Christian Corporate Sin

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One of the biggest themes explored in the Civil Rights Movement is the Christianity. Despite its appearance of being majorly secular or having no apparent connection to the gospel, the movement is a major turning point in how the American Christian really perceives the Bible. A Christian’s response to injustices, whether they be individual or systemic, is love. Individual sin is costly. Everyone knows this. To sin is to not be one with God. As Steven Van Riessen quotes, “Sin is any act -- any thought, desire, emotion, word, or deed- or its particular absence, that displease God and deserves blame,” (What is the Extent of Corporate Sin 1). There are multitude of ways to sin and not loving your brother, or any of God’s creation is that also. …show more content…

Van Riessen says, “Corporate sin is defined as any sin committed on a larger scale, from a community or society,” (What is the Extent of Corporate Sin 1). Better seen as when the government brings down clauses that specifically target a group of people to keep them from their full potential. Systemic racism as a whole is a corporate sin. Systemic racism can be fought by the Christian church, but first they must understand its fullness. When a church gathers together and fight the sin of racism and specifically targets groups that hate, they do their part in responding to injustices as a group. Van Riessen says, “This shows the corporate nature of a church, both its ability to obey as a whole and dot be disobedient as a whole,” (What is the Extent of Corporate Sin 5). When injustice occurs, inside or outside the church, love can reconcile. Romans 13:8 says, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law,” (English Standard Version Romans 13:8). When it says law, it speaks of God’s law. The law of love which God has given the church to use and influence the hearts of evil. The response of a church is to love the system so that it can be

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