Sin Forgiven – Part 1

Sin, as defined by the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, is the voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not action only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God's commands or law. 1 John 3. Matt. 15. James 4.

Sinners neither enjoy the pleasures of nor the peace of piety. Among divines, sin is original or actual. Actual sin, above defined, is the act of a moral agent in violating a known rule of duty. Original sin, as generally understood, is native depravity of heart to the divine will, that corruption of nature of deterioration of the moral character of man, which is supposed to be the effect of Adam's apostasy; and which manifests itself in moral agents by positive act of disobedience to the divine will, or by the voluntary neglect to comply with the express commands of God, which require that we should love God with all the heart and soul and strength and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves. This native depravity or alienation of affections from God and his law, is supposed to be what the apostle calls the carnal mind or mindedness, which is enmity against God, and is therefore denominated sin or sinfulness. What a great dictionary definition of what sin really is!

You’ve probably heard that the word “Sin” is an old archery term that translated means “to miss the Mark” or target, where the “Mark” is God’s standards, commands, laws and statutes. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 3:23-24 “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Hamartia or hamartano is the Greek term for missing the mark. Pastor Dave Rader used to say that when we “miss the mark”, we hit something else. The emphesis is on “the mark” because it is the target and goal. That mark is to glorify God. Sin is derived from the Middle English word sinne, or synne and the Old High German word sunta, which means “true”. It seems to be derived from the phrase “to be truly the one who is guilty”. ãwen – was the Hebrew word we translate as sin, it means “iniquity” – the particular deviation from rectitude; a sin or crime; wickedness; any act of injustice.  Sin differs from crime, not in nature, but in application. That which is a crime against society, is sin against God.

A popular notion among secular humanists is: “If I live my life according to my standards and do not inflict hurt and pain on others, I have been a good person.”  You see immediately that this person has mentally taken God off the throne in their life and placed themselves there, where they make the standards and define what is “good” or “bad”; “right” or “wrong”; they are as god (Gen. 3:5). There are those who say that we are no longer under God’s law, so can do whatever they want, whenever they want?” Has sin lost it’s definition? 

The Apostle Paul explains in Romans 7:4-15 “So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death  For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.” 

We'll continue this message on the next post.

Blessings, in Christ, Brian