What does the Bible say about connivance?

The Bible passages below can be used in sermons and prayers focused on our connivance with sin. 

• Leviticus 20:4-5, if the people look the other way when their neighbors offer their children to Molech, I will set my face against them
• 1 Samuel 3:13, because Eli did not restrain his sons' iniquity, his house will be punished
• Proverbs 10:10, winking at wrong causes trouble
• Obediah 11, when you stood aside, you were like the invaders
• Acts 7:57-58, Saul witnesses a stoning
• Romans 1:32, those who are filled with evil deeds know God's law, yet they practice and promote evil

Casual observance of sin

What is there to say about connivance in sermons? The Bible makes it clear that the casual observance of sin is itself a sinful act. Such connivance is seen in families (1 Samuel 3:13), in communities (Leviticus 20:4-5), even in international relationships (Obadiah). The Obadiah passage is interesting, in particular, for the ways in which it depicts a slippery slope. The people of Edom first watch the destruction of Jerusalem with glee (11), then march through the gates of the city for a share of the spoils (13), and then even become active agents of the destruction of God's people by capturing fugitives (14). This suggests that casually observing sin may readily lead to more active engagement with the behavior that is contrary to God's will. 

Sermon ideas about connivance 

Not a license for rudeness 

Sermons about connivance can point out that though the casual observance of sin is not as casual as we may think, this fact does not give us license to be rude or judgmental in how we express our opposition to the sin being committed. Other Bible passages, such as Jesus' instructions for rebuking a fellow believer (Matthew 18:15-20) or Peter's injunction that we should always speak to the reason for our hope with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:16), should always guide the manner in which we respond to those we observe committing sinful acts. 

Universal need for grace 

In sermons about connivance, we can remind our listeners that the apostle Paul himself, before his conversion, casually overlooked the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:57-58). This serves as an important reminder of the depth and breadth of God's grace as we consider our own connivance with sin. All our sin, including our participation in broader systems of oppression or passive observance of sinful behavior, can be forgiven by the grace of Jesus Christ. 

Pervasiveness of our connivance with sin 

One of the reasons we need to be reminded of our need for grace is our total inability to avoid conniving in sin, and our sermons about connivance can emphasize this. While it may be easy to name the sins in others, it is difficult to recognize our own complicity in sin (Matthew 7:3-5). Even if we do not commit certain sins, we nevertheless participate in systems that cause harm. The clothes we wear may involve the employment of children in unsafe working conditions. The food we eat may be grown irresponsibly. We may benefit from decades of racial inequality. We can never escape the corrupting effects of sin, and so no choice we make can be completely free from connivance in sin.  

People who have power in society should consider the weighty responsibility they bear for the injustices they overlook. As John Donne wrote in a sermon on Psalm 38:4, "If others sin by my example and provocation, or by my connivance and permission, when I have authority, their sin lies heavier upon me than upon themselves; for they have but the weight of their own sin; and I have mine, and theirs upon me." (The Works of John Donne, volume 4, p. 385) 

The need for wisdom 

The pervasiveness of our connivance with sin requires that we seek wisdom and discernment for our decision-making. We may be unable to dedicate the time necessary to researching the labor practices of every item we purchase. Putting food on the table to feed our families (or the needy families in our community) may take precedence over buying food produced in the most sustainable fashion. The attempt to avoid connivance in sin quickly turns into graceless legalism. Seeking God's wisdom and resting in God's grace for those areas where wisdom fails us frees us up to pursue the whole Christian life lived in the presence of God without falling into the trap of lifeless legalism. 

Excerpts about connivance 

"This refers to Zedekiah's revolt against his Babylonian masters with the connivance of Egypt early in the second decade of the sixth century BCE. The result is disaster." Sermon Preparation by John C. Holbert from Working Preacher  

"Today's story occurred after Jacob (with Rebekah's connivance) tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing that should have gone to Jacob's older twin brother, Esau." Sermon Preparation by Thomas O'Brien from Scripture in Context 

"Women are presented in so many ways, both positive and negative: we see both the connivance of Jezebel and the obedience of Mary." Children's Lesson by Nadine Ellsworth-Moran from Storypath