Sermon Tone Analysis

“Sin,” really does exist, according to Dr. Karl Menninger.

The famous psychiatrist is distressed that modern society tries to figure out its problems and talk about morality without ever mentioning the word “sin.”

He is convinced that the only way to raise the moral tone of present-day civilization and deal with the depression and worries that plague clergy, psychiatrists, and ordinary folk is to revive an understanding of what “sin” is.

**[1]**

 

*What Is Sin*

Man calls it an /accident/; God calls it an abomination.

Man calls it a blunder; God calls it blindness.

Man calls it a defect; God calls it a disease.

Man calls it a chance; God calls it a choice.

Man calls it an error; God calls it an enmity.

Man calls it a fascination; God calls it a fatality.

Man calls it an infirmity; God calls it an iniquity.

Man calls it a luxury; God calls it a leprosy.

Man calls it a liberty; God calls it lawlessness.

Man calls it a trifle; God calls it a tragedy.

Man calls it a mistake; God calls it a madness.

Man calls it a weakness; God calls it willfulness.

[2]

 

*Some Things We Can’t Do*

(1) Sow bad habits and reap a good character.

(2) Sow jealously and hatred and reap love and friendship.

(3) Sow wicked thoughts and reap a clean life.

(4) Sow wrong deeds and live righteously.

(5) Sow crime and get away with it.

(6) Sow dissipation and reap a healthy body.

(7) Sow crooked dealings and succeed indefinitely.

(8) Sow self-indulgence and not show it in your face.

(9) Sow disloyalty and reap loyalty from others.

(10) Sow dishonesty and reap integrity.

(11) Sow profane words and reap clean speech.

(12) Sow disrespect and reap respect.

(13) Sow deception and reap confidence.

(14) Sow untidiness and reap neatness.

(15) Sow intemperance and reap sobriety and temperance.

(16) Sow indifference and reap nature’s rewards.

(17) Sow mental or physical laziness and reap a responsible position in society.

(18) Sow cruelty and reap kindness.

(19) Sow wastefulness and reap thriftiness.

(20) Sow cowardice and reap courage.

(21) Sow destruction of other people’s property and reap protection for our own.

(22) Sow greed and envy and reap generosity.

(23) Sow neglect of the Lord’s house and reap strength in temptation.

(24) Sow neglect of the Bible and reap a well-guided life.

(25) Sow human thistles and reap human roses.

—James Nankivell[3]

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[1]Tan, Paul Lee, /Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations/, (Garland, Texas: Bible Communications, Inc.) 1996.

[2]Tan, Paul Lee, /Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations/, (Garland, Texas: Bible Communications, Inc.) 1996.

[3]Tan, Paul Lee, /Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations/, (Garland, Texas: Bible Communications, Inc.) 1996.