What is SIN?

[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)?

[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?

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

All unrighteousness is sin. I can even say that in Greek.

Later today, I will look up a decent definition of sin.

The ducks are calling my name.

Happy hunting! Do you have snow there yet? We got our first large snowfall today, and it is beautiful!

I will look forward to your comments when you get back

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Monterrey

It just means the offense.

Whatever God dislikes is sin.

Do you sin?

1 John 3:9 "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin: for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin because he is born of God."

This is a serious question actually. If we really are born of God, and we speed on our way to church, is that sin? Or if we let someone think that we did something, and we didn't do it, and we don't correct their understanding (a white lie of sorts) is that sin?

How serious should we as disciples of Christ be when it comes to considering what sin might look like in our lives?

If we are truly born of God, as John says... then we should not be sinning.

So we need to know exactly what "sin" is.

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

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)?

Not trying to make excuses, but when this passage was first brought to my attention when in high school, the implication was made just the way you seem to think in your reply.

Not the passage does not say, he that knows to do right to him it is sin. It says "good". I feel this goes to the greatest commandment, love God and your neighbor as yourself.

It is my personal feeling that we make too many things out to be sin, based on an implication. Paul deals with this issue I believe very well in Romans 14. Take for instance driving over the speed limit. We know we all do it at times, just because law dictates a speed limit does not make it a sin just because your driving down the road and happen to cross above the posted speed limit. But driving deliberately unsafely would in fact be wrong and it could be argued to be sin. Because now you are putting yourself and other in danger, thus NOT loving your neighbor as yourself.

Again in my opinion, those things we should be more concerned with are those things that fall under the command to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Thus one would not commit adultery because that is against your neighbor, basically all the things Paul list as works of the flesh are counted as things that are against your neighbor.

Bottom line Jesus said when we fulfill "loving God and our neighbor as our self we fulfill the whole Law". Paul give a good balance of this in Romans 14, if we can grasp the elements of his teaching in this passage, we can lay to rest what is sin and what is not. Many things that are sin to one person are not to the next, and this is a principle we seem to forget.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

Thanks. I wanted to see if someone else had found anything different.




I thought it was interesting that sin is talked about all through the scriptures, but 1 John is the only place where sin is actually defined, and detailed. Jesus spoke about sin all the time, but He never defined it. I find that interesting.

Everyone understood that 'sin' meant transgression against God's law. It would be like if we talk about 'crime', would we need to always be saying 'now crime is the violation of the law'? We would have learned that as children.

Sin was in the world until Moses, but it was not imputed when there was no law. So... what happened to people before Moses who sinned?

Romans 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

What does Paul mean by the sin was not imputed when there is no law? It seems that he is implying here that there was no law from Adam until Moses.

He does not say there was no law. In fact he specifically says those before Moses 'sinned'. Thus, there HAD to be law before Moses. Not the law COVENANT, but the laws of God. Consider this about Abraham:

Gen_26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

Abraham knew and kept God's commandments, statutes, and laws.

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Godsdrummer

Not trying to make excuses, but when this passage was first brought to my attention when in high school, the implication was made just the way you seem to think in your reply.

Not the passage does not say, he that knows to do right to him it is sin. It says "good". I feel this goes to the greatest commandment, love God and your neighbor as yourself.

It is my personal feeling that we make too many things out to be sin, based on an implication. Paul deals with this issue I believe very well in Romans 14. Take for instance driving over the speed limit. We know we all do it at times, just because law dictates a speed limit does not make it a sin just because your driving down the road and happen to cross above the posted speed limit. But driving deliberately unsafely would in fact be wrong and it could be argued to be sin. Because now you are putting yourself and other in danger, thus NOT loving your neighbor as yourself.

Again in my opinion, those things we should be more concerned with are those things that fall under the command to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Thus one would not commit adultery because that is against your neighbor, basically all the things Paul list as works of the flesh are counted as things that are against your neighbor.

Bottom line Jesus said when we fulfill "loving God and our neighbor as our self we fulfill the whole Law". Paul give a good balance of this in Romans 14, if we can grasp the elements of his teaching in this passage, we can lay to rest what is sin and what is not. Many things that are sin to one person are not to the next, and this is a principle we seem to forget.

Very good... I was just trying to foster the discussion, and I see it as you do, although there are those who don't. Paul definitely taught that there can be a difference in what sin means from person to person, and one cannot make a universal law of sin based on a personal conviction.

I think where people get confused is labeling a personal conviction as "sin" in their lives, and then wanting to apply it to everyone else as a sin as well. This is where the "sin" thing can get complicated.

Just a silly example - if it is "sin" (or personal conviction) for me to wear red that is fine, but if I start preaching that everyone who wears the color red is sinning... then, that is where the waters get muddied. I'm sure we have all seen this happen, (I personally have known those who have preached against the color red, it being a sin to wear it, laying their personal conviction on their congregation and ).

We must be careful in what we label sin.... is it a universal sin that if all commit it have sinned, or is it a personal conviction that we have labeled sin in our own lives but may not be sin in another's life.

[Godsdrummer]

As has become my practice in the last 5 years, I looked up a passage in the NT and OT with the word "sin" to check the definition. Now I don't know I others will see this from my perspective, many don't. But the word sin in Greek means offense.
In Hebrew there are at least three words translated sin, that I have found on a quick look. They mean, to miss, guiltiness, and offense.
The thing is I think we make more of the word sin based on our way of thinking.

[Godsdrummer]

This chapter was driven home to me a few years ago while I did a in depth study on the chapter. During my first position as an ass. pastor, the pastor brought my attention to the last verse.

Rom 14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
He was very conservative at the time, but also a deep thinker. I don't know if he has followed much the same path as I have, but I imagine he must have to some degree.

What many dislike is Paul's opening statement "the weak brother or sister needs more rules to keep themselves right with God".

Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

Note the one that is weak is the one that is likely to be judgmental. Yet the one that is strong in faith, is more likely to despise the weak Christian. And do we not see this in churches today?

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Godsdrummer

This chapter was driven home to me a few years ago while I did a in depth study on the chapter. During my first position as an ass. pastor, the pastor brought my attention to the last verse.

I think you better find the correct abbreviation for assistant.