. Rather, he was simply bored because he’d chosen to stay at home instead of accompanying his army into battle. The end result, however, was the same as if he’d set out looking for Bathsheba—and therein lies the warning for us. 72 7 Deadly Sins
Because stress and the desire for something different are aspects of this life that aren’t going to go away, lust will always be a tempting way of combatting them. If we can’t recognize that connection, we’re far more likely to fall victim to it. Sin will often find us at our most vulnerable, and that seems especially true when it comes to lust. The second reason why many struggle with lust is that it often seems far less harmful than the action we’re contemplating, so it becomes easier to indulge. While Jesus was clear in Matthew 5:28 that “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart,” I think most of us—if we were honest with ourselves—would admit that we live as though that statement were hyperbolic. And, to be sure, there are aspects of the passage that we should not take literally, such as cutting off our hands or tearing out our eyes. However, the basic warning against allowing even lustful thoughts to take root in our minds is crucial. When Jesus made that statement in the Sermon on the Mount, it was part of a longer list of sins about which people had become complacent. The Jewish culture of his day had created a series of laws based largely on the idea that the goal of righteous people was to just avoid sin as much as possible. Jesus, by contrast, wanted people to understand that the problem went much deeper and that even their thoughts could be sinful. When we give room for seemingly “small sins” like lust to find a place in our hearts and minds, they can burrow down deep and become increasingly difficult to defeat. We can also be tempted to think that, as long as the thoughts don’t manifest in action, then we’re safe. But Lust 73 the reality is very different. We will never defeat lust, in whatever form it may manifest, until we realize that its mere consideration is enough to put us in danger. A final reason is that most of the things we lust after are not inherently sinful, if enjoyed in their proper context. Sex, for example, was a gift from God meant to strengthen and enrich the relationship between a husband and wife. Power and authority were likewise gifts from God meant to help us better fulfill our kingdom purpose (Genesis 1:26). The desire for such things is not the problem. Rather, lust begins to creep in when we contemplate acquiring them by sinful means. As such, we are often tempted toward two equally inadequate solutions. On the one hand, some people’s answer to lust is to indulge it in thought while drawing what seems to be a firm and immovable line at the point of action. They think that trying to ignore it will only make the temptation worse. That is true—to an extent. As we saw with Christ’s command above, however, God is clear that such an approach contains its own dangers and is likely only to delay the sinful actions rather than truly protect against them. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the temptation to identify the areas where we are tempted to lust and then cut them off so completely that we end up vilifying things that were meant to be a blessing. Such a pharisaical approach has led some people to see sex, power, or money as inherently perilous and places barriers, many unintended, around fully enjoying those 74 7 Deadly Sins blessings within the proper context. Moreover, it too is likely to fail given that God wired us to enjoy those things and clearly outlined the ways in which we can find pleasure in them. A better approach is needed, one that takes into account each of the three reasons outlined above. Let’s take a look at what that might be.
A cure for lust The virtue most often associated with the vice of lust has historically been chastity or self-control. While those virtues can certainly be helpful, the key component is understanding that this is not a fight we can win in our own power. Fortunately, we were never meant to. As Paul told the church in Corinth, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:12–13). The temptation of lust in some form is common to all of us. But there will never come a time when, with God’s help, we are resigned to sin. Often, that help comes in the form of God providing another outlet in which the urges that may manifest in lust can be satisfied in a more Christ-honoring way. For example, if you lust after power, perhaps it’s a sign that God has called you to leadership of some sort. If you lust after respect, maybe the Lord designed you to Lust 75 be a person of influence. If you lust sexually, perhaps it’s a sign that God has called you to find a spouse with whom you can share that intimacy. Note, though, that you are not entitled to any of those things. The role you can play in God’s kingdom is contingent upon your obedience and faithfulness to him. And if you try to take shortcuts to satisfying those desires rather than diligently and patiently following his path for your life, then you are going to stray into sin. So, the next time you are tempted to lust after something, take a moment and prayerfully ask God why you are tempted. The simple act of taking your temptation to the Lord will go a long way toward defeating it, and he may even reveal something about you or your calling that you’d never fully understood. Regardless of the answer you receive, remember that you will never lust after something that can be fully satisfied apart from God. If you can learn to embrace that reality, it will make it far easier to resist the temptations that come your way.
Conclusion
At the beginning of the book, we noted that the seven deadly sins often function as gateway sins to larger issues. Across the following seven chapters, we explored how each of these vices poses unique dangers people have struggled with since sin first entered into the world. That humanity has combatted these sins since the start leads us to our final point: these are not sins we defeat and then simply move on. The minute you think you’ve mastered them, they’ll start to creep back up in a different way. This side of heaven, we will always be tempted to commit these seven sins because they are foundational to our fallen natures. It’s unlikely that we’ll actively struggle with all of them at the same time, and each of us is uniquely prone to some more than others. Yet, in turning our focus to fighting one, we open up room for the others to sneak back in. Paul spoke to this problem in Romans 7:18–19 when he wrote, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” (Note: There is some debate over whether Paul was speaking in this passage as a non-Christian trying to satisfy the Law in his own power or as a Christian still struggling with sin. While there are arguments for both perspectives, far more evidence points to this statement reflecting his continued struggles with sin as a Christian.) That’s why the solution has to be more than just “Try harder not to sin.” Even if we could go for a stretch of time when we found success with that approach, it would be exhausting and require so much focus that it would leave little time or energy left to actively fulfill our kingdom responsibilities. That’s a tradeoff Satan would make in a heartbeat. After all, he doesn’t really care about what keeps us from accomplishing God’s purposes so long as the kingdom suffers in the process. A better approach is learning to identify the ways we’re most likely to fall prey to these vices, and then shifting the majority of our attention toward actively pursuing the virtues that can help mitigate their influence in our lives. Just as the seven deadly vices can be gateways to even larger problems, the corresponding virtues can be gateways to a stronger walk with the Lord and a more robust ministry to the world around us. We just have to decide each day which path we will take. Discussion Questions
1: Pride 1. Why do you think it can be difficult to distin- guish sinful pride from righteous pride?
2. Which of the reasons for why we perpetuate pride do you find most difficult to combat?
3. What ways you have experienced the tempta- tion toward false humility?
4. How can true humility help mitigate the temp- tation toward pride? What impact might it have on the world around us if God’s people were seen as genuinely humble people?
2: Envy 5. What resonated with you from the story about the monk?
6. Which of the biblical roots of envy has caused the greatest struggles in your life? What steps can you take to better combat that temptation?
7. What are some practical ways that kindness can help us combat envy?
8. What would it look like if Christians accepted the identity bestowed on us by God rather than the one that results from envy? 3: Wrath
9. What stands out most to you about the differ- ence between God’s wrath and our wrath?
10. Why can sinful wrath be so difficult to recog- nize?
11. What are some ways that the virtue of patience can help guard against the vice of wrath?
12. What would it look like for Christians to re- spond to the world around us with patience rather than wrath? How can we avoid wrath against the sin around us without compromis- ing biblical morality and standards?
4: Slothfulness 13. Where do you see slothfulness pop up in today’s culture? Is it usually depicted as a personal sin or something that impacts others?
14. How would you define the difference between relaxation and slothfulness?
15. Where do you find yourself most tempted -to ward slothfulness?
16. What are some practical ways we can counter slothfulness in our own lives? 5: Greed
17. What has made greed difficult to identify in your life?
18. What are some practical ways you can be more like Barnabas than Ananias and Saphira in your generosity?
19. Have you found it difficult to trust God gener- ously? If so, why?
20. What are some ways that our communities of faith could better serve those around us if we practiced generosity as described in this chap- ter?
6: Gluttony 21. How do you define gluttony?
22. What things can make it easy to slide into glut- tony in our culture?
23. What are some practical and biblical ways to combat gluttony? Is it as simple as exercising moderation or is more required?
24. As a community of faith, how can we better hold one another accountable in this area?
7: Lust 25. Why do you think lust is so difficult to satisfy?
26. What practical lessons can we take from the example of David and Bathsheba to help us combat lust today?
27. Why might the virtue of self-control, by itself, prove insufficient to combat the vice of lust?
28. What are some practical ways that our commu- nities of faith can help one another with lust? How might those translate to helping the lost around us? About the Authors
Ryan Denison is the Senior Fellow for Theology at Denison Forum. He consults on The Daily Article and provides writing and research for many of the ministry’s productions. He is in the final stages of earning his PhD in church history at BH Carroll Theological Institute after having earned his MDiv at Truett Seminary. Ryan has also taught at BH Carroll and Dallas Baptist University. He and his wife, Candice, live in East Texas and have two children.
Dr. Jim Denison is the Chief Vision Officer of Denison Forum. Through The Daily Article, his free email newsletter and podcast that globally reach 200,000+ subscribers, Dr. Denison guides readers to discern today’s news— biblically. He has written multiple books and has taught on the philosophy of religion and apologetics. Before launching Denison Forum in 2009, he pastored churches in Texas and Georgia. He holds a PhD and an MDiv from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a DD from Dallas Baptist University. Jim and his wife, Janet, live in Dallas, Texas. They have two sons and four grandchildren.
About the Denison Forum
In 2009, Dr. Jim Denison co-founded Denison Ministries in Dallas, Texas, to encourage spiritual awakening while equipping believers to engage with the issues of the day. Today, Denison Ministries reaches a worldwide audience through news discerned differently at DenisonForum.org, devotional experiences at First15.org, and trusted guidance for parents at ChristianParenting.org.
Notes
An introduction to the nature of sin
9 “By the end of the thirteenth century” Gregory’s original list included sadness in place of slothfulness, but the change was made in subsequent centuries to better fit with the larger purpose of grouping them together. 12 “leads to every other vice” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (HarperCollins: San Francisco, CA), 1952, 122.
1. Pride
13 “In God you come up against something” Lewis, Mere Christianity, 124. 15 “The proud man is forsaken by God” Great Thoughts from Masterminds, vol. 3, April 7, 1894. 15 “Pride is a master of deception” Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, book 6, 7. 16 “And what is the origin of our evil” Augustine, City of God, Chapter 13, 368. 16 “The humility of God” St. Gregory the Pope, The Books of the Morals of St. Gregory the Pope, Vol. 3, The Sixth Part, Book XXXI, Lectionary Central, http://www.lectionarycentral.com/ GregoryMoralia/Book31.html. 19 “Christian humility does not consist” Charles Hodge, “An exposition of the first Epistle to the Corinthians” Making of America, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/ AJH0317.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext.
2. Envy
21 “It is a very human trait” Clovis G. Chappell, Sermons on Biblical Characters (Maplewood, NJ: Pinnacle Press, 2017). 29 “Blessed is the servant who” Keith Beasley- Topliffe, Writings of Francis and Clare (Upper Room Books, 1998).
3. Wrath
31 “The explosion of anger” Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy (New York: Harper Collins, 1997), 149. 32 “Of the Seven Deadly Sins” Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC (New York: Harper & Row, 1973), 2.
4. Sloth
39 “People do not drift toward holiness” DA Carson, For the Love of God (Vol. 2): A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2006), January 23. 40 “a kind of sadness” St. Thomas Aquinas, Basic Writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, vol. 1, 588.
5. Greed
47 “Faith is a reasoning trust” John Stott, Your Mind Matters: The Place of the Mind in the Christian Life (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1972) 52. 48 “A notorious miser” Landon Parvin in Leaders, quoted in Readers Digest, May 1996, 67–68. 54 “the ‘ignorant child’ C. S. Lewis spoke of ” C. S. Lewis, Weight of Glory (New York: HarperCollins), 26.
6. Gluttony
57 “Everyone’s a biblical literalist” Kevin DeYoung, “But What About Gluttony!?!”, The Gospel Coalition, last modified April 24, 2014, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/ kevin-deyoung/but-what-about-gluttony/. 60 “gluttony is about dissatisfaction” Jared Wilson, Seven Daily Sins (Nashville: LifeWay Press, 2012). 62 “six reasons why people tend to binge eat” “Why Am I Binge Eating?” WebMD, https:// www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating- disorders/binge-eating-disorder/why-binge- eating#1.
7. Lust
67 “This is the vicious cycle of lust” Heath Lambert, Finally Free (Grand Rapids: Zondervan), 130. 68 “There was once a tyrant” Compiled by Rev. J.B. McClure, Anecdotes and Illustrations of D.L. Moody Related by him in his Revival Work, (Chicago: Rhodes & McClure Publishers, 1881), 103. 68 “I must have it now” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for his Highest: March 14.