28/08/2025
HAMARTIOLOGY
DEFINITION
Harmartiology comes from the Greek word hamartos meaning sin. Harmartiology, in Christian theology, is the study of sin from a biblical perspective. The study includes biblical definitions of sin, the origin of sin, how sin was introduced into the world, man and the basic sin nature, the solution to the sin problem, the judgment and punishment of sin, and the removal of sin at the end of time
THE DEFINITION OF SIN
Sin is defined as "missing the mark" of God's righteousness through transgression of His laws or rebellion against His rule. It is like shooting a weapon and missing the target. It is falling short of what you should be and of God's perfect plan for your life. The Bible clearly states that all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). There is no one righteous (Romans 3:10. NIV).
The Bible uses several different words for sin:
Wickedness.
Wickedness means to have an evil mind-set to do mischief. It is a mental disregard for
righteousness, justice, truth, and virtue.
Transgression.
Transgression means breaking the law.
(Galatians 3:19)
Unrighteousness.
This word means injustice, wrong, iniquity, falsehood, and deceitfulness: (1 John 5:17)
Ungodliness.
Ungodliness means dishonesty, wickedness, and total disregard of God. It is knowing there is a God, yet totally ignoring Him and His laws:
(Romans 1:18)
Iniquity.
Iniquity means to be lawless, either without the law or violating the law. (Matthew 7:23)
Disobedience.
Disobedience is the opposite of obedience. It means to ignore God and His law:8 (Romans 5:19)
Trespass.
Trespass means to leave the right path and cross the boundary from right into wrong. (Ephesians 2:1)
THE ORIGIN OF SIN
Evil existed before man was created. Sin was originated by Lucifer, also known as Satan. The
Bible records that Lucifer was a special angel who was originally created perfect by God.
Lucifer sinned when he tried to stage a rebellion against God. Because of this sin, Lucifer was
cast out of Heaven to earth: (Isaiah 14:12-14)
(Ezekiel 28:14-16)
HOW SIN WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE WORLD
On earth, Lucifer (who became known as Satan) continued his rebellion against God. When God
created the first man and woman (Adam and Eve), Satan led them to sin against God. This rebellion is sometimes called "the fall of man", meaning that man fell from righteousness into sin.
Satan enters the scene on earth in Genesis chapter 3 appearing as a serpent, which is another name for him (Revelation 12:9). He actually appeared in the shape and form of a serpent or
snake. To fully understand the temptation, we must note God's initial instructions to man:
And the Lord God commanded the man saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat; But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it;
for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17)
The first step in Eve's fall into sin was being in the wrong place. In Genesis 3 we find her near
the forbidden tree. Proverbs states of the path of wickedness:
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. (Proverbs 4:15)
Second, Eve should never have entered into conversation with Satan whose first words questioned the instructions given by God:
And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1)
Questioning the truth of the Word of God is often how Satan starts the temptation process. In answering Satan, Eve misquoted God's Word. She added to God's instructions as well, and minimized the penalty for sin:
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Genesis 3:3)
Compare this verse with Genesis 2:16-17. God did not say "neither shall ye touch it." This is
added by Eve. Right from the beginning, man started adding his ideas, instructions, and legalism to the Word of God. God also said "thou shalt surely die." This was the penalty for eating of the tree. Eve changed this to "lest ye die," meaning "you might die."
Today, there is the same tendency to minimize the penalty for sin. People say, "Surely a righteous God could not send anyone to Hell!" Actually, God does not send anyone to Hell.
Man chooses to go there by his own sinful actions. The penalty for sin remains everlasting separation from the presence of God in Hell. People often do not identify sin for what it is.
Abortion is called a method of "birth control" instead of murder. Adulterous relationships are sometimes referred to as "affairs.
Satan contradicted God's Word: And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die; For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:4-5)
Satan wanted to alienate Eve from God. Satan claimed God knew she would receive great benefits from eating of this tree. She would be more knowledgeable and become like a god. In
essence he was saying, "God must not think much of you, Eve, to deny you this wonderful
opportunity." Eve should have answered, "I am already like God," because she was created in
God's image.
Genesis 3:6 describes the darkest moment in human history:
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (Genesis 3:6)
To summarize: Eve was in the wrong place. She put herself in a place where she was likely to be tempted. Then she listened to the enemy, Satan. Next she looked longingly upon that which God had forbidden. Then Eve proceeded to take and eat from the tree. She partook of that which
God had labeled SIN. The final result was that her sin affected Adam when she gave the fruit to him and he ate. When you sin, it usually affects those around you and when they sin, they enter the same destructive cycle of sin.
RESULTS OF SIN
Immediate Results Of The Fall Into Sin:
-Knowledge of good and evil: Immediately after the fall, Adam and Eve were no longer in a state of innocence. They recognized the difference between good and evil and realized they were naked and sinful (Genesis 3:7).
-Self-righteousness: Adam and Eve tried to make clothing from fig leaves which is a type (an outward example) of what man tries to do spiritually. Realizing we are sinners, we think selfimprovement will correct our sin (Genesis 3:7), but our self-righteousness is as inadequate as the fig leaves were to cover Adam and Eve: "But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
-Fear and shame: When God came to walk and talk with Adam and Eve, they hid themselves in
shame and fear (Genesis 3:10). Shame and fear are basic emotions from which all other negative emotional responses evolve.
-Separation from God: God did not remove Himself from man's presence, rather, it was man that removed himself from God. Adam and Eve tried to hide from God.
MAN AND THE BASIC SIN NATURE
Originally, man was created in the image of God. He was innocent and righteous. As the first human, he lived in a perfect environment so therefore his sin did not result from his environment or because of his ancestors--factors which are often erroneously blamed for sin.
Because of the sin of Adam and Eve, however, sin and death were passed on to all men: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. (Romans 5:12)
Everyone born inherits the basic nature of sin. His conscience (1 Timothy 4:2); his will (Romans 1:28); his heart (Ephesians 4:18); his intellect (2 Corinthians 4:4; Romans 1:28); and his total being have all been corrupted (Romans 1:18-3:29).
Just as physical traits are inherited, the spiritual trait of sin are also inherited by all people
All have sinned, but God has provided a way to escape the penalties of sin. Through repentance from dead works and accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior you can be "saved" from the penalties of sin. (we will study the doctrine of Soteriology in later editions of Thursdays.)
THE SOLUTION TO THE SIN= PROBLEM
Acts 4:12 confirms, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" The solution to the problem of sin is repentance and redemption through Christ (Romans 5:12-21; Romans 7:21-25; Colossians 2:13-15).
THE JUDGMENT AND PUNISHMENT OF SIN
All people deserve judgment for sin, yet Christ saves those who trust in Him for eternal life and forgiveness of sins (John 3:16). Believers who sin may be judged by the Lord for corrective purposes, yet they do not lose their salvation each time they sin (Romans 8:37-39; Ephesians 2:8-9). Those who do not trust in Christ receive eternal punishment as their judgment (Matthew 25:46).
There are penalties connected
with the believer's unconfessed sin, however. These include:
-Losing his joy and peace: Galatians 5:22.
-Becoming a spiritual hindrance to others: 1 John 2:10.
-Hindering their prayers: 1 John 3:19-22.
-Grieving the Holy Spirit: Ephesians 4:30.
-Feelings of shame at the Lord's return: 1 John 2:28.
-Losing fellowship with God and other believers: 1 John 1:6.
-Discipline from God for persistent sin: Hebrews 12:6.
-Church discipline for certain sins: 1 Corinthians 5:4-5.
-Physical death as a result of certain sins: 1 Corinthians 11:30.
The remedy for the believer's sin is to confess and forsake it (1 John 1:8-9).
THE END OF SIN
Sin will continue to exist until the end of time as we know it, at which time judgment will occur and the curse of sin will be removed as God's children experience eternal joy in the presence of the Lord (Revelation 21).
