When you hear the word sin, what do you think about it? Maybe you think about very evil things. A couple of things come to mind: your pet peeves. The idea of sin is broad, but there are some basic ideas of what it is.

First, sin is missing God’s mark. God has set a standard for us, and we often forget it. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Sin is missing the target God has set for us. 

Second, sin is lawlessness. It does not agree with God’s law. Note that this does not mean breaking anyone’s law, specifically God’s. However, God does put people in our lives to give us rules we should follow.

Someone who is lawless lives like there are no laws. They live like God has not given us laws. They do what they want and don’t care what God says. This is why John says in I John 3:4, “Sin is lawlessness.”

Third, there are sins of commission and sins of omission. Some sins are sins that we commit—things we are told not to do, like lying, stealing, or gossiping; but we do. 

Sins of omission are when God calls us to do the right thing, and we do not do it. We “omit” doing what God has called us to do. James 4:17 says, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” When God tells you, “Go help your neighbor, “ you refuse. Or, “give some money to that person in need,” and you neglect it. The sin of omission fails to do as God has called us.

Fourth, sin separates us from God. Romans 5:18 says that sin brings condemnation. No one escapes it. We are all under the curse of sin. This sin condemns us from being with God since God cannot be around sin.

Lastly, there is good news. The good news is that Jesus defeated sin. While “the wages of sin is death,” “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus our Lord.” While we are plagued by sin, Jesus can conquer sin through the grave. He is the God-man who lived a perfect life and could die for our sins. We don’t have to be slaves to our sins, but we can conquer our sins through Christ’s cross.

Think About It

Do you know what sin is?

Where are you holding onto sin?

What sins do you need to confess to God?

Has Jesus cleansed you from your sin so you can be with Him for eternity?

Thanks for taking time to read this Maddening Theology post. If you enjoyed this content you can find Pastor Tim’s sermons at www.cornerstoneforestcity.org. You can also join us at 520 Marion St. Browndale, PA 18421 on Sundays at 10 AM. To make following the blog easier you can also register. You can also join us on Facebook at Cornerstone Forest City. Also, don’t forget to download our APP on iTunes  or Googleplay.