NEGLIGENCE AND OTHER SINS OF OMISSION

NEGLIGENCE AND OTHER SINS OF OMISSION

Nothing in what I am going to write in this essay is going to mean anything if you do not believe in God, no matter what religion you belong to.

To be clear, negligence is not a sin in the secular context. At best, it could either be an administrative or a criminal offense, depending on what country and what laws there are in each country.

In the Christian context, there are sins of commission and there are sins of omission, the interpretation of which could depend on what tradition of Christianity is involved, and who interprets it. In short: doing wrong and failing to do what is right. The two are distinct, but both are serious.

Suffice it to say however, that in the context of this essay, I am referring to Christian believers or supposed believers—when we neglect to do something or omit an action that we should have done, we could be committing sins. In the Christian teaching there is a clear distinction between what is considered a sin, and what is considered a wrongdoing. Regardless of what religion one belongs to, it could generally be said that graft and corruption is definitely a wrongdoing, even if some violators would not consider it a sin. Perhaps in any religion, thievery or stealing is a wrongdoing—and so there it is, we do not have to complicate this. If you steal, you are committing either sin or wrongdoing, and that makes you corrupt. It is as simple as that, if I may say so.

That phrase — “Negligence and Other Sins of Omission”—is evocative, layered, and ripe for exploration. Let me unpack it; then I’ll share why I think it matters deeply in our faith, our civic life, and our inner reflection.

What the Terms Mean

Negligence typically refers to a failure to exercise appropriate care or responsibility—often with legal or moral consequences. Sins of omission, in contrast, are not about what we do, but what we fail to do—the silence, the inaction, the bystander effect. In Christian theology, a sin of omission is “to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” 

Put together, the phrase suggests a powerful indictment of passive harm—the damage caused not by malice, but by indifference, avoidance, or systemic neglect.

Why it Matters for Believers

For Christian believers, the idea of sin is not just breaking rules—it is about failing to live the kind of life God calls us to. According to one teaching: if you refuse to act when you should act, even though you know better, that is a sin of omission. 

This is not hair-splitting. It forces believers to ask: What have I not done that I could and should have done? It’s a mirror to our complacency. For example: refusing to share one’s faith, neglecting the neighbour in need, avoiding prayer when conscience prompts us. 

If all we do is avoid the obvious sins, but we never step in to help, to speak up, to live courageously—then, according to this tradition, we still fall short.

Some Real-World Implications

Let’s bring this into real life—faith meeting the world. Consider governance, public service, and sound leadership. It is easy to focus on the overt corruption (sins of commission): the stolen funds, the bribes, the rights abused. All wrong and in need of condemnation. But what about the sins of omission? Where no scandal breaks—but people suffer nonetheless?

Where systems fail to act. Where policies are not enforced. Where the poor are left unprotected, the environment unguarded, the weak unheard.

Believers must ask: What have we not done? What voices have we ignored? What needs went unmet? The omission may be less visible, but its damage is deep.

My Suggestions & Questions

  • If you believe in God—and your faith calls you to act—then ask yourself: What am I leaving undone today?

  • In your community: identify not just the active wrongs, but the gaps. Who is being left behind? What are we failing to build?

  • For leaders (churches, groups, governments): adopt an “omission audit.” Not only: what did we do wrong? But also: what didn’t we do at all?

And I pose a question: If someone is faithful, morally upright in public, avoids obvious wrongs—but neglects the weak, overlooks the poor, never intervenes where they could—are they still ‘safe’? The Christian tradition warns us: yes, there is peril even in inaction. 

A Final Word

In many circles, negligence might be written off as “not my fault” or “too busy” or “someone else’s job.” But if you believe in God, then your life is bigger than your convenience. Your faith is not just in staying clean—it’s in doing good actively. Avoiding wrongdoing is not enough; active love and service is demanded.

So: beware the sin of omission. Recognise it. Resist it. And live in such a way that you are known not just for what you didn’t do badly, but for what you did bravely and lovingly.

The damage done by what we fail to do can often outstrip the harm of what we simply do wrong. Let’s, in faith, step into that gap. Let us act. Let us serve. Let us respond.

Because negligence—even without malice—is a betrayal of our calling.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 03-07-2026

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