Most Anglicans know that their main denominations, e.g. the Church of England or the Episcopal Church, stopped preaching about sin at least a generation ago.

However, acknowledging sin is essential in realising that we need help — divine help.

Following an article by an Anglican priest changing churches, which I wrote about here several days ago, a man named Dave Corby left an excellent comment about sin.

Emphases mine:

A wonderful essay that I enjoyed very much.
The only thing missing is the critical subject of sin.
Rather than a “small shove in the back” what we need is more preaching to help people understand the reason for the feeling of guilt and that constant nudge of the conscience when we do anything that deviates from the right and true way.
We all know that there is a cost to doing wrong, even the smallest lie or the second look at something we should not view burns in our brain for days, months, years, or even the rest of our life.
Once we acknowledge that cost, and that it is the unconscious knowledge of sin that leads to death, only then can we understand why we need a savior. We sin against God and he loves us so much that He sent His only Son to pay the price of that debt.
That deep, deep, acknowledgment of our sin and desperate need for forgiveness is what drives us to take that step of faith.

It’s such a simple message and such a profound one, yet we hear little about it from the average Anglican Communion pulpit.

It is unfathomable how Anglican clergy can ignore sin, considering that the whole of the Bible revolves around acknowledging our trespasses and transgressions.

God hates sin. That is why, as the Book of Hebrews explains, He required countless blood sacrifices from His people until He sent His Son to us as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the whole world — past, present and future.

There was a brief moment during the Crucifixion when God could no longer bear the thought of sin. That is why Jesus called out in desperation, ‘My God, My God, why are you foresaking Me?’ At that moment, Jesus felt — and carried — the full weight of mankind’s sins.

However, afterwards, just before dying on the Cross, Jesus, always obedient, said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit’.

If Anglican clergy preached more about sin rather than social issues — also a by-product of sin — they would have more people’s attention. It sounds paradoxical, but more of us would start going to church again.

John MacArthur often preaches about sin and his Grace Community Church has thousands of people in attendance every week.

It would be fascinating and instructive to see MacArthur go head-to-head in a debate about sin with an Anglican bishop. No prizes for guessing who would win.