A new survey from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University reveals that many Christians in the U.S. are rejecting or downplaying basic biblical teachings about sin, which researcher George Barna describes as a “bodyblow” to the Church. While 84% of all respondents agreed that sin is real, far fewer admitted personal guilt, with only 60% of self-identified Christians and 50% of Catholics acknowledging they are sinners. Even fewer agreed with the statement that “everyone has sinned.” Barna attributed this trend to the failure of American churches to preach on sin, pointing to a 2019 Pew study that found just 3% of sermons nationwide even mentioned it. He warned that avoiding this critical subject leaves believers ignorant of sin’s reality, consequences, and remedy, calling the omission a “travesty.”

Barna cautioned that ideas such as “sin is outdated” or that “people are basically good at heart” are dangerous distortions that undermine biblical truth. According to the study, 70% of those who affirm sin’s existence also claim that humanity is essentially good, a view Barna described as a culturally comfortable way to ignore spiritual disobedience. He stressed that pastors, parents, and Christian leaders bear the responsibility of teaching and reinforcing the reality of sin, noting that inserting the topic back into national and church conversations would be an “invaluable investment” in the health of both the Church and society. Without clear teaching on sin and its eternal consequences, Barna concluded, America risks further moral decline and spiritual blindness.

SOURCE: Christian Post