How do you define sin?

[Beanieboy]

Sin is often talked about in Christianity, but I wonder if we understand what sin is differently.

My understanding of sin is doing something that is selfish, which in turn, brings harm to another.

For example, a married man sees a woman he is attracted to and acts on it. He will need to lie to his wife, breaking their trust, and feeling betrayed. She will feel angry, jealous and mistrustful of her husband sleeping with another, and hurt. When the husband made this choice, he acted selfishly, rather than loving his wife.

Lying breeds mistrust. Killing breeds fear, need for revenge, etc.
All laws are there for logical reasons.

One cannot text and drive just "because it's a rule," but to prevent accidents, injury and death.

And as Christ said, all laws are fulfilled when loving your neighbor as yourself.

Do others understand sin differently?

 

[Aussie Pete]

Sin is often talked about in Christianity, but I wonder if we understand what sin is differently.

My understanding of sin is doing something that is selfish, which in turn, brings harm to another.

For example, a married man sees a woman he is attracted to and acts on it. He will need to lie to his wife, breaking their trust, and feeling betrayed. She will feel angry, jealous and mistrustful of her husband sleeping with another, and hurt. When the husband made this choice, he acted selfishly, rather than loving his wife.

Lying breeds mistrust. Killing breeds fear, need for revenge, etc.
All laws are there for logical reasons.

One cannot text and drive just "because it's a rule," but to prevent accidents, injury and death.

And as Christ said, all laws are fulfilled when loving your neighbor as yourself.

Do others understand sin differently?

The Bible defines sin. Whatever is not of faith. It is also disobedience to God. That's a tough one in this age of rebellion. It is also not doing what you know that you should do, another aspect of disobedience.

It's more than selfishness. It is the very nature of fallen man. Man sins automatically and without conscious effort.

 

[Ahermit]

Believing in what we know is not true.

 

[redleghunter]

1 John 3: NASB

4Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

 

[GaveMeJoy]

The Bible defines sin. Whatever is not of faith. It is also disobedience to God. That's a tough one in this age of rebellion. It is also not doing what you know that you should do, another aspect of disobedience.

It's more than selfishness. It is the very nature of fallen man. Man sins automatically and without conscious effort.

This

 

[Original Happy Camper]

and the Bible says

1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

 

[com7fy8]

When the husband made this choice, he acted selfishly, rather than loving his wife.

Yes, betrayal is a work of hatred, not of love.

But I can fail to love, if I just start to react the wrong way to a woman. I need how God changes my character so I first am loving each and every woman. Only God can change my character to be like Jesus.

I have seen how when I just give in to looking the wrong way or imagining, already I am being degraded from how I can be and relate in love.

She will feel angry, jealous and mistrustful of her husband sleeping with another, and hurt.

And this can be her way of giving in to her weakness, while he has had his way of giving in to his.

Unforgiveness is cheating on our Groom Jesus.

Arguing and complaining can help to maintain us in weakness so then we can give in to worse and worse anti-love stuff. So, if a husband and wife are abusing each other with arguing, they can break down into cheating and unforgiveness.

There are sins of maintenance, I would say . . . things we go along with, but they are not obviously hurtful or harmful, but they help to feed our attention to be away from God and how He would have us loving. Every moment, we need to be attentive to God, so we are not elsewhere.

 

[SkyWriting]

Sin is often talked about in Christianity, but I wonder if we understand what sin is differently. My understanding of sin is doing something that is selfish, which in turn, brings harm to another.

Unless you are walking in Paradise with God as your trusty companion walking beside you, then I'm afraid you were born into a Sin condition.

Psalm 51:5
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

In Paradise God would be with you every step of the way, no matter where you went or what you did. And this communion would last to infinity. Any deviation from that vision is your sin condition you were born into. God gave us a simple definition:

James 4:17
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it,
for him it is sin.​

Only you are qualified to see your own sin, or deviations from God's plans for you.
You cannot see sin in others.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

 

[HTacianas]

Sin is often talked about in Christianity, but I wonder if we understand what sin is differently.

My understanding of sin is doing something that is selfish, which in turn, brings harm to another.

For example, a married man sees a woman he is attracted to and acts on it. He will need to lie to his wife, breaking their trust, and feeling betrayed. She will feel angry, jealous and mistrustful of her husband sleeping with another, and hurt. When the husband made this choice, he acted selfishly, rather than loving his wife.

Lying breeds mistrust. Killing breeds fear, need for revenge, etc.
All laws are there for logical reasons.

One cannot text and drive just "because it's a rule," but to prevent accidents, injury and death.

And as Christ said, all laws are fulfilled when loving your neighbor as yourself.

Do others understand sin differently?

If we compare sin to American common law it becomes a bit more clear. When someone commits a crime it is easy to explain as an act against a victim. But that actually isn't the case. All crimes are acts against the State. No individual has the legal power to demand that a refrain from harming them. Only the State has that power. That's the reason criminal actions are styled The State vs. John Doe, or The People vs. John Doe, and not The Victim vs. John Doe.

Comparing that to sin, it is not that a person sins against another, but that the sinner has transgressed the command of God. The Psalmist said:

Psa 51:4 - Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—

Sin is not an act one commits against a victim. Sin is an act one commits alone.

 

[Charlie24]

I believe sin is exactly what James says it is. If you think about it, it's a very broad statement.

James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

 

[bling]

God defines it.

 

[Kris Jordan]

Sin is often talked about in Christianity, but I wonder if we understand what sin is differently.

My understanding of sin is doing something that is selfish, which in turn, brings harm to another.

For example, a married man sees a woman he is attracted to and acts on it. He will need to lie to his wife, breaking their trust, and feeling betrayed. She will feel angry, jealous and mistrustful of her husband sleeping with another, and hurt. When the husband made this choice, he acted selfishly, rather than loving his wife.

Lying breeds mistrust. Killing breeds fear, need for revenge, etc.
All laws are there for logical reasons.

One cannot text and drive just "because it's a rule," but to prevent accidents, injury and death.

And as Christ said, all laws are fulfilled when loving your neighbor as yourself.

Do others understand sin differently?

Hi Beanieboy,

Sin is anything short of holy perfection (in action, word, motive, thought, attitude, etc.). This is why the Bible says we all fall short of God's glory and need a Savior.

 

[Phil W]

Sin is often talked about in Christianity, but I wonder if we understand what sin is differently.

My understanding of sin is doing something that is selfish, which in turn, brings harm to another.

For example, a married man sees a woman he is attracted to and acts on it. He will need to lie to his wife, breaking their trust, and feeling betrayed. She will feel angry, jealous and mistrustful of her husband sleeping with another, and hurt. When the husband made this choice, he acted selfishly, rather than loving his wife.

Lying breeds mistrust. Killing breeds fear, need for revenge, etc.
All laws are there for logical reasons.

One cannot text and drive just "because it's a rule," but to prevent accidents, injury and death.

And as Christ said, all laws are fulfilled when loving your neighbor as yourself.

Do others understand sin differently?

My definition of sin is from 1 John 5:17..."All unrighteousness is sin:"

 

[Beanieboy]

and the Bible says

1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

But one could argue:

Deuteronomy 22:5 (NRSA) A woman shall not wear a man's apparel, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whoever does such things is abhorrent to the Lord your God.

So, women wearing pants (men's garment) are sinning.
And abhorrent is a strong word.

Yet, it's a law no one follows.

But I have been to a church that insisted it be followed by members

 

[Original Happy Camper]

But one could argue:

Deuteronomy 22:5 (NRSA) A woman shall not wear a man's apparel, nor shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whoever does such things is abhorrent to the Lord your God.

So, women wearing pants (men's garment) are sinning.
And abhorrent is a strong word.

Yet, it's a law no one follows.

But I have been to a church that insisted it be followed by members

Men and women wore the same kind of clothing, but it differed in detail. They both would wear an inner garment and a girdle and an outer garment, but the dress of the woman was more elaborate and ornamented. However, the women wore longer tunics and larger mantles than the men. Also the women would often wear a veil covering their face.

Did people in the bible days wear underwear? | Yahoo Answers


You bring up pants being worn by women today, I do believe that the location of the zipper distinguishes the difference

 

[Beanieboy]

The Bible defines sin. Whatever is not of faith. It is also disobedience to God. That's a tough one in this age of rebellion. It is also not doing what you know that you should do, another aspect of disobedience.

It's more than selfishness. It is the very nature of fallen man. Man sins automatically and without conscious effort.

Hi Beanieboy,

Sin is anything short of holy perfection (in action, word, motive, thought, attitude, etc.). This is why the Bible says we all fall short of God's glory and need a Savior.

I know that in following Christ, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, and in doing that, love God (1 John, 4:7-8, 20.)

I also understand that we are to strive to be perfect. However, I have doubts if God's expectation of us is to be perfect. By me realizing I am not perfect and have flaws, and fall short, I can forgive my neighbor for their imperfections. Being unable to be perfect makes us learn to forgive, to humble ourselves, admit a wrong doing and ask for forgiveness, not just of God, but the person you wronged. It challenges our human base nature to hold onto resentment, to not seek revenge, etc.

 

[Beanieboy]

Men and women wore the same kind of clothing, but it differed in detail. They both would wear an inner garment and a girdle and an outer garment, but the dress of the woman was more elaborate and ornamented. However, the women wore longer tunics and larger mantles than the men. Also the women would often wear a veil covering their face.

Did people in the bible days wear underwear? | Yahoo Answers


You bring up pants being worn by women today, I do believe that the location of the zipper distinguishes the difference

Fully agree, but this was a pentecostal church, insisting all women wear dresses. In fact, there was a painting of The Last Supper, and Jesus and his disciples had short hair - they doctored that painting.

To me, it seemed far less important than actively loving your neighbor, yet, the focus seemed to be on law and sin. One member gave testimony about seeing her friends again, but cried as she was disappointed that they were listening to worldly music, which the church said was sin. I can see how Van Halen's "Running with the Devil" might have that reaction, but not "worldly" music like Stevie Wonder singing "Isn't she Lovely?"

The church seemed to follow a long kist of rules.

 

[renniks]

The Bible defines sin. Whatever is not of faith. It is also disobedience to God. That's a tough one in this age of rebellion. It is also not doing what you know that you should do, another aspect of disobedience.

It's more than selfishness. It is the very nature of fallen man. Man sins automatically and without conscious effort.

But why? Because he is selfish, that's why. Pride is the root of pretty much all sin.

 

[Beanieboy]

The Bible defines sin. Whatever is not of faith. It is also disobedience to God. That's a tough one in this age of rebellion. It is also not doing what you know that you should do, another aspect of disobedience.

It's more than selfishness. It is the very nature of fallen man. Man sins automatically and without conscious effort.

Maybe I stated that incorrectly: Sin is not acting in love toward another.

But I have to disagree that we sin without conscious effort or automatically. It's not my nature to lie. I hate lying, I hate being lied to. I'm a terrible liar. However, on the day you call out at work and feign illness is something I might do, am conscious I'm doing it, know I shouldn't and hope not to be found out.

I can't think of any sin I do automatically.

We choose. We choose to speak demeaningly to a person when we get angry, for example, know it is wrong and do it anyway

 

[Beanieboy]

Believing in what we known is not true.

Which is the point of the OP. Often, the explanation is equivalent to: Because I'm your father and I say so. I doubt any law we are to follow is just some random command created by God, but in pkace to help guide us on how to live.

In the Gospel, the Pharisees accused Christ of not honoring the Sabbath when he healed someone. The accused a disciple of working when he simply brushed his hand against wheat as he walked through a field, for something to eat. Christ explained that one is to use common sense - don't wait until the following day to save a goat that fell down a well on the Sabbath.

But the law was made for man, not man for the law.