What is sin?
Discussion question for May 14, 2010.
Sin can be a noun or a verb, and as a verb is often defined as “to miss the mark”. What do you understand the nature of sin to be? How does that relate to actions, thoughts, temptations and motives? When does a thought change from being a temptation to being a sin? How does it matter?
Here’s my summary of our discussion.
The problem of sin stems from the human desire to be God, and sin is to put “me” first. Love is to put others first. Sin is to miss the mark, and the standard is being who God designed me to be. It is impossible, in this world, to be without sin; but when I am glorified then everything that is opposed to who God designed me to be will be stripped away and I will be truly perfect according to God’s specifications.
The Old Testament describes the actions of sin, and the New Testament confirms that but add the thought of sin. The temptation to sin is consummated as soon as I think about it, which is much sooner than when I actually commit it. This has to do with our sinful nature.
When we are forgiven by God, He makes us a new creation. This new creation is absolutely true in the prophetic, and is beginning to take shape in the “here and now.” Just like a prophecy is true to God even before it has occurred, I am a new creation to Him even before it has been completed. In this sense I am able to obey the commandment to “be holy as I am holy.”
Sin and temptation do not have power over us that exceeds the power of the Spirit in us. Our progressive sanctification requires that we die to self, and thereby live to Christ. We can not do the latter except to the extent we have done the former. This is the “abide in Me” commandment of John 15, and relying on His power to overcome sin is the only way to move toward perfection.