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What is Sin? |
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What is sin? What is right? What is wrong? Is this a bad thing or a good thing? Should I be doing this? All these questions relate to what is sin. When you are in a dilemma over sin, it is because your new spiritual nature is manifesting itself. All Christians should be apprehensive about what they are doing and how their actions relate to God’s holiness. We are to be concerned with how we measure up to God’s standard of righteousness. Our judgment, our fellowship with God and our position of receiving blessings from Him are dependant upon what we do in this life.
I have made some drawings to help illustrate the issue of our perception of sin and God’s perception of sin. These drawings are for illustration purpose only and are not meant to indicate anyone’s actual position.
This first drawing has two only two parts. There is the black side and the white side. Let us say that everything on the left side (black) God has determined to be sin, and everything on the right side (white) God has determined to be good, or not sin. We notice that there is one straight line separating the two sides. Every thought or deed will fall on one side or the other. This is how we would view sin if we had the perfect mind and understanding of God.
Sin
Not Sin
From this illustration, we see how easy it would be to determine what is wrong and what is right. Anything in the black, or to the left is sin and anything in the white area is not sin or good. Simple isn’t it? Well, we know that in reality it is not this simple, but far more complicated. The reason is we do not have a perfect understanding of sin and righteousness.
Look at the next drawing. Note that there is a new line added which is curved. This line is to represent our concept of what is sin and not sin. This has produced two gray areas, one on the sin side and one on the not sin side. Also note that there are two points where the black and whit touch each other. The gray areas extend into the left and right sides of black and white. This shows that there are things, which we believe to be sin, but God considers them to be not sin and things, which are not sin to us, but they are sin to God. Where the black and whit meet demonstrates the correct definition of sin, that there is an agreement between God and us as to these points.
Sin
Not Sin
How can we explain this? When we are first saved, we approach our Christian life with a lot of preconceived ideas of what is right and wrong. These are things, which we learned from others. We eventually came to adopt the convictions of others and added our own new convictions, as we grew older. For example, in the New Testament some Christians believed it was wrong to eat meat offered unto idols and others believed it to be sin to eat pork. But Paul stated that nothing is unclean of itself and we have the freedom to eat these meats. (But not if it causes your brother to stumble in the faith.) This misunderstanding produces a gray area on the side of what is sin. Likewise, we may have beliefs about things, which we think are acceptable to God while in fact He has deemed them to be sin. The gray area on the right can load us down with all kinds of self-imposed restrictions, which can rob us of freedoms, which God has given us. The gray area on the left can rob us of fellowship with God and His blessings. It can lead to even more serious trouble when we try to impose our standards of righteousness upon others or they upon us.
Now, as we grow in the Word of God, we begin to learn from Him what His standards are. If we yield to His will, we come to change out opinions of right and wrong. In our growth, we start to view things the way in which God views them. This can take some maturity. It can be hard to admit to being wrong. But God’s grace can sustain us. We are taking on the mind of Christ.
The next drawing shows a dramatic improvement in our convictions of right and wrong. We are nearing the same standard of God. The gray areas are much smaller now. So, as we learn more of the truth in God’s Word we come closer to the same opinion of God concerning righteousness.
Sin
Not Sin
Note that as the gray areas become smaller, the points at which the black and white met are getting larger. We approach a solid understanding of good and evil. It we were to live long enough, and if we were to have the perfect sinless mind of God, then it would be possible for all the gray to disappear and only black and white remain. This of course will never happen as long as we are in this flesh. But we are to strive towards meeting God’s perfect understanding. We are to continue learning from God and grow in His Word.
Having presented these charts, we still have the question, “How am I to live?” The most concise definition of sin in the Bible is, “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23). Also, it is stated four times in Scriptures that the just shall live by faith. There is a standard by which God will judge us which is directly related to how we have violated or kept our own convictions. In other words, if you believe that a certain activity is sin, and yet you engage in that activity, then to you is sin and you have sinned against God. If, on the other hand, you do something which you believe is not sin, but it is to God, then there is allowance made for the deed. (This is certainly not to say that men set the standards of judgment of actions, but that God tempers His judgment to accommodate ones understanding – see Luke 12:47,48) The point of faith here is coupled with our conscience. Paul stated in Romans 2:14,15 our conscience either accuses us or excuses us. But as we grow in faith our conscience is altered. It is not uncommon to be doing something for years and suddenly we have a change of attitude about it. Our conscience begins to convict us that what we could do previously we cannot now do without a sense of guilt and wrong. This of course is the Holy Spirit bringing about this conscience. If you have doubts about dong things, it is always good to seek counseling from those who are spiritually mature. Ask yourself this question, “What does God think about this?” As a rule of thumb if you question something then avoid it and so not take a chance.
Live your life by faith and grow in faith. Remember the prayer of David –
(Psa. 139: 23, 24) Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me , and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way evelasting.
Well, that is all for this short study. I have said little about baptism, the Lord’s Supper and which church is best for you. I did not wish to make this guide to be a doctrinal presentation. However, these issues are of vital importance. I leave it up to you if you wish to pursue them. I have lessons in this web site, which address the church and her ordinances. The ordinances and linage are the mark of a true New Testament Church.
Jesus called people to follow Him and following Him begins with being baptized into His Church. This is the next step of faith or obedience.
God bless you in your new life. I pray that it will be a joyous one centered upon Him. If you have a question or a comment I would happy to hear from you, just use the “contact” at the bottom of this page.
Pastor Wm. Bekgaard
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This page last updated January 18, 2005 at 10:10am
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