The Biggest Sin in Today's Church

I'm convinced that the biggest sin in the 21st-century church is similar to the one in the 1st-century church. I don't mean the 'worst' sin; that would probably be pride--that leads to hypocrisy. I don't mean the 'darkest' sin; that may be sexual immorality--either of the eyes or the mind and heart or the body. I don't even mean the 'most defeating' sin of today's church; it's surely prayerlessness.

When I say 'biggest' I mean the sin committed by the most people. The one that makes more pastors get discouraged and quit. The one that divides the most churches and even kills a lot of them. The sin that prompts the most people to drop out of church.

This sin is mentioned several times about God's people in the Old Testament, and again about the New Testament saints--in the Gospels, in the book of Acts and also in the Epistles. It was condemned then, and should be condemned now.

I'm talking about the sin of murmuring.

The Greek word for ''murmur' in the New Testament is "goggoozo" (pronounced gong-GOOT-zo). Say that out loud 3 or 4 times and you can almost hear the murmuring! Other similar words we use are "grumble, complain, gripe or speak ill of." In earlier days it seemed that "gong-goot-zo-ing" was mostly confined to the critics who'd wail their complaints against anyone in the public eye. But more recently it's become horribly widespread in the church. And it's not only aimed at the leaders but also at each other.

In John 6:42 Jesus uttered what could be called 'the 11th commandment,' or as I like to say, 'the forgotten commandment.' He said, "Do not murmur (or grumble)--Do not goggoozo-- among yourselves." He gave this command during a fascinating downward spiral described in John chapter 6. It says first that "the Jews murmured" (verse 41); these were the main critics of Jesus and His Gospel. Then those same Jews "quarreled among themselves" (v. 52). It then spread to the believers, for verses 60-61 say "the disciples murmured." And finally in verse 66 we read that "many disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him." No wonder that in the middle of all this Jesus spoke the words, "Do NOT murmur!"

In today's church the sin of "goggoozo-ing" has filtered from the current grumbling, arguing, angry society into our hallways and classrooms and yes, our worship centers . Many disciples of Christ have fallen into the trap of murmuring--about the preaching, or the music, or the various ministries and those who serve in them, or even the seating or the temperature in the buildings! Thoro Harris wrote a pointed Gospel song (100 years ago, still current!) entitled "Grumblers." The refrain says, "O, they grumble on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, grumble on Thursday too, Grumble on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Grumble the whole week through." And it should come as no surprise that a host of people are turning back, no longer interested in what we have to offer.

Yet "what we have to offer" is the life-changing message of grace, forgiveness and restoration --the Gospel--that's desperately needed by everyone today! May we repent of this 'biggest' sin, and may we shine as true lights in our dark and deluded culture. Vance Havner said "One hour in Heaven and we will all be ashamed that we ever grumbled."

So, let's just stop it...and gong-goot-zo no mo'!