What are "Christian" sins?

Those of you who follow this site on a fairly regular basis will know that for the past month or so my posts have moved freely between various books of the New Testament. At this point I want to return to a certain order with Romans providing insights for living and minimal departure to other books. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Eventually the posts will be published as a two volume book of insights and reflections on Paul’s great theological masterpiece.

​Romans 1:24-32
 
         In this section of his letter Paul lays out in striking fashion God’s wrath against the sinful practices of the human race. He doesn’t say all people fall into every category but he does insist that there is no limit to the unrighteous acts of people living out their old sinful nature. He uses a rhetorical method well known to ancient orators to establish the point that all outside of Christ are in need of salvation. He pictures God punishing by withdrawal rather than the positive use force. Three times in the first five verses of our section God is said to “give them over.” Since they decided against God, he gave them over “to sexual impurity” (v. 24), “to shameful lusts” (v. 26), and “to a depraved mind” (v. 28).
         The non-repentant sinner receives the just penalty for their sins. In these sins we see the dark side of human nature. But note the following collection of what one might call the more polite (or less offensive) sins that are listed side by side with practices that scripture describes as “unnatural sexual relations” (v. 26). I have the feeling that most of them could be labeled “Christian sins” (not nice but acceptable to a lesser degree than the others.) The list includes “greed, envy, strife, deceit, gossip, slander, insolence, arrogance and boasting.” Granted, these are unpleasant qualities but I question whether you can separate them from the other sins spelled out in verses 24-27. They all represent qualities and actions contrary to God’s nature and are therefore unacceptable.
         Let me dwell for a moment on several of these “lesser sins” – at least they seem to be accepted to some degree in every church I have ever attended.
       Greed: Now that is a bit uncouth but would it get you removed from the church down the street?
       Arrogance: Well, they shouldn’t be like that but they did make it through a difficult period and are justifiably proud of it; they can’t figure out why we can’t follow their example.
       Gossip: Wow! I’m beginning to see your point. What should be done? 

       One happy note is that no one is responsible for cleaning up the life of someone else. That cuts the load considerably. I am responsible for my [fill in the blank] and you for yours. I would hope that all God’s children will be driven by a desire to reflect his love and forgiveness so as to better demonstrate his character to those still on the road to perdition. Then those sins that we incorrectly think of not as bad will no longer characterize any group of believers no matter how divisive it is or used to be.