What is Sin?
We don’t have to wonder what sin is, because the Bible defines it for us in First John 3:4, where it says, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
God gave us things like the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament to teach us about what God expects from us. The law is like a teacher, or schoolmaster, according to Galatians 3:24, to help us see that we are sinners in need of a Saviour. If we are honest about it, reading the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:3-17 will show us that sin is everywhere. The Ten Commandments show us the foundation of God’s law and define sin for us.
- Sin is worshipping anyone or anything except God: Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
- Sin is putting anything (idols) between us and our relationship with God: Exodus 20:4-6, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: (5) Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; (6) And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
- Sin is cursing and swearing: Exodus 20:7, “ Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
- Sin is breaking the Sabbath. Before the Birth of Christ, the Jewish people had a covenant to honor the Sabbath. Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath. The Sabbath is all about rest, as God rested from creating the World in Genesis 2:2. Hebrews 4:10 explains that for the New Testament Christian, our Sabbath is resting in the finished work of Christ, instead of depending upon our own good works.
Exodus 20:8-11 says, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (9) Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: (10) But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: (11) For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
- Sin is dishonoring your parents: Exodus 20:12, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”
- Sin is murder: Exodus 20:13, “Thou shalt not kill.”
- Sin is being unfaithful in your marriage: Exodus 20:14, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
- Sin is theft: Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal.”
- Sin is lying: Exodus 20:16, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”
- Sin is wanting something that does not belong to you: Exodus 20:17, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.”
To sum it all up, sin is anything that displeases God or hurts another person.
Who are Sinners?
Now that we understand what sin is, it should be easy to understand who has sinned. All a person has to do to find a sinner is to look in the mirror!
Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
The Bible goes on to explain how sin came about, when it says in Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” God did not create sinners when he created the World. However, Genesis Chapter Three explains how that Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden turned them into sinners, and plunged all of mankind into sin.
We are all sinners, because we are all born into sin by sinful parents. That gives us a sin nature, or a tendency to sin, which we do from a very young age. That is why Romans 3:10-12 tells us, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
If you are a human being – regardless of your family, your church, or your background – you are a sinner.
What are the consequences of sin?
If we are all sinners, why does it matter? It matters because of the consequences of sin.
First, sin breaks our fellowship with our Creator. Romans 3:23 shows us that our sins bring us “short of the glory of God.” God cannot abide in the presence of sin. He desires to walk with us daily, and to prepare us a Heavenly home after we die (John 14:1-3), but sin keeps us from fellowshipping with God (First John 1:5-7).
Secondly, sin brings addiction. John 8:34 tell us, “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” The reason that there is substance abuse – is sin. The reason that one is unable to keep from hurting another person – is sin. The reason that we cannot simply be good human beings – is sin.
Finally, sin bring eternal death in a horrible place called Hell. The first part of Romans 6:23 tell us, “For the wages of sin is death….” Death is separation. When one dies, his physical body will be put in the grave, but his soul and spirit will separate from it, and enter eternity.
The day that Adam and Eve sinned, they died spiritually, meaning that their spirits were separated from God, breaking fellowship with Him. Unless this is reconciled before one’s physical death, he will be permanently separated from God – forever!
Revelation 21:8 warns us of this when it says, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Every person should be concerned about sin because sin has eternal consequences!