What is SIN?

[KeptByTheWord]

What is sin? Scripture please!

(Having a discussion with my neighbor, and this question came up.) Just thought I would post it here as well.

[Scott Pitta]

All unrighteousness is sin. Sometimes sin is called a trespass.

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

All unrighteousness is sin. Sometimes sin is called a trespass.

Yes, 1 John does indeed say that.

1 John 5:17-18 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not"

As a disciple of Christ, can you say that you do not sin? Because John is saying all through this book that if you sin, you are not born of God, but are of the devil.

So is this definition of sin a willful sin, sin of omission, sin of commission... what sin(s) constitutes us as being of the devil? Speeding? White lies... or more deliberate acts of sin?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

What is sin? Scripture please!

(Having a discussion with my neighbor, and this question came up.) Just thought I would post it here as well.

1John3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Esaias

1John3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

I look at it this way....

Sin is the transgression of the law.

And Jesus teaches us that the spirit and intent of the entire law hangs on two commandments:

Matthew 22:37-40
King James Version (KJV)
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Based on Christ's own words the entire law is summed up in two commandments, with the second being "like unto" the first:

1.) Love God with all your being.
2.) Show God you love Him by loving others as yourself.

That's basically it. Over and done. No dietary regulations, legalistic dress codes, special feast days, Sabbaths, funny hats, religious taxes - no religion.

Love. Love alone fulfills the entire moral law of God. Think about it....

1.) If you love God, you won't want any other God.
2.) If you love God, you won't bow to idols.
3.) If you love God, you won't speak irreverently of His name.
4.) If you love God, you will set aside time to worship every day (not just one in 7).
5.) If you love your neighbor, as a child, you'll start with loving your parents.
6.) If you love neighbor, you won't kill them or slander them.
7.) If you love neighbor, you won't take his wife; if you love your wife, you won't take a mistress.
8.) If you love your neighbor, you won't still from him.
9.) If you love your neighbor, you won't lie about him.
10) If you love your neighbor, you won't be jealous of what he has or his success.

Notice, simply loving God and your neighbor fulfills the entire moral Law of God in one fell swoop. This what Paul meant when Paul wrote the following:

Romans 13:8-10 (KJV)
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Notice, Paul specifically begins to bring up the Ten Commandments, but he cares not to even finish them. He simply states, "and if there be any other commandment", it is summed up by this saying, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." That's all inclusive! That leaves no exceptions. EVERY possible commandment of God is fulfilled if you simply.... LOVE your neighbor as yourself.

Paul reiterated this to the Galatians. Paul wrote:

Galatians 5:14
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Again, notice, how much of the Law is fulfilled (according to Paul) when we love our neighbour.... "all the law". Not one jot or tittle is left unfulfilled if you simply love others as yourself.

Many make a big deal out of the Ten Commandments. However, the Ten Commandments (the Law of God), as righteous as it is, is only a pathetic basement level of righteousness. It is really a joke that is easily fulfilled in your sleep if you think about it. But, LOVE demands infinitely more than the Ten Commandments. Love demands that you:

Feed the hungry
Clothe the naked
Visit the prisoner
Provide for the widow
Provide for the orphan
Provide for the stranger
Comfort the grieving
Free the oppressed
Encourage the discouraged
Heal the broken
Mend the broken hearted

.... and the list could go on and on.

Consider this. Let's say that you were running late for home after work and the wife was making dinner and expected you there.... and you saw a stranded motorist on the side of the darkened highway. If you chose to look the other way and drive right on by.... did you break any of the Ten Commandments? Nope. You're still a holy little legalist. However, the Law of Love demands that you love your neighbor.... even if he's a stranded motorist at the most inconvenient time. Love would demand that you stop to check on him to see if he has a phone, if someone is on the way, or if there's something you can help with. If you refuse the call of love (which is the very essence of the law, and fulfills the whole law).... you've sinned! If you pass that man by under the Law of Love you've failed to love another in need and you've sinned buddy. The Law of Love demands infinitely more than the Ten Commandments ever could. If you go to a family reunion and have bad attitude and bring everyone down.... is that loving? Nope. You've sinned. If the guy next to you in line is .47 cents short for his coffee and doughnut.... and you know you have two quarters to spare.... and you don't say a word.... you've failed to love. You've sinned.

Love is the highest ethic, the most expansive law, the greatest obligation.

Also, think about this....

God is love. That means that while God is spirit as it relates to His substance, He is love as it relates to His essence. He is, love itself. So.... when we are the most loving (forgiving, compassionate, patient, tolerant, accepting, welcoming, caring, giving, kind, etc.).... we are most like Him. Thus, it is when we are loving that we are the most.... holy.

A life of holiness is.... a Spirit filled life filled with.... love.

It's that simple.... but that infinite in its application.

Many argue that James teaches us that "faith without works is dead". But take a close look at what James really tells us....

James 2:14-18 (KJV)
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Wow. That almost makes me cry every time I read it. Notice James asks if faith can save a man, without works. However, also notice the kind of works James refers to.... clothing the naked & feeding the hungry. These are not "works of the law".... these are "works of love". I had to stop because I became overwhelmed right here. Faith without works of love and compassion is.... DEAD. If you're not caring for others.... if you're not loving your neighbor.... YOUR FAITH IS DEAD! It's no good. It's worthless religion. It's just religions banter, chatter, and biases. Without works of love and compassion towards others.... your works are meaningless.... no matter how long your hair or your sleeves are.

James whole point was stated briefly in verse 8 of the same chapter....

James 2:8 (KJV)
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Here the Law of Love/Law of Christ is referred to as the, "Royal Law". This is what James was trying to explain.

Folks, this is what it is all about. Loving others. We don't prove to God that we love Him by wearing tin foil hats, eating Jelly beans on Thursdays, only going to Church on Tuesdays, adoring ourselves in purple jump suits, celebrating the 12 days of Christmas backwards, only putting up Chanukah bushes, lighting the Menorah with an extra candle glued to the side (just in case the Jews forgot one), only wearing our shirts inside out, avoiding all comic book stores, only using bright red carriages for transportation, speaking the King James English when in the grocery store, teaching our kids to be discreet when they pick their noses, .... etc..... etc..

Nope. God doesn't give a flippin'-flop about any of those silly religious things we like to brag about. God cares about.... PEOPLE. Who did Jesus die for? PEOPLE. God cares about PEOPLE. God cares about how you treat other PEOPLE. God is a "PEOPLE God". PEOPLE are made in His image. These are PEOPLE He died for and wants a relationship with. When you love other PEOPLE.... you're showing God how much you love Him. You're demonstrating your love for Him. Do you see Jesus in others? Think about it.... God sees Jesus in you.... so you can see Jesus in others by faith and love them into the Kingdom. It's about PEOPLE. Loving other PEOPLE.

It's all about love. That's it. How silly we must seem to God (Love). How full of self and ego must we seem to be when we walk around beating each other up over all our silly lists of standards, with our chests all puffed out (and there's plenty of beating up going on because every list is different). Here we are throwing stones over our self-righteous, man-made, little lists of standards.... and God is simply wanting us to love one another.... and to take that love into a lost and dying world.

So.... back to the original post.

What is SIN?

Sin is the failure to love.

[KeptByTheWord]

According to 1 John sin is unrighteousness, and transgression of the law.

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

Apparently John is the only writer in scripture that actually says "sin is" and defines what sin is. Correct me if I'm wrong? There are a lot of scriptures about sin, but is 1 John is the only place where sin is actually defined as "sin is"?

Then John says:

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

... "he that committeth sin is of the devil..."

In light of that passage, how exactly do we define WHAT is sin?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

According to 1 John sin is unrighteousness, and transgression of the law.

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

Apparently John is the only writer in scripture that actually says "sin is" and defines what sin is. Correct me if I'm wrong? There are a lot of scriptures about sin, but is 1 John is the only place where sin is actually defined as "sin is"?

I believe that is correct.

Then John says:

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

... "he that committeth sin is of the devil..."

In light of that passage, how exactly do we define WHAT is sin?

Sin is transgression of the law. Therefore whatever is a transgression of the law of God is sin. Dishonouring your parents is sin. Stealing is sin. Adultery is sin. Why? Because those things are violations of the law of God (transgressions).

The word sin however is also used to describe not merely the action which is forbidden, but (in the case of idolatry) the object which is sinfully (ie unlawfully) worshipped, or the place where such unlarful worship occurs. For example:

Hos_10:8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.

Amo_8:14 They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.

But sin is defined Biblically as trangression of the law. The law defines and identifies sin:

Rom_7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Jesus, of course, in the Sermon on the Mount, explained the spiritual application, and extent, of the law to not merely the outward physical action but to the intent of the heart as well, as when he identified unlawful lust as a form of adultery.

Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

As for 'the devil', the word devil means 'accuser'. It is a term that is taken from the concept of satan being one who accuses the people of God of their sins (see Job, etc). So the 'devil' is generally a NT term for 'satan', which is a Hebrew word for 'adversary' or 'enemy'. So then the 'devil' is the Adversary, that is, one who is opposed to God, his dominion (law), his grace, his divine Plan, etc. The devil 'sins from the beginning', that is, the enemy of God is in transgression, and is from the beginning. One who sins, ie one who transgresses God's law, is 'of the devil', much as Christ said to the Pharisees 'You are of your father the devil'. Being a 'child of' someone is a Hebrew figure of speech (a Hebraism) meaning one is partaking of the characteristic of someone, as if they were biologically descended from that someone. So the sinner is one who follows in the devil's footsteps, and bears the likeness of the devil - the enemy or opposer of God.

Thus, sin is the opposing of God and His ways, which are revealed in the law as explained and understood by the gospel.

[Godsdrummer]

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

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Godsdrummer

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

Yes, BUT...

What defines 'good'?

And thus we come back to the law of God, which is in effect the knowledge of what is good and what is evil, is it not?

Since by the law is the knowledge of sin, it follows that the law reveals what is good and what is bad. Good is the obedience to the commandment, and evil is disobedience (transgression) of the commandment.

And further, as a side note, this is why Adam and Eve were forbidden to 'eat the fruit' of the 'tree of the knowledge of good and evil' - that is, they were forbidden to eat the fruit of THE LAW, because the LAW SAYS "THERE IS NONE THAT DOETH RIGHTEOUSNESS, NO NOT ONE." And since we know that whatever the Law says, it says to those under the Law, it follows that all those under the Law (eating the fruit of it) are GUILTY BEFORE GOD, as well all those 'without the law', so that ALL THE WORLD MAY BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD.

And going even further, the Law was our SCHOOLMASTER TO BRING US TO CHRIST, because seeing that the Law declares ALL of us to be guilty before God, we see that God hath concluded ALL in unbelief, that He might have Mercy upon ALL.

Glory be to God.

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Godsdrummer

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

That's a large commandment, isn't it!

So, we know that we are not to speed, and yet I imagine we have all done that at some point... is that sin? How serious does God consider the sin of speeding (breaking the law of the land)?