22/07/2023
QUESTION: What is sin?
ANSWER: Well, my dear friend, we live in a world today where many (non-Christians) seem to believe that there is no such thing as “sin”. However, sin is real, and what’s more, it is the root cause of all the suffering, disease, war, and especially death that has existed since Adam, and which is so plain to see in our world today. It is, if you will, a “disease” that is common to all mankind, and for which there is no human cure; and sin always results in death. The one and only remedy for the sin problem of mankind which separates all of us from God is found in the finished work of Christ Jesus on Calvary’s cross, and that only by faith in Him (John 3:14-16; Acts 4:12; 1 John 4:10).
For a formal definition of the word “sin,” I’ll cite a portion of the definition offered in the Morrish Bible Dictionary: “There are many different words both in the O.T. and N.T. signifying 'sin,' 'iniquity,' 'wickedness,' etc., with various shades of meaning. It is important to notice the scripture definition of sin. It is 'lawlessness.' 1 John 3: 4. Hence the distinction made between 'sin' and 'transgression,' the latter being the infraction of a known command. From Adam to Moses man "had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression," yet men had sinned and died. (Rom. 5:14.) A positive law was given to Adam, which he disobeyed; but from Adam to Moses no definite law was proclaimed, consequently there was no transgression, yet there was sin in the sense of lawlessness, and such sin as called for the deluge. The same distinction is plainly involved in Rom. 4: 15, "Where no law is, there is no transgression," yet there may be sin, and it is averred that "as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law." (Rom. 2:12.) Further, ἄνομος, from the same root, is translated 'without law' in 1 Cor. 9: 21; 'unlawful' in 2 Peter 2: 8; and 'lawless' in 1 Tim. 1: 9. These passages clearly indicate that the meaning of 1 John 3: 4 is "Every one that practices sin, practices also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness: " that is, doing one's own will, regardless of all restraint of God and man….”
Now, at this juncture, I want to draw a definite distinction between “sin” and “sins”. “Sin” is, as I have said, the root cause of death and suffering in the world today, and it is the over-arching reason that man continues to commit “sins”, any one of which brings upon him the judgment under God’s law (Romans 6:23; James 2:10). “Sins” are the individual acts of disobedience that each of us commit, this being due to “sin”. Now, sin entered the world through the disobedience of the first man, Adam (Romans 5:12; Genesis 3:1-7); and thus, sin entered the world, with death and sorrow as the result; and mankind and all creation were thus brought under a curse (Genesis 3:16-19; Romans 2:12). Because of sin, every man since Adam is a sinner, and all are guilty before God, the wages of sin being death (Romans 6:23). Furthermore, sin is the “fallen nature" in us, as we see in Romans 7:17-18, "Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing…”. Now, we read in 1 Timothy 1:15 that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and this is salvation from the penalty of death imposed on each of us because we all have sinned (Romans 3:10-23). And the condemnation which is upon each of us is not ended with our physical death, but after this, in the end of time, is judgment and spiritual death for all unrepentant sinners (Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:12-15). So, we are delivered from this judgment by, and only by, faith in Christ Jesus who died to redeem us (John 5:24; Romans 5:9-18). Now, you might ask, “Did Christ Jesus die so that sin might be forgiven?” The answer is “no”, sin is not forgiven, but only our sins are forgiven through faith in Christ’s finished work. The power of sin, which is death, was broken or abolished through Christ Jesus when He died on the cross in order to purchase our pardon (Hebrews 9:26; 2 Timothy 1:10; Romans 8:1-3).
And now, my dear friend, have you been saved from the wrath of God which is due to your sins, this wrath being demonstrated in the judgment that is to come? You certainly can be, but only through faith in Christ Jesus (John 1:12; John 3:16; Romans 10:9). I pray that indeed you are saved, and may it be so for all who may read this response. (SF)
