What Is Sin?

boxman144 said:

I've heard that sin is the works of the flesh, or whatever is not based around God specifically is sin, yadda yadda yadda. But what do YOU think sin is? How do you view sin?
How does Scripture back up your views?
God bless, boxman144

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

1 John 5
All wrongdoing is sin

James 1:14
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

James 2:8
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

Romans 15
Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Galatians 5:14
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Proverbs 3:29
Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.

Matthew 7:12
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

In any discussion of moral standards I think that it might be helpful to discuss the difference between sin and evil. But before attempting that, let us examine a similar situation in the secular realm. Governments at every level pass legislation that prohibits certain actions. We use the word 'crime' to refer to the deliberate breaking of such a law. However, is the commission of a crime the same thing as committing an evil act? Here we come up against just how we might define evil. For the purposes of this discussion let me give a very simple definition:

Evil --- any deliberate action or inaction which compromises the physical or psychological integrity of a human being.

This, of course, is a narrow definition and we could likely spend a very long time extending it and refining it. Let us leave that at least for the moment. The point that I am sneaking up on here is that 'what is evil is not necessarily a crime' and conversely 'what is a crime is not necessarily evil'. To me this is obvious but let me just attempt an illustration of each statement.

First, 'what is evil is not necessarily a crime'. By my definition above, the killing of another human being is to be regarded as an evil act. However, the law does not regard this as a crime if it is done in self defence or in war.

Second, 'what is a crime is not necessarily evil'. In Singapore, for example, it is a crime to chew gum. I think most would not quibble about this not being evil according to the above definition.

Can we make similar distinctions in the spiritual realm concerning sin and evil? I believe that we can. First, we need a working definition of sin. Let me suggest a very simple definition:

Sin --- doing that which is forbidden by a spiritual authority.

Once again, we could debate this definition. Perhaps the most controversial aspect of this definition might involve whether or not a spiritual authority, such as a church or a scripture, can actually express the will of a Deity. Setting that aside, we once again are faced with two problems. The point being that 'what is evil is not necessarily a sin' and conversely 'what is a sin is not necessarily evil'.

First, 'what is evil is not necessarily a sin'. I think that most would agree that to torture someone is an evil. However, if we just look at Christian scripture, I do not see any specific prohibition that would make torture a sin. A similar argument could be applied to female genital mutilation (circumcision).

Second, 'what is a sin is not necessarily evil'. Here, we can get into a very much more controversial debates. It is certainly true that Christian scripture regards homosexual actions as sinful. However, within society at large and within a number of Christian churches in particular, homosexual behaviour is no longer regarded as an evil in and of itself. It is also certainly true that Jewish scripture regards the breaking of the dietary laws as sinful and even an abomination. However, within society at large and within a number of Jewish traditions in particular, the breaking of the dietary laws is no longer regarded as an evil in and of itself.

The distinctions made here between crime and evil and also between sin and evil lead us in a real quandry for society at large. The western world has become, and is increasingly becoming, extremely diverse in language, culture and religion. There is also no real way of reversing this. Since different religions cannot agree on what is sin, I do not think that we can rely on religion entirely to inform our moral and ethical behaviour. Since what is regarded as sin has so often in the past led us into framing our laws to determine what is criminal, I think we need a new approach to the problem. We need an approach that avoids the imposition of one set of religious beliefs on society at large --- an approach broadly constructed on a concensus of what is evil and therefore what is criminal. Leave what is regarded as sin to the consciences of those in particular religious traditions.

Sin is when one sows in his flesh and in the end, reaps destruction (Galatians 6:8)..

SkyWriting said:

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

1 John 5
All wrongdoing is sin

James 1:14
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

James 2:8
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

Romans 15
Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

Galatians 5:14
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Proverbs 3:29
Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.

Matthew 7:12
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

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Awesome! One more.
Romans 14:23. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

boxman144 said:

I've heard that sin is the works of the flesh, or whatever is not based around God specifically is sin, yadda yadda yadda.

But what do YOU think sin is? How do you view sin? How does Scripture back up your views?


God bless,

boxman144

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OP Question: What is sin?

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
(NOTE: Sin is the transgression of God's law)

We've all broken God's law & deserve it's sentence invoked in (Rom 6:23 A DEATH).

No one can say he is not a sinner until some means is provided (not to take away the law) but to remove the sin, which is the transgression of the law.

When we place our faith in a sinless Christ's payment. Found in his death (sins required wage PAID), burial (proof he died) & resurrection (Father' receipt, payment received & accepted)

Jesus our Great High Priest (Heb 4:14) takes away our sins, by imputing them (Rom 4:8 11, 22, 23, 24, Ja 2:23) onto himself & imputing His righteousness onto us. Once our sins have been removed, we become the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor 5:21)

Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of the law of God.

John 3:4 Whosoever commiteth sin transsgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Yes, I understand, sin includes doing what is wrong.

Also, I understand that sin has to do with what is wrong with a person's character; possibly this is included in what John says >

"All unrighteousness is sin" (in 1 John 5:17).

So . . . I consider > Jesus is righteous, and sin in my character is however I am not like Jesus, and however I do not love the way He wants.

boxman144 said:

I've heard that sin is the works of the flesh, or whatever is not based around God specifically is sin, yadda yadda yadda.

But what do YOU think sin is? How do you view sin? How does Scripture back up your views?


God bless,

boxman144

Click to expand...

1st John 3:4

King James Bible
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Romans 3:20
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 7:7
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

boxman144 said:

But what do YOU think sin is? How do you view sin? How does Scripture back up your views?

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I have understood sin means that one rejects God, or lives without God. Also, sin is the opposite of righteous. Righteous person is loyal (faithful) to God and unrighteous (sinner) is not. Reason why I think so are these:

He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever is born of God doesn't commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he can't sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn't do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn't love his brother.
1 John 3:7-10

"The righteous will live by faith."
Galatians 3:11

Sin is also what sinner does, similarly as righteousness is what righteous does.