--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We tend to speak of sin in very personal…" description: "\"We tend to speak of sin in very personal and individual terms. Jeremiah does not downplay that, but he also sees how a whole society can be bound up in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/christopher-j-h-wright-21516_assumption_we-tend-to-speak-of-sin-in-very-personal_3109370.jpg" --- # We tend to speak of sin in very personal and individual… ![“We tend to speak of sin in very personal and individual terms. Jeremiah does not downplay that, but he also sees how a whole society can be bound up in the tentacles of sin, in the assumptions that everybody around you makes, about how it becomes easier to sin than not to, and how we can become so…” quote by Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/christopher-j-h-wright-21516_assumption_we-tend-to-speak-of-sin-in-very-personal_3109370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/christopher-j-h-wright-21516_assumption_we-tend-to-speak-of-sin-in-very-personal_3109370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f4/christopher-j-h-wright-21516_assumption_we-tend-to-speak-of-sin-in-very-personal_3109370.jpg) > “We tend to speak of sin in very personal and individual terms. Jeremiah does not downplay that, but he also sees how a whole society can be bound up in the tentacles of sin, in the assumptions that everybody around you makes, about how it becomes easier to sin than not to, and how we can become so confused and contradictory in our reactions, when sin is pointed out.” [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes sin as both personal and societal, showing how collective assumptions can entrap individuals **In simple terms:** Sin is both personal and shaped by society Key Takeaway Examine societal norms that enable wrongdoing Themes sin society morality collective responsibility Mood thoughtful analytical Type theological sociological When to use this quote - church teachings - community counseling - public policy - education - media analysis Key Concepts theology ethical psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What societal beliefs reinforce harmful behavior? - How can communities balance personal and collective moral responsibility? A Different Perspective Individual accountability may be overlooked when focusing on systemic sin ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assumption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [“Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them: by participating directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catholic-church/sin-is-a-personal-act-moreover-we-have-a-responsibility-for-the-sins/) Catholic Church > [“One of the most amazing commentaries on the fallen human nature to be found in all the Word of God is right here in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hitchcock/one-of-the-most-amazing-commentaries-on-the-fallen-human-nature-to-be/) [Mark Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hitchcock/) > [It is not God that is worshipped but the group or authority that claims to speak in His name. Sin becomes disobedience to authority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/it-is-not-god-that-is-worshipped-but-the-group-or-authority-that/) [Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/) > [“It is not God that is worshipped but the authority that claims to speak in His name. Sin becomes disobedience to authority not violation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/it-is-not-god-that-is-worshipped-but-the-authority-that-claims-to/) [Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/) > [To speak of sin without grace is to minimize the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the fruit of the Spirit, and the hope of shalom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-plantinga/to-speak-of-sin-without-grace-is-to-minimize-the-resurrection-of/) [Cornelius Plantinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-plantinga/) > [You'll never be able to speak against sin if you're entertained by it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muncee/you-ll-never-be-able-to-speak-against-sin-if-you-re-entertained-by-it/) John Muncee > [There may be some sins of which a man cannot speak, but there is no sin which the blood of Christ cannot wash away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-may-be-some-sins-of-which-a-man-cannot-speak-but-there-is-no/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I’m so confused it almost feels calm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-jones/i-m-so-confused-it-almost-feels-calm/) [Shane Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-jones/) > [You can get so confused that you'll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/you-can-get-so-confused-that-you-ll-start-in-to-race-down-long/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [We throw you as many as you want, in this profession, and the more you want the more we'll give you, until you're so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-throw-you-as-many-as-you-want-in-this-profession-and-the-more-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Sometimes, when I drive across the desert in the middle of the night, with no other cars around, I start imagining: What if there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-when-i-drive-across-the-desert-in-the-middle-of-the-night/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [My work is not, of course, pure art in the sense that Schmidt-Rottluff's is, but it is art nonetheless... It is all right with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathe-kollwitz/my-work-is-not-of-course-pure-art-in-the-sense-that-schmidt-rottluff/) [Kathe Kollwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathe-kollwitz/) > [I wrote these words for everyone who struggles in their youth. Who won't accept deception instead of what is truth. It seems we lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/i-wrote-these-words-for-everyone-who-struggles-in-their-youth-who-won/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [You have to decide where the line is in such a complicated place like Saudi Arabia. I was so confused by the place -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-arthur/you-have-to-decide-where-the-line-is-in-such-a-complicated-place-like/) [Olivia Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-arthur/) > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) ## More by Christopher J. H. Wright > [The church was made for mission-God's mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/the-church-was-made-for-mission-god-s-mission/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [Mission means inviting all the peoples of the earth to hear the music of God's future and dance to it today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/mission-means-inviting-all-the-peoples-of-the-earth-to-hear-the-music/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [“Evil and sin weave their way into every aspect of God’s creation and every dimension of human personhood and life on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/evil-and-sin-weave-their-way-into-every-aspect-of-god-s-creation-and/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [It's important, though, that there are not "four gospels." There is only one gospel: the good news of what God has done through Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/it-s-important-though-that-there-are-not-four-gospels-there-is-only/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [Old Testament Israel had some foundational pillars of faith. They were true and robust and God given. The trouble was that people had come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/old-testament-israel-had-some-foundational-pillars-of-faith-they-were/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [Yahweh demanded justice for the poor, compassion and equality for foreigners and refugees, systemic redress for poverty, structural mechanisms to protect the homeless and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/yahweh-demanded-justice-for-the-poor-compassion-and-equality-for/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [What is so striking in the book of Jeremiah is how many times it is impossible to distinguish between the words of Jeremiah and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/what-is-so-striking-in-the-book-of-jeremiah-is-how-many-times-it-is/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [God cannot suffer - at least not as we do. It has some roots in Greek philosophy: if God is a perfect being, suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/god-cannot-suffer-at-least-not-as-we-do-it-has-some-roots-in-greek/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [The Jews believed they were the nation God had chosen among all the nations. And they were. But that did not give them immunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/the-jews-believed-they-were-the-nation-god-had-chosen-among-all-the/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [“The reality is, of course, as soon as you think seriously about it, that the mission field is everywhere, including your own street –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/the-reality-is-of-course-as-soon-as-you-think-seriously-about-it-that/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [If "gospel" means good news, then Jeremiah had some for sure. He saw the judgment coming, in horrifying technicolour. But he saw beyond it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/if-gospel-means-good-news-then-jeremiah-had-some-for-sure-he-saw-the/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [The trouble today is that many Christians live in a kind of bubble of assumptions about what their Christianity means, especially if it places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/the-trouble-today-is-that-many-christians-live-in-a-kind-of-bubble-of/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [Only the gospel exposes the cancer of idolatry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/only-the-gospel-exposes-the-cancer-of-idolatry/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [God has made us humans in God's own image. So therefore the highest way to talk about God is by some kind of analogy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/god-has-made-us-humans-in-god-s-own-image-so-therefore-the-highest/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [There are four accounts of the gospel itself! The momentous events of the conception, birth, life, teaching, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/there-are-four-accounts-of-the-gospel-itself-the-momentous-events-of/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) [Explore all 29 Christopher J. H. Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) ## More Assumption quotes > [Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/next-to-the-assumption-of-power-was-the-responsibility-of/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) Richard Doll > [Fortunately, the mind is restless; when it uncovers a layer of its own deception, gives up an illusion, exposes a lie, it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-chernin/fortunately-the-mind-is-restless-when-it-uncovers-a-layer-of-its-own/) [Kim Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-chernin/) > [The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knight/the-possibility-of-saying-anything-about-a-thing-rests-on-the/) [Frank Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knight/) > [She spent hours drawing on her own, trying to perfect her craft. And when she got into music, she had that same diligence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/she-spent-hours-drawing-on-her-own-trying-to-perfect-her-craft-and/) [Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/) > [If they are, then the only ultimate truths are the particulars of concrete experience, and no postulate or general assumption is inherent in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-wright/if-they-are-then-the-only-ultimate-truths-are-the-particulars-of/) [Chauncey Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-wright/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. 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The blacks on average score 85 per cent on IQ and it is accurate, nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/the-bell-curve-is-a-fact-of-life-the-blacks-on-average-score-85-per/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Pussy Riot have certainly changed some people's assumptions about the role of political art and the relationship between the intelligentsia and the church. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/pussy-riot-have-certainly-changed-some-people-s-assumptions-about-the/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) [Browse all 1,277 Assumption quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumption/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We tend to speak of sin in very personal and individual terms. 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