These issues must be dealt with, but the Bible is clear that none of these issues touches the heart of the human dilemma. The human dilemma can be spelled S-I-N. Now I know that in mainline churches in America, it is out of the question for the pastor to talk about sin. We all grew up in churches where Church Lady defines sin as F-U-N. But when we come down to the heart of the matter, we have to say that the basic problem with humankind is the fact that we are estranged from God.

I frequently receive articles written by those who know how to do ministry and do church, telling us why they have become so successful, how their churches have gotten so big, and how they have become so popular. Every one of them says one thing, "Don't ever mention sin in your pulpit. Make sure your church is similar to a pep rally, and make sure that it has a positive mental attitude."

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The pastor of one of the largest churches in America never mentions sin when he preaches. He talks about a positive mental attitude and does a psychiatric experiment with his people every Sunday. That may work for the masses, but as I read the New Testament and understand the ministry of Jesus, and as I try to understand what the Bible is all about, I am convinced that the cardinal issue in the lives of people is simply plain, old sin. Fifteen pages in a Bible dictionary are required to define sin.

Modern culture has taken a low view of sin. When I came out of seminary, I was given a low view of sin. I had a good seminary education, but it was the fad of that day not to think very highly of sin. It did not take me long, dealing with a congregation, to find out that sin was in vogue because my people were participating in it. They were enjoying it. They were reveling in it. They were splashing around in it. So I had to revise my attitude about it.

The Bible takes sin seriously. Unlike our modern religions, the Bible has a high view of sin. It is a condition of dreadful estrangement from God. We find ourselves in sin and suffer its painful effects. And God offers us, in Jesus Christ, salvation from it.

I read recently of a discussion on MTV, the sin channel of cable television. The discussion by leading musicians, actors, and other celebrities was about the seven deadly sins. In case you don't know, they are sloth, lust, anger, envy, greed, gluttony and pride.

Ice T, the rapper said, "Lust is not a sin. The whole list is dumb." Another one of these celebrities, an opinion maker, said, "Sloth is good. Everybody needs a break." Kirstie Alley from Cheers said, "Pride is not a sin. Some idiot made up that list."

I did it because I could not only defines the morality of our day, but it defines our freedom.

Saint Augustine, in trying to discuss the human situation, said in one of his letters that we choose sin. We operate as though sin does not exist. It is not fashionable to think of humankind in moral terms. It presumes that there is a moral law beyond us. It presumes that there is a relationship to be obtained with God. We do not locate the problem in alienation from God. We locate it somewhere else. It is a serious issue in the lives of people in our culture.