Jun 6, 2008
Struggle: Christianese for “Giving in to sin, but then feeling guilty.”
We’re not porn-addicts; we “struggle with lust.”
We’re not arrogant; we “struggle with pride.”
With a simple cliché our sins become palatable.
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While i tend to agree with the sentiment of your post, it doesn’t leave much room for degrees. It seems there’s a difference between “struggling” and “addiction”. The problem comes with labeling it “lust” instead of “porn” and thus being opaque instead of fully honest.
we have a serious problem with owning up to life. it’s like being a Christian gives us license to avoid being classified into any category of sin. we need to own up to what’s going on and deal with it, straight up.
ouch. v.insightful.
it also seems kinda acceptable to ‘struggle’ with the two areas you name. Few own up to struggling with lying, swindling, gossip etc.
Maybe we need to both bit a bit more bold and honest about our situation. And praise God we’re not slaves to sin anymore.
I agree with you Abraham–we need to be more honest with others (and ourselves, first). But also with Barnabas to a degree. I know people who struggle with lust who are not porn addicts. However, if you are a porn-addict, you shouldn’t dumb-it-down and say, “I struggle with lust.” On the other hand, if you are an average man who has to deal with living in a sexual-charged society and sometimes have battles with lust, then it doesn’t necessarily mean you are a porn addict.
I see Barnabas’s point, but it’s been my experience that when I’m in sin and the Spirit brings conviction and I’m forced to see truth, the “degrees” don’t exist: sin or no sin.
This reminds me of a Derek Webb song I Repent particularly this line, “by trading sins for others that are easier to hide. I am wrong and of these things I repent”.
James & Barnabas,
Yes, you’re right. Not all who lust are addicts. I was just using it as an example. I wasn’t making a comment about all who lust.
My point is that I think we all find it far easier to say, “I struggle with [sin],” when what we really mean is, “I [sin].”
Very clever and quite true. I wish we didnt have to ‘struggle’ so ;)
Ahk. Conviction…
Thanks for the reminder.
Surely the tragedy is that we use the word struggle to mean something entirely novel?
It’s (often) the merest hat-tip to sanctification while we wallow in the soul-crushing embrace of self-centered, self-indulgent rebellion.
Shame and fear of man will drive us to create all kinds of expressions for our Sin/sins. A true fear of God will take us a long way in winning the ‘struggle’. I listened to AW Tozer preach a sermon recently where he identified and nailed the ‘en masse’ approach to confession of sin/struggles. We will admit to Sin/sins along with everyone else…but will we singularly cry out, ‘Forgive ME, Lord, I’m a veangeful gossip or a proud teetotaler? The en masse approach really doesn’t require repentance…just an acknowledgment where we feel relatively safe from condemnation.
(am I supposed to stick w/ 22 words? ; )
I agree that the word ‘struggle’ is often an unhelpful euphemism used to minimize our own sin, often because we ourselves find the act of open confession terribly unpleasant.
But here is my thought, isn’t saying ‘I lust’ or “I hate” often unhelpful as well? I mean it does identify our sin, but if we leave it at that all we have done is felt the weight of the law and despaired. But if we turn the realization of our sin into something useful – ‘I lust because I feel terribly lonely and empty and I want it so badly to stop’ or ‘I hate because I feel so hurt by the way I was treated by …’ – we can use it to change our lives by turning to the Jesus to meet our specific need that sin is tempting us to meet ourselves. If we only leave it at the ‘I hate’ we miss out on the chance to change.
Honesty only works if it is combined with action, but action (and the change we want) rarely comes without first being honest.
On the other hand, if a wishy washy word makes it more likely that a person will discuss it with another who can help him, it may be helpful and God-given.
Jamsco,
There’s some truth in what you say, but I think the reason become wishy washy is more often because they know that means they’ll get a soft response as opposed to the “punch in the face” response Abraham posted about a while back. People like soft descriptions of sins because it allows for soft responses.
I agree with the original post, and my initial comment was just a matter of clarification. I see people use “lust” or “struggle with lust” all the time as a catch phrase for explicit sexual sins. That’s why i say they are simply being wishy washy to avoid rebuke as opposed to open the door for discussion.
And Richard Nixon didn’t lie, he “made a mistake.” Yep, “struggling against sin” is often a mushy term. Usually not meant with the seriousness Jesus talked of it (cut off your hand, pluck out your eye, etc) or Hebrews 12:4 “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” I always want to add (preaching to myself). Have you?
i agree. whether we describe or view our sin as addicted or struggling, we’re prone to sin and shall be condemned to judgment. it’s grace and mercy of God gave us hope in the midst of our hopelessness.
[...] Abraham Piper…. click here for actual [...]
Agreed, Barnabas.
I’m just saying these kind of words can be used courageously as well as as a way to not own up to sin.
Absolutely, Jamsco.
But in that case, they’re not speaking Christianese, they’re speaking good old-fashioned, honest English.
In English, “struggle” means “fight.” In Christianese, it means, “give up and die.”
They just happen to be homophones.
Also the phrase ” we’re sinful” seems to have become christianese for “no one is perfect”. I find myself saying it too quickly.
Hey! You’re supposed to make my day with pithy bits of wisdom in 22 words…not convict me! What gives?
Ok…thanks for convicting me…I think.
Yeah, I’m not comfortable with the 22-word version of this sentiment — because it equates “describing failure” with “being all right with it”. At least on the surface.
I appreciate Abraham’s clarification here in the comments. this one needed more than 22 words.
I don’t know what you mean in your first paragraph, Frank.
But I agree with you about needing more words. Every post I’ve ever done has needed more than 22 words.
Thanks.
This was good for me because I really struggle with Christianese.
Words must be proven by action, right? I am more concerned with whether the person is truly struggling or fighting or mortifying their sin, than the language they use. I can say that I am the worst sinner I know, but if my life does not reflect that belief, then the words are empty. Who has permission in your life to correct your cliches and call you to fight?
I think when people use the word struggle, they are trying to say that they know they are sinning and really hate it, but they are having a hard time overcoming a certain sin. It’s one that they battle over and over and over again. They struggle with it. Some sins I really struggle with because I keep falling into them repeatedly–like yelling at the kids when they don’t listen. I struggle less as time goes on–thankfully, due to God’s grace, good prayer partners, and by not giving up and throwing in the towel, God has faithfully shown me other ways to deal with it. Yet I never feel I can relax in this area. Others sins I have not been tempted with much at all. I won’t name them because one time I just entertained the thought in my mind how thankful I was that I did not have to struggle with a certain sin, and then I found myself being tempted with it for a little while.
Chris D.
Excellent point, as usual.
Pithy. Thanks for saying it like it is.
It is no longer I who sin, but the sin that lives in me.
The new man is free of either guilt or struggle.
I think you conflated “I strived and failed” with “I’m OK with that” in the original post, but as you untangled it in the meta you, um, untangled the conflation.
make sense?
About this quote, that is:
“My point is that I think we all find it far easier to say, “I struggle with [sin],” when what we really mean is, “I [sin].”
[...] Struggle: Christianese for “Giving in to sin, but then feeling guilty.” [...]
[...] Christianese: we’re not arrogant, we just “struggle with pride.” [...]