Introduction
This question
is of vital importance because of the fearful judgment
against those who commit sin. "The soul that sinneth, it
shall die," thunders the Old Testament (Ezekiel 18:20).
In like tones, the New Testament declares: "The wages of
sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The one who lives in sin
throughout his earthly life and faces God without having
obtained divine forgiveness will be sentenced to eternal
perdition.
Sin sprang
full-grown among men. Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying
God. The first boy born on this earth grew to manhood
and murdered the second-his own brother! And sin has
existed in every generation since.
In our time,
however, there is one difference: many no longer know
what sin actually is. Things evil are sometimes
designated as good; things good, as evil. Isaiah
condemned such a practice, declaring, "Woe unto them
that call evil good, and good evil" (Isaiah
5:20).
Since this
confusion exists, and since a person will not seek
forgiveness for sin until he knows what sin is, a
clear-cut definition, both negative and positive, is
urgently needed.
Sin Is Not
Necessarily Crime
Some equate sin
with crime, feeling that to commit sin one must be a
murderer, robber, rapist, or the like. Once, an
evangelist passing out revival circulars was told that
he should go to the local jail and try to convert a
woman who had recently murdered her father. Certainly
this woman needed forgiveness, but no more so than other
sinners who had not committed a crime.
A crime is a
sin, but not every sin is a crime. Crimes are committed
against people; sin is committed against God. As an
example, David wronged Bathsheba, and committed the
crime of murder against Uriah her husband, but he
affirmed, "Against thee [God], thee only, have I sinned"
(Psalm 51:4).
Sin Is Not Unbelief
Alone
Near the end of
His ministry, Jesus told His disciples that the Holy
host would "reprove the world of sin . . . because they
believe not on me" (John 16:8?9). Misinterpreting His
meaning, some have concluded that sin is nothing more
than unbelief. But Jesus meant that unbelief would form
the basis of sin. People sin because they do not believe
on Jesus Christ. Unbelief is sin, but it leads to
further sin.
"Sin Is
the Transgression of the Law"
This definition
is given in I John 3:4. By law, the apostle meant the
Word of God, which originally was the Old Testament but
which now includes the New Testament as well. Sin, then,
is the transgression (breaking) of a commandment found
in the Bible.
Sins of
Comission. Someone is guilty of such a sin when he
does something that the Word of God forbids.
Sins of
Ommission. He who fails to do what he knows God has
commanded is guilty of a sin of omission. "To him that
guilty to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin"
(James 4:17).
"All Unrighteousness Is Sin"
I John 5:17
declares this truth. A person is unrighteous when he
does what is wrong. According to this verse, then, when
someone does wrong, he commits sin.
We should note
that all unrighteousness is sin. Men are prone to
classify sin as little or great, black or gray, mortal
or venial. But to God, all sin is offensive and
objectionable. As an example of the difference between
man's and God's judgment of sin, man classifies the sin
of lying as one of the lesser evils, but God places "all
liars" in the same category as the abominable,
murderers, whoremong ers, sorcerers, and idolaters
(Revelation 21:8). Moreover, He pronounces the same
judgment upon all of these sinners?eter nal perdition in
the lake of fire and brimstone.
What then is
sin? Simply put, sin is doing what God forbids or
failing to do what He commands.
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