What is sin?

Sin is lawlessness, a state of rebellion against God. Since the time that sin came into the world through Adam and Eve, man has been under the yoke of sin - a yoke that can only be removed by God's grace through Jesus Christ. The sinful condition of mankind shows itself in the tendency to put oneself and one's own interests above God and his will. Sin leads to alienation from God and suffering and death. Because all people are sinners, they all also need the redemption that God offers through his Son (1. John 3,4; Romans 5,12; 7,24-25; Mark 7,21-23; Galatians 5,19-21; Romans 6,23; 3,23-24).

Christian behavior is based on trust and loving loyalty to our Savior, who loved us and gave himself up for us. Trust in Jesus Christ is expressed in faith in the gospel and in works of love. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ transforms the hearts of his believers and makes them bear fruit: love, joy, peace, faithfulness, patience, kindness, meekness, self-control, righteousness and truth (1. John 3,23-24; 4,20-21; 2. Corinthians 5,15; Galatians 5,6.22-23; Ephesians 5,9).

Sin is directed against God.

In Psalm 51,6 says a penitent David to God: "On you alone have I sinned and done evil before you". Although other people were adversely affected by David's sin, the spiritual sin was not against them—it was against God. David is repeating this thought 2. Samuel 12,13. Job asks, "Habakuk, I have sinned, what am I doing to you, O shepherd of men" (Job 7,20)?

Of course, hurting others is like sinning against them. Paul points out that in doing so we are indeed “sinning against Christ” (1. Corinthians 8,12) who is Lord and God.

This has significant implications

First, since Christ is the revelation of God against whom sin is directed, sin should be viewed christologically, that is, from the perspective of Jesus Christ. Sometimes sin is defined chronologically (in other words, because the Old Testament was written first, it has priority in defining sin and other doctrines). However, it is Christ's standpoint that matters to the Christian.

Second, since sin is against all that God is, we cannot expect God to be indifferent or apathetic towards it. Because sin is so opposed to God's love and goodness, it alienates our minds and hearts from God9,2), which is the origin of our existence. Without Christ's sacrifice of reconciliation (Colossians 1,19-21), we would have no hope of anything but death (Romans 6,23). God wants people to have loving fellowship and joy with him and with one another. Sin destroys that loving fellowship and joy. That is why God hates sin and will destroy it. God's response to sin is anger (Ephesians 5,6). God's wrath is his positive and energetic determination to destroy sin and its consequences. Not because he is bitter and vengeful like us humans, but because he loves people so much that he will not wait and watch them destroy themselves and others through sin.

Third, God alone can judge us in this matter, and only He can forgive sin, because sin alone is against God. “But with you, O Lord our God, is mercy and forgiveness. For we have become apostates" (Daniel 9,9). "For with the Lord is grace and much redemption" (Psalm 130,7). Those who accept God's merciful judgment and forgiveness of their sins "are not destined to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (2. Thessalonians 5,9). 

The responsibility for sin

Although it is customary to blame Satan for bringing sin into the world, mankind is responsible for its own sin. "Therefore, as through one man sin came into the world, and death through sin, so death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5,12).

Although Satan tried them, Adam and Eve made the decision - the responsibility was theirs. In Psalm 51,1-4 David refers to the fact that he was susceptible to sin because he was born human. He also acknowledges his own sins and injustices.

We all suffer from the collective consequences of the sins of those who lived before us to the extent to which our world and our environment were shaped by them. However, that does not mean that we have inherited our sin from them and that they are somehow responsible for it.

In the time of the prophet Ezekiel, there was a discussion about blaming personal sin on "the sins of the fathers." Read Ezekiel 18, paying special attention to the conclusion in verse 20: "For he that sins shall die." In other words, everyone is responsible for his or her own sins.

Because we have personal responsibility for our own sins and spiritual condition, repentance is always personal. We have all sinned (Romans 3,23; 1. John 1,8) and Scripture exhorts each of us personally to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1,15; Acts of the Apostles 2,38).

Paul goes to great lengths to point out that just as sin came into the world through a man, so salvation is only available through a man, Jesus Christ. "...For if by the sin of the one many died, how much more was the grace of God abounding to the many through the grace of the one man Jesus Christ" (Romans 5,15, see also verses 17-19). The passing of sin is ours, but the grace of salvation is Christ.

The study of words used to describe sin

A variety of Hebrew and Greek words are used to describe sin, and each term adds a complementary component to the definition of sin. A deeper study of these words is available through lexicons, commentaries, and Bible study guides. Most words used include an attitude of the heart and mind.

Of the most commonly used Hebrew terms, the idea of ​​sin as missing the goal results (1. Moses 20,9; 2. Moses 32,21; 2. Kings 17,21; Psalm 40,5 etc.); Sin has to do with a break in the relationship, hence rebellion (transgression, rebellion as in 1. Samuel 24,11; Isaiah 1,28; 42,24 etc. described); twisting something crooked, hence the conscious perversion of a thing away from its intended purpose (evil deeds as in 2. Samuel 24,17; Daniel 9,5; psalm 106,6 etc.); of fault and therefore guilt (outrage in Psalm 38,4; Isaiah 1,4; Jeremiah 2,22); of wandering off and deviating from a path (see To err in Job 6,24; Isaiah 28,7 etc.); Sin has to do with inflicting harm on others (evil and abuse in Deuteronomy 56,6; Proverbs 24,1. etc.)

The Greek words used in the New Testament are terms related to missing the mark (John 8,46; 1. Corinthians 15,56; Hebrews 3,13; James 1,5; 1. John 1,7 etc.); with error or fault (transgressions in Ephesians 2,1; Colossians 2,13 etc.); with crossing a boundary line (transgressions in Romans 4,15; Hebrews 2,2 etc); with actions against God (ungodly being in Romans 1,18; titus 2,12; Jude 15 etc.); and with lawlessness (injustice and transgression in Matthew 7,23; 24,12; 2. Corinthians 6,14; 1. John 3,4 etc.).

The New Testament adds further dimensions. Sin is the failure to seize an opportunity to practice divine conduct towards others (James 4,17). Furthermore, "that which is not of faith is sin" (Romans 1 Cor4,23)

Sin from the perspective of Jesus

A study of the word helps, but it alone does not bring us to a complete understanding of sin. As mentioned earlier, we need to look at sin from a Christological point of view, that is, from the perspective of God's Son. Jesus is the true image of the Father's heart (Hebrews 1,3) and the Father tells us: "Hear him!" (Matthew 17,5).

In the 3 and 4 studies it was explained that Jesus is incarnate God and that his words are words of life. What he has to say not only reflects the mind of the Father, but also brings with it the moral and ethical authority of God.

Sin is not just an act against God - it is more. Jesus explained that sin arises from the sin-laden human heart and mind. "For from within, out of the heart of men, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come out from within and make a person unclean" (Mark 7,21-23).

We make a mistake when we look for a specific, fixed list of do's and don'ts. It is not so much the individual act, but rather the underlying attitude of the heart that God wants us to understand. Even so, the above passage from the Gospel of Mark is one of many where Jesus or his apostles list or compare sinful practices and the expression of faith. We find such scriptures in Matthew 5-7; Matthew 25,31-46; 1. Corinthians 13,4-8; Galatians 5,19-26; Colossians 3 etc. Jesus describes sin as dependent behavior and mentions: “Whoever commits sin is a slave to sin” (John 10,34).

Sin crosses lines of divine conduct toward other human beings. It consists in acting as if we were not responsible to any higher power than ourselves. Sin for the Christian is not allowing Jesus to love others through us, not honoring what James calls "pure and undefiled worship" (James 1,27) and “the royal law according to the Scriptures” (James 2,8) is called. Jesus taught that those who love him will obey his words4,15; Matthew 7,24) and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

The theme of our inherent sinfulness runs through all of Scripture (see also 1. Mose 6,5; 8,21; preacher 9,3; Jeremiah 17,9; Romans 1,21 etc.). Therefore, God commands us: "Throw away from you all the trespasses that you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit" (Ezekiel 18,31).

By sending his Son into our hearts, we receive a new heart and spirit, confessing that we belong to God (Galatians 4,6; Romans 7,6). Since we belong to God, we should no longer be "slaves to sin" (Romans 6,6), no longer “be foolish, disobedient, going astray, serving desires and lusts, living in malice and envy, hating us and hating one another” (Titus 3,3).

The context of the first recorded sin in 1. The Book of Moses can help us. Adam and Eve were in fellowship with the Father, and sin occurred when they broke that relationship by listening to another voice (read 1. Moses 2-3).

The goal that sin misses is the prize of our heavenly calling in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3,14), and that through adoption into the fellowship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we may be called children of God (1. John 3,1). If we move out of this communion with the Godhead, we miss the mark.

Jesus dwells in our hearts so that we "may be filled with all the fullness of God" (see Ephesians 3,17-19), and breaking this fulfilling relationship is sin. When we commit sin, we rebel against all that God is. It ruptures the sacred relationship that Jesus intended with us before the foundation of the world. It is a refusal to let the Holy Spirit work within us to do the Father's will. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance (Luke 5,32), meaning that they return to a relationship with God and His will for humanity.

Sin is taking something miraculous that God designed in His holiness and perverting it for selfish desires against others. It means diverting from God's intended purpose for humanity to include every one of them in their lives.

Sin also means not putting our faith in Jesus as the guide and authority of our spiritual life. Sin that is spiritual is not defined by human logic or assumptions, but by God. If we wanted a brief definition, we could say that sin is the state of life without communion with Christ.

Conclusion

Christians must avoid sin because sin is a break in our relationship with God, which removes us from the harmony of communion with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

by James Henderson