A youth leader stood before a group of teens and quoted Romans 5:8, “but God shows His love for you in that while you were messed up Christ died for you!” Now you’re going to read in the bible “That while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Why change the wording. The youth pastor would say, “Well Sin is such an archaic word. Who knows what it means anyway? Let’s just put it in words the students can understand. Or the word is too offensive and I don’t want to offend anyone. So messed up is just a little more relatable!”
Oh come one their students right? So teach them! Read the verse anyone would read it then explain what it means.
What is sin?
It’s anything against the perfect law and nature of God, believing that our ways are higher than God’s ways. That is offensive, it offends God.
Another problem from changing the word from sin to messed up is that a mess can be anyone’s fault. My life is a mess because my parents got divorced, my family doesn’t make enough money, I can’t get the job I want, my team didn’t win. None of that is your fault right?
Your sin is your sin and no one else’s. You lie, steal, lust, which is the same as committing adultery according the Matthew 5:28.
Jesus said if you hate another person or call them contemptuous name you have committed murder in your heart. You blaspheme the name of God, the list goes on and on.
God demonstrates his love for you when though you deserved death Jesus the perfect son of God died for you. So that you can repent of your sins, God will forgive you and you will receive eternal life. Don’t repent and you’ll go to hell.
That message is too important to soften or change, so know it and keep it when you understand the text!