How Christians Misunderstand Sin and Miss the Gospel - Matt Van Winkle

Most Christians think they understand sin—but the way we preach, teach, and convert says otherwise. Matt Van Winkle, minister and scholar with a Doctor of Ministry from Northern Seminary, is on Christianity Without Compromise with host Jake Doberenz to expose how flattening sin into nothing more than moral failure has distorted the gospel and reshaped the Church’s approach to conversion. Drawing from deep theological and biblical study, Matt unpacks how the Bible portrays sin as more than just bad actions—it’s a cosmic power shaping the systems we live in. The conversation explores how the Western Church often reduces sin to guilt and moral failure, and why this simplification has produced evangelism strategies rooted more in shame than in grace. Along the way, they dive into key biblical texts, how culture has shaped Christian ethics, and why a broader understanding of sin opens the door for a more compelling gospel.

Key Takeaways:

1. Sin in Scripture includes moral failure, debt, and a cosmic power—yet modern Christians tend to overemphasize guilt while ignoring systemic and spiritual dimensions.

2. Evangelism that starts with guilt often misses the heart of the gospel and can harm people instead of inviting them into transformation.

3. Understanding sin as a pervasive force allows Christians to engage with the world more compassionately, choosing spiritual formation over moral policing.

Important Links:

• And Upon This Rock: Peter’s Transformative Journey from Fisherman to Follower to Foundational Leader - book co-authored by Matt Van Winkle and others from Northern Seminary

• Sin: A History by Gary A. Anderson

• The Wounded Heart of God: The Asian Concept of Han and the Christian Doctrine of Sin by Andrew S. Park

• King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited by Scot McKnight

• “Spiritually Distracted by Technology” - Episode featuring Andrew Noble on theology and technology

• “Sin Shouldn’t Define Christian Identity” - Episode featuring James Early on being too focused on sin

• Matt on Threads - https://www.threads.com/@mattvw9287

Matt Van Winkle is a minister, writer, and teacher with a Doctor of Ministry from Northern Seminary, where he studied under Scott McKnight. He has taught courses on the New Testament, Pauline letters, and the global history of Christianity. His academic and pastoral work focuses on sin, conversion, and the overlap between spiritual formation and church practice. He is a contributor to And Upon This Rock: Peter’s Transformative Journey from Fisherman to Follower to Foundational Leader and is active on Threads.

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Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at jakedoberenz.substack.com.

Christianity Without Compromise is a part of the KFM Broadcasting network.