What is Sin to a Person Who Never read the Bible?

[Rescued One]

I tried to tell my late Mother that Jesus died to save us from our sins. She said, "I don't sin." She had had a Bible, an old one with sepia toned pictures, for as long as I could remember. Her Bible had names and birthdates of grandparents in it. Towards the end of her life she she didn't know what had happened to her Bible.

 

[HTacianas]

I tried to tell my late Mother that Jesus died to save us from our sins. She said, "I don't sin." She had had a Bible, an old one with sepia toned pictures, for as long as I could remember. Her Bible had names and birthdates of grandparents in it. Towards the end of her life she she didn't know what had happened to her Bible.

Every person has a conscience that tells them right from wrong. Violating the conscience is to do wrong which is sin. As the write to the Romans put it:

Rom 2:14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,

Rom 2:15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

One of the problems that comes up everywhere is that usage, custom, and habit lead people and societies to stray from the law of sin. In time their conscience is hardened and sin becomes a part of life. One of the primary purposes of Christianity is to teach people the law and have them turn from sin. It was prophesied long ago:

Isaiah 2:3

He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Jesus said to his Apostles:

Mat 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; ...

The Apostles carried the law forth from Zion.

 

[Soyeong]

I tried to tell my late Mother that Jesus died to save us from our sins. She said, "I don't sin." She had had a Bible, an old one with sepia toned pictures, for as long as I could remember. Her Bible had names and birthdates of grandparents in it. Towards the end of her life she she didn't know what had happened to her Bible.

God is holy, righteous, good, justice, merciful, faithfulness, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, and so forth and sin is what is contrary to aspects of God's nature. God's law divides between what is in accordance with God's nature and what is contrary to it, which is why sin is defined as the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4).

 

[d taylor]

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With your mom it looks like the idea of sin was not an actual part of the human life. But telling your mom that Jesus is offering her God's free gift of Eternal life. May have been a contact point instead of telling her Jesus is saving her from her sins. Especially since she does not acknowledge/recognize sin in her life.

 

[DragonFox91]

To most unbelievers in today's culture sin is simply disobeying 'do unto others as you would do unto you.' The truth is it's a lot, lot, lot more than that.

 

[Rescued One]

Every person has a conscience that tells them right from wrong. Violating the conscience is to do wrong which is sin. As the write to the Romans put it:

Rom 2:14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,

Rom 2:15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

One of the problems that comes up everywhere is that usage, custom, and habit lead people and societies to stray from the law of sin. In time their conscience is hardened and sin becomes a part of life. One of the primary purposes of Christianity is to teach people the law and have them turn from sin. It was prophesied long ago:

Isaiah 2:3

He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Jesus said to his Apostles:

Mat 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; ...

The Apostles carried the law forth from Zion.

I grew up in America. The Bible wasn't taught in schools. Where could people learn it? /

 

[Rescued One]

Every person has a conscience that tells them right from wrong. Violating the conscience is to do wrong which is sin. As the write to the Romans put it:

Rom 2:14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,

Rom 2:15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

One of the problems that comes up everywhere is that usage, custom, and habit lead people and societies to stray from the law of sin. In time their conscience is hardened and sin becomes a part of life. One of the primary purposes of Christianity is to teach people the law and have them turn from sin. It was prophesied long ago:

Isaiah 2:3

He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Jesus said to his Apostles:

Mat 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; ...

The Apostles carried the law forth from Zion.

My parents, and grandparents, etc. were only concerned with rules that they valued. My maternal grandmother was appalled that a pastor at a nursing home asked if her father was a Christian. She asked me (a non-Christian at that time) why the pastor would think her father was a Jew.

How does a law to yourself give you faith in Christ?

 

[Rescued One]

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​

With your mom it looks like the idea of sin was not an actual part of the human life. But telling your mom that Jesus is offering her God's free gift of Eternal life. May have been a contact point instead of telling her Jesus is saving her from her sins. Especially since she does not acknowledge/recognize sin in her life.

She is deceased.

 

[Rescued One]

Every person has a conscience that tells them right from wrong. Violating the conscience is to do wrong which is sin. As the write to the Romans put it:

Rom 2:14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,

Rom 2:15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

One of the problems that comes up everywhere is that usage, custom, and habit lead people and societies to stray from the law of sin. In time their conscience is hardened and sin becomes a part of life. One of the primary purposes of Christianity is to teach people the law and have them turn from sin. It was prophesied long ago:

Isaiah 2:3

He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Jesus said to his Apostles:

Mat 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; ...

The Apostles carried the law forth from Zion.

Do all people have a conscience: so we live in a wicked world and people actually know they are wicked or do they think that is only another person's opinion?

 

[YorkieGal]

I believe Jesus knows a person's heart. Just because we can read, comprehend, believe what we believe doesn't mean that we are better because we dissect, study and engage in Biblical discourse.

My dad loves Jesus. He tries his best. He dropped out of school in 8th grade, due to health conditions, and I believe Jesus knows about his soul more than I do.

 

[Estrid]

I tried to tell my late Mother that Jesus died to save us from our sins. She said, "I don't sin." She had had a Bible, an old one with sepia toned pictures, for as long as I could remember. Her Bible had names and birthdates of grandparents in it. Towards the end of her life she she didn't know what had happened to her Bible.

I've read the bible. "Sin" would mean nothing to
me if didnt know the Christian concept.

As an atheist I could quite freely say I am incapable of "sin'.

Is there more to your question?

 

[Estrid]

Do all people have a conscience: so we live in a wicked world and people actually know they are wicked or do they think that is only another person's opinion?

Everyone but a psychopath has a conscience.
Ideas of morality and ethics varies widely among those
with a conscience.

 

[Estrid]

To most unbelievers in today's culture sin is simply disobeying 'do unto others as you would do unto you.' The truth is it's a lot, lot, lot more than that.

How in good conscience do you come up with
that profoundly insulting "fact" and
feel free to state it publicly ?

 

[Rescued One]

Everyone but a psychopath has a conscience.
Ideas of morality and ethics varies widely among those
with a conscience

I agree. I wonder what my non-Christian parents regarded as sin, if anything. And some so-called Christians have terrible tempers and don't regard that as sin. It confuses me.

 

[Estrid]

I agree. I wonder what my non-Christian parents regarded as sin, if anything. And some so-called Christians have terrible tempers and don't regard that as sin. It confuses me.

What is sin ?


To an atheist such as myself "sin" is nonexistent,
except as a belief. No god=no sin.

Ethics and morality are though very real.
And largely have objective bases.


Other societies have been far more successful than
Christians, as a whole, at maintaining high standards of
ethics and morality.


I / we find "sin" as a concept to be capricious and
arbitrary. As in, "it's bad coz I say it is", and,
" do as I say, don't follow my example".

Further, we see as from Chinese perspective that the
same basic concepts of morality are in our culture.
Minus of course the " sin" of not loving a god
we do not regard as real.


As for " so- called" Christians, all are said to fall short.
I see nothing confusing in that playing out.

 

[Estrid]

God is holy, righteous, good, justice, merciful, faithfulness, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, and so forth and sin is what is contrary to aspects of God's nature. God's law divides between what is in accordance with God's nature and what is contrary to it, which is why sin is defined as the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4).

Can you explain for me the " do as I say. Not as I do"
aspect of acting contrary to "God's nature"?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I tried to tell my late Mother that Jesus died to save us from our sins. She said, "I don't sin." She had had a Bible, an old one with sepia toned pictures, for as long as I could remember. Her Bible had names and birthdates of grandparents in it. Towards the end of her life she she didn't know what had happened to her Bible.

That experience sounds familiar. I also tried telling my late Father-In-Law that "Jesus died to save us from our sins." He gave me a response very similar to your late mother's. He had little understanding about the biblical concept of sin, sadly to say, and he struggled to apprehend it. "But I don't sin," he said.

Y'know, one might think I judged him for failing to recognize a problem we all have. But at the time, I actually empathized with him because, in trying to place myself into his shoes, I figured that I'd be very much the same way if I had had the whole concept of "sin" intercepted, deplatformed and deconstructed by the deep intrusion of Leninist Communism which he had been duly indoctrinated with.

 

[Soyeong]

Can you explain for me the " do as I say. Not as I do"
aspect of acting contrary to "God's nature"?

What God says and does is both in accordance with His nature. If what we say is not in accordance with what we do, then we are bearing false witness, which is contrary to God's nature.

 

[DragonFox91]

How in good conscience do you come up with
that profoundly insulting "fact" and
feel free to state it publicly ?

Greatest commandment to love God w/ all your heart, soul, & mind. Anything against that is rebellion to him & denying who he is & that is is sin. It is most important (the greatest commandment). Unbelievers are denying & rejecting God by definition, so by definition they are breaking that. Love your neighbor as yourself is only 2nd to that. Notice also it is love your neighbor as yourself. It is not do unto others as you would do unto you. That 'golden rule' by itself doesn't even really make sense b/c sometimes you do bad things to yourself & you like it sometimes.

 

[Estrid]

What God says and does is both in accordance with His nature. If what we say is not in accordance with what we do, then we are bearing false witness, which is contrary to God's nature.

Saying one thing then doing another is actually
called hypocrisy.

Anyway I was asking about the clear
and obvious difference between what God says
is how people should perform, and what he himself does.

I'm asking how to reconcile those