Romans 5:8, While We Were Messed Up?

Romans 5:8 and the Problem with Replacing Sin with “Messed Up”

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 in the Bible, you're going to see that Romans 5, 8 says, while we were sinners, Christ died for us.

Why change the wording? Well, because sin is such an archaic word. I mean, who knows what sin means anyway? Let's just put it in terms the students can understand. Or the word is too offensive and I don't want to offend anyone or push them away.

Why Sin Cannot Be Reduced to Mere Mistakes

So messed up is just a little more relatable. Oh, come on. They're students, right? Then teach them. Read the verse the way anyone would read it, then explain what it means. What is sin? It's anything against the perfect law and perfect nature of God, thinking we know better than God.

That is offensive. It offends God. Another problem with changing the word sin to something like messed up is that a mess can be anyone's fault. My life's a mess because my parents got divorced. My family doesn't make enough money.

I don't have the job I want. My team didn't win. None of that is your fault, right? But your sin is your sin and no one else's. You lie, steal, lust, which is the same as committing adultery. Jesus said if you hate another person or call them contemptuous names, you have committed murder in your heart.

The Gospel Call to Repentance and Eternal Life

You blaspheme the name of God. The list goes on and on. But God demonstrates his love for you in that though you deserve death, Jesus, the perfect son of God, died for you. So that you can repent of your sins, God will forgive you and you'll 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 teach it when we understand the text.