Is Anxiety a Sin? What Most People Miss

So, the New Testament keeps lists.

There's Galatians 5, runs through everything that a fractured life produces.

Colossians 3, names what a follower of Jesus is supposed to strip off, like filthy clothing.

Corinthians 6 has its own catalog.

And Revelation 21 runs one more near the very end of the Bible.

So just in case anyone... is not clear about what I'm talking about.

I will quote Galatians 5, 19 to 21, which says, Now the works of the flesh are evident, sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.

I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

So these are very serious lists, and we've got to remember that the churches that Paul, you know, Paul started these churches and visited these churches.

These were, you know, not like the disciples started churches among the Jews, but Paul started churches among the Gentiles.

And so before becoming Christians, these people were pagans.

So they had a lot of things that they had to change in order to become a Christian.

So Paul was very straightforward with them.

So these lists, none of them are subtle.

And they name idolatry, rage, greed, sorcery, slander, drunkenness, jealousy, sexual corruption, and lying.

Whatever else you want to say about the apostles, they were never shy about naming what ruins a person.

Anxiety, though, never shows up on any of these lists.

that should stop you for a second because the command is undeniably there.

And I'm going to be making reference to our scripture reading several times, so if you want to stay turned to that, which is Philippians 4, verses 6 and 7.

In Philippians 4, verse 6, it says, Do not be anxious about anything.

That's a pretty straightforward command.

In the Greek, it's two words, and they land like an order handed down.

So, which is it? If worry is forbidden, why does it never appear where forbidden things get cataloged? So somebody always raises Revelation 21, okay? Revelation 21, verse 8.

says, but as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

So everything on that list is very serious as well.