Or why I’ll continue to write sinful characters…

Photo by Roxana Crusemire on Unsplash.

Why do I write about sinful people? Because they have a story to tell.

My first novel was about a deceitful husband who had an affair and his flawed wife who discovered the indiscretion. Neither character was sinless, and that was by design. There were lessons I couldn’t expose if the characters did everything the “right” way.

All stories don’t include teachable themes, but most Christian-based novels do. Well, except for books written about lost dogs, wild horses, and brand-new babies. Often, clean entertainment leans toward sweet and endearing. And the world needs those stories, too. But if a narrative must highlight forgiveness, it should include showing characters needing forgiveness. If a story details a broken friendship or marriage, sin on behalf of someone typically caused the rift.

In Christian writing critique circles, debates occasionally brew around whether the main protagonist in a Christian story should sin. Or, if they sin, should the prose show sinful actions within the scene. These conversations tire me, especially when I consider the bible, which did not omit the stories of:

  • Cain slaying Abel

  • Noah’s drunkenness

  • Miriam’s racist attitude toward her sister-in-law

  • Samson and his dalliances with Delilah

  • David and his affair with Bathsheba

  • Solomon and his collection of wives and concubines

  • Amnon’s rape of Tamar

  • Judas’s stealing and betrayal of Christ

  • Peter slicing off Malchus’ ear

  • Paul and Barnabus sharp disagreement over John Mark

The list goes on and on.

People don’t open the Bible to read stories about perfection – unless reading about Jesus. The Bible instructs on many things – and scripture often includes persons whose lives may or may not display righteousness. Still, we read on. And the Bible remains the best-selling book of all time.

From time to time, though I may have to defend why I’d allow a Christian protagonist to sin willfully, I’ll keep doing it. Brokenness and sin exist in the world, and it touches people. The goal of stories with Christian-based narratives isn’t to show characters being perfect. The goal is to show God moving in and throughout their lives in awesome ways.

So why do I write about sinful people and situations?

Because we’re all sinful, yet God always remains a part of our story.