What Is Sin?: Barna Study Reveals ‘Dramatic Shift In The Nation’s Moral Compass’
November 7, 2025
By Ken Ham
Reprinted from Harbinger’s Daily
According to a new study from George Barna’s Cultural Research Center, “Americans are changing their understanding and definition of ‘sin,’” which, the article says, “signals a dramatic shift in the nation’s moral compass and builds on earlier reports documenting widespread confusion about the existence and nature of sin.” Not surprisingly, younger generations showed more moral confusion than their older counterparts.
“Fewer than half of all adults—just 43%—believe that sinful behavior stems from a wicked, corrupt heart.”
“Three out of every five adults (62%) said that sin can be understood as ‘an act of disobedience against God.’” (Interestingly, people were more comfortable with using the word “disobedience” rather than “rebellion,” showing a softening toward the seriousness of sin.)
“About six out of 10 (61%) indicated that sin produces guilt, and such guilt is ‘often worse than the sin’ that caused it.” Yikes!
The research looked at 12 “traditional sins” and found only 6 are still widely regarded as sinful: “…Only six of the 12 behaviors were still widely regarded as sinful, mainly those related to speech, sexuality, faith, and drug use.”
When it comes to these changes, Barna believes, “The current data patterns reflect social turbulence during the past decade in the U.S. in the areas of significant changes in family structure, personal relationships, integrity and ethics, faith practices, and lifestyle choices. These can be traced directly to shifts away from traditional biblical views on sin.”
This “social turbulence” is certainly increasing—we see the clash in the culture at the worldview level, but really it comes from a change of foundation from God’s Word to man’s word.
In our post-Christian (really anti-Christian, as there is no neutrality) society today, God’s Word is no longer the authority; man is. And if man is the authority, then morality is completely subjective. Right and wrong are determined by personal opinion, cultural shifts, and the latest trends—in other words, it’s arbitrary—because when there is no “king” (no ultimate authority), everyone does what’s right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25). And we’re certainly seeing that!
Really, it all comes back to “Who decides?” Does the Creator and Judge of the universe decide? Or does sinful, fallible man decide? How you answer that question will determine your worldview and what you personally view as sinful (and how seriously you view sin!). And we all know worldviews have consequences!
Yes, America’s “social turbulence” is raging, and the divide between what is Christian and what is not is only going to continue to widen. Our response as Christians is to stand boldly and firmly on the authority of God’s Word, from the very first verse.
I remember my father teaching us as children about whether “white lies” or “black lies” were the worst sin. And then he explained ALL lies are sin! Sin is sin!
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