Understanding Biblical Sin

For lack of a more sophisticated definition, sin is either doing what God does not want you to do or not doing what He wants you to do; therefore, there are sins of commission and there are sins of omission. The first sin committed by mankind was one of commission. It is found in the book of Genesis in the third chapter. Whether one interprets the first sin of mankind as Eve’s misrepresentation of God’s instructions to Adam regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (see Genesis 2:17 vs. Genesis 3:3) or Eve’s act of eating fruit from that tree, the sin was one of commission.

Two points should be noted regarding the introduction of sin by mankind into the world. First, it was in violation of God’s instructions or, if you please, His Law. Second, it was the result of an act of will, i.e., it was done on purpose.

The Apostle John defined sin in 1 John 3:4 by saying, “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” Another translation states it this way, “sin is the transgression of the law.” Now we know that God introduced His Law after He delivered the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt. The issuance of His Law is found in Exodus 19,20 and 34. Upon the top of Mount Sinai God Almighty delivered to Moses The Ten Commandments, which is the foundation of God’s Law, along with a host of other instructions. The Law is holy and just, but there has always been one problem associated with it. Although anyone may achieve righteousness by perfectly adhering to God’s Law, no one has been or will ever be able to do this. It is impossible for anyone to perfectly keep God’s Law.

The truth is that God never expected this. He certainly did not introduce His Law to mankind thinking that man would be able to keep it. God introduced His Law for the purpose of revealing to us our sin. The Apostle Paul declares in Romans 3:19 and 20, “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” Another translation puts it this way, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” We find in Hebrews 7:19, “for the law made nothing perfect. . . .” Basically, the Law was given to man to condemn man, i.e., reveal to man that it is an impossibility to achieve righteousness by the keeping of God’s Law.

The Law allows us to identify specific sins. The Ten Commandments tells us clearly that we are to believe in or recognize no god other than God Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that dwell therein. We are not to make or honor any idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth or in the waters below. We are not to misuse the name of God. We are to remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. We are to honor our father and mother. We are not to murder. We are not to commit adultery. We are not to steal. We are not to lie. We are not to covet. And there is much more contained within the Bible that we must or must not do.

But the bottom line is that the Law only reveals clearly to each of us that we are unable to keep it in its entirety or for any length of time. In truth it only serves to condemn us. It is a wonder why so many religions and sects insist on keeping the Law, or any set of laws for that matter, in order to achieve favor with God and eternal life. This ruse can only be the work of Satan. It isn’t the teaching of the Bible. The Apostle Paul made it clear that the Law only brings upon us a curse, but that we through faith in Jesus Christ, who became a curse for us, are redeemed from the curse of the Law. We find this in Galatians 3:10-14, “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

So we see that the Law only serves to point out our sin. Once we come to the understanding that we are sinners and fall short of God’s expectations, we then have taken the first step in being reconciled with God. For the non-Christian it is important that he/she understand that sin brings condemnation, which will eventually lead to God’s judgment, i.e., eternal separation from Him in the “lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15). Fortunately for every one of us the Bible clearly teaches that since Jesus Christ took our sins upon Himself, and in fact became our sin, while being sacrificed upon the cross, we may be reconciled to God and be granted eternal life if we repent (turn from any works-oriented method of salvation) and turn to Christ by faith, trusting only in Him and what He did for us to complete this transaction. This is an act of conscious will and once done sincerely, its consequence is eternal never to be undone.

But even after receiving one’s salvation, a person is still subject to sinning. When a Christian sins, he/she does not revert to being lost, i.e., without eternal life and again subject to God’s eternal wrath within the “lake of fire.” Eternal life once granted is in fact eternal.