Sin Nature, Sins and Transgressions in the New Testament
www.bibleone.net


Preface

It is important to distinguish between transgressions, sins and the sin nature when studying the doctrine of sin in the New Testament. The sin nature is a predisposition to sin that resides in one’s nature, which a human inherits from one’s progenitor (earthly father), since a new-born child inherits its blood from the father and is kept separate from its mother’s blood. Sin is any thought, word or deed that falls short of God’s standard of holiness and perfection. Transgressions are violations of known law.

Often the Apostle Paul uses the word, “sin” to refer to the “sin nature.” The “nature (tendency) to sin,” resident in each person until physical death (or the Rapture, whichever comes first), has extended from person-to-person from the first man (Adam) and through the blood-line of every male affecting the entire human race. The only “man” who did not inherit the sin nature was the God-man, Jesus Christ. Because the sin nature is passed from human to human by means of the male in the act of sexual intercourse between man and woman, it was necessary that the Son of God be conceived by the Holy Spirit.

SIN NATURE

The sin nature is the core of man’s rebellion toward God. In the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible it is designated as “sin” (the singular noun) in Romans 7:4-23, as “flesh” in Galatians 5:13-21, and as the “old man” in Ephesians 4:22. In other translations, particularly in the New International Version (NIV), the term, “sin nature” or other similar designations are used.

The sin nature was generated in Adam at his fall in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17) and was subsequently transmitted genetically by males through procreation (Genesis 5:3; Romans 5:12). With the exception of Jesus Christ, who was conceived without the participation of a human male, the sin nature is an integral part of the cell structure of every human being. At the moment of birth, God imputes both “soul life” and Adam’s original sin (sin nature) to the new born; therefore, every person is born physically alive but spiritually dead.

The sin nature is in control of a person’s life prior to the person’s new (spiritual) birth, and with the cooperation of the person, it may also be in control even after the new birth (Romans 6:12; 7:5, 14-19)—although, this does not need to be the case. The sin nature is the source of a person’s temptation to sin, but the person’s volition is the source of sin. When a person chooses to succumb to the sin nature, he is in a state of carnality or sin. The lost person has no power to overcome the sin nature. But the saved person through the grace of God is given resident-power (Holy Spirit) to overcome the sin nature (Romans 8:5). He only needs to avail himself of it by (1) being sure to confess (accept responsibility for) any known sins in his life (1 John 1:9) and (2) accepting it by faith in the same manner that he accepted eternal salvation—by faith (Colossians 2:6).

The sin nature was condemned by Christ on the Cross of Calvary. He became our sin on the cross, as a substitution-sacrifice, and died in our place to pay the penalty required by a Holy God for our sin (both our sin nature and individual acts of sin). Once a person understands this fact and by his conscious act of will accepts by faith this sacrifice (Jesus on the cross) as full payment for his sins, the person is immediately born into eternal life. This is known as being “born again” (John 3:3-7). Upon physical death (or the Rapture) this person will permanently be free of the sin nature and will live eternally with God.

SINS

Sins (as acts) are any thoughts, words or deeds that fall short of God’s standard of holiness and perfection. The Greek language describes it as missing the mark, such as an arrow that falls short of the target. Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4), that is, rebellion of the creature against the will of God. It is not only doing what is wrong, but it is also failing to do what one knows to be right (James 4:17). Sin is also believed to be doing what a person does not have a clear conscience about (Romans 14:23). All wrongdoing (unrighteousness) is sin (1 John 5:17).

Sin begins in the mind (Proverbs 24:9). When this “mental-attitude sin” is encouraged and entertained by a person’s volition, it erupts into an act of sin. All sin leads toward physical death (Genesis 2:17), and this applies to both the lost and the saved (Romans 8:6; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5). But without salvation, the lost person’s sin guarantees him eternal spiritual death (Romans 6:23). The Scripture is very clear that all have sinned and come short of God’s standard (Romans 3:23). But the saved person, he who has accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, will never experience eternal spiritual death. Now the saved person is not exempt from committing sins (1 John 1:8), because the sin nature continues to reside within him. But by submission to and by the exercise of the principle of faith regarding the Holy Spirit, who also resides within him, the saved person can overcome the sin nature and live his earthly life with spiritual victories.

TRANSGRESSIONS

Although “transgressions,” as discussed in the New Testament are also sins, there is a theological difference between a sin and a transgression. Transgression is a violation of a known law. The two Greek words used in the New Testament and translated “transgression” are anomia and parabasis, both meaning a “violation or breaking of law.” To murder is basically sinful, that is, it is wrong in itself. But to murder is also a transgression when there is a law that forbids it, such as in Genesis 20:13. On the other hand, there is no transgression when there is no law (Romans 4:15).

Sin is a terrible thing. It separates man from a holy and just God. Man, by himself and under his own power, is never able to bridge this gap between himself and God. But thanks be to God Almighty who by His grace sent His Son Jesus Christ to die and pay the price for sin in the place of man, thereby making it possible for all men to bridge the gap through faith alone in Christ alone and have eternal life.