Sins of Omission

Some years ago I wrote regularly on this blog, then as President of the congregation I needed to write an article for the Grapevine every month. Needless to say that consumed my time. But I am back to the blog and hope to continue my ponderings from the Grapevine. During my time of writing for the Grapevine I received the name of R. Jeremiah – a reluctant prophetic voice. I think Jeremiah still has many issues to ponder and in so doing will hopefully help others in their journey of exploring and growing their spirituality.
While I seldom spend any time thinking about sins, I want to start by addressing what I consider to be a major sin and one that, I suspect, few folks ever think about – at least as a sin. These are Sins of Omission. Not something we do, but something we don’t do and in so “not doing” we are guilty of what might be the biggest sin of all.
When we consciously refuse to grow spiritually, we are rejecting the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 12:31 we read “Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” I am distressed when I see the poor attendance at special worship services and even more so with the poor participation in Bible studies and discussion groups. The Bible is pretty clear about many things. Perhaps at the top of the list is “love’ and, I believe, a close second is “to grow.” Refusing to be a full participant in the life of the church is a slap in the face against the Holy Spirit. It is a refusal to let the spirit lead us in growth and servanthood toward others.
R. Jeremiah