WHAT IS SIN?

The primary Greek word for sin is "hamartano" which literally means "to miss the mark". This mark refers to the standards set by our Creator to live a righteous or correct life. Ultimately it boils down to obedience. To obey God consistently is the goal of life. To disobey God is to miss the mark or, in the vernacular, to make a mistake. Men who sin (make mistakes) must pay the penalty.

I Cor 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

The Law defines the do's and dont's men are to live by. Missing a mark (making a mistake) set by the Law gives sin power --- the power to put men to death. The penalty of sin is death. Since all men are sinners all men are held captive by the Law and sentenced to death.

The Greek word for death is "thanatos". It means "separation". Separation from God is not physical but spiritual. This is made obvious when we look at the death of Adam. Adam disobeyed God but he did not die physically. Rather he was separated spiritually from God. He no longer shared walks or had direct fellowship with God. This resulted in the corruption and decay of Adam's soul which occurred over time. This separation also affected Adam's physical body and it was quite a while before Adam experienced physical death, i.e. the separation of his soul and spirit from his body so his body became lifeless.

The work of Jesus Christ reconnects a person's spirit with God's spirit. Repentance, baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit mark the beginning of a renewal process, i.e. a renewal of the soul.

The work of Jesus Christ also redeems men in two ways. One Greek word for redemption comes from a verb luo which means to loosen or nullify or void. The concept of divorce comes from this Greek word and means the end or voiding of a contract. The sacrifice of Jesus, i.e. His blood, erases all the mistakes a person has ever made and thus ends or nullifies or voids the contract with Law. By releasing people from the contract of Law Jesus nullifies or voids the strength of sin to put people to death.

The other Greek word for redemption comes from the word agora which means "marketplace". What do we do in a marketplace? Some sell and some buy. In this case the Law is the seller. The Law is selling mankind. Jesus is the buyer. The Law only accepts blood for payment (not money). So Jesus gave His blood to buy all of mankind. Jesus owns everyone!

When you read an English translation of the New Testament you will never understand the difference between these two Greek words or which word is used in which verse.

Jesus changes the whole process for dealing with sin. To deal with sin required the shedding of blood. The Jews were instructed by God to use the blood of innocent animals to pay for a person's sins. This is atonement which only covers sin and had to be accomplished frequently for the people and once a year for the nation.

The blood of Jesus is NOT atonement.

Jesus sacrificed His innocent blood which God uses to wash away a person's sins. Once those sins are washed away they are forgotten. This is propitiation, i.e His blood removes and replaces sin. And His single sacrifice lasts forever.

I Peter 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

In verse 20 the word translated "faults" is really a present tense verb that means "committing sin" or "making mistakes". These mistakes are usually unintentional but when you make mistakes you can expect to have problems. Putting up with these problems is not a great sacrifice since you created the problems youself. It is important to ask God for forgiveness but it is even more important to ask the one you have offended for forgiveness. When you suffer for doing right and take it patiently without anger or stikinig back is when you are doing that God wants.

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Paul takes this a step further and speaks of wilfull sinning. If you do something you know is wrong ON PURPOSE the sacrifice of Jesus will NOT pay for your sin. YOU will pay for your sin. What is the payment for sin? Separation from God and possible fiery indignation!

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James takes another step to identify sins of omission. If you know what you are supposed to do and DON'T DO IT that is missing the mark set by God.

I Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Peter sets the bottom line. Just as Jesus suffered in the flesh we are to suffer in the flesh. If we are willing to suffer we will stop making mistakes. Our goal is to no longer live to please self by doing what the flesh wants but live to do the will of God. This is what discipleship is all about.

Satisfaction
In
Nothing

1 Jn 3:19-23 "And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then we have confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that we should believe upon the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us commandment."
When the Lord calls and the Holy Spirit convicts for sin, if that one believes the word of God and responds with a godly sorrow that leads to a repentance not to be repented of rather that a sorrow that is after the world and which leads to death; Jesus puts a mustard seed of faith into the soul and the Spirit indwells the spirit baptizing that one into the body of Christ. We are to nurture that faith by the scriptures which are illuminated by the Spirit unto the end, with a goal of pleasing the Lord to become one who is strong in faith. Jesus said, "man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Peter tells us, "as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby."
In 1 Jn 5:16, 17 "If any man see his brother sin a sin that is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin and there is a sin not unto death."
In 1 Jn 3:23 we're told that the Lord's commandment is to believe upon Jesus and to love each other in context with 1 Jn 3:19 which tells us that we can know we are of the truth and can assure our hearts before the Lord.
There are many sins in the New Covenant, but they do not come with the curse of death because we have died to the law. All unrighteousness is sin. He that knows to do good and does it not, for him it is sin. Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.
But to sin unto death, would be like blaspheming the Holy Spirit or by re-writing revelations while leaving out portions of it, or by doing that which causes one's faith to fad and die out.
Heb 6:4-6 "For it is impossible for them that were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing that crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame."
So to allow one's faith to die out makes it impossible for that one to be renewed again with a new repentance. The difference between a stumble and a fall is that the one who stumbles gets back up.
For those who allow their faith to die:
2 Pet 2:20, 21 "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them that the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it; to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
And according to 1 Jn 3:23 that holy commandment was to believe in the Lord's Son Jesus Christ and to love each other. This makes it inconceivably important for us to pray for the brethren, that the Lord give them life for those who have not sinned unto death!
Maranatha!

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Hey! Pyong... PTL!
For those of us who are in Christ and therefore under the New Covenant, which has a change made. For thewn there is a change of the priesthood, there is of necessity a change of the law for we are under the order of Melchizedek no longer under the levitical priesthood. For the law of the spirit of life has made me free from the law of sin and death. The same commandments of the Letter of the law that came with the curse of death and a just recompence for every transgression; has been changed to the Spirit of the law. Where they were commanded, thou shalt not commit adultery; we of the Spirit of the law, now commit adultery we look at another with lust in our heart. The letter of the law commanded them, thou shall not murder; but for us of the New Covenant, its, if we hate our brother, then we've committed murder in our hearts. The letter of the law dealt with a person's actions; whereas the Spirit of the law deals with the intent of the heart. They studied the OT scriptures to insure that they we able to do according to all that is written therein and yet; they broke their covenant with the Lord by not keeping the law. When we study the scriptures, the Holy Spirit illuminates them to us and puts the Lord's commandments into our hearts and minds, making us to see sin as Jesus does, more and more. We are able to obey where they could not as the Lord renews our minds, transforming us on the inside into the image of Jesus as we are predestined to be. So for us of the NT, it is sin not only to do the wrong, but to have a desire for the wrong in our heart is now a sin too.
Maranatha!

Sin is breaking the law, defying God.

So, to be clear, physical adultery is still (present tense) sin (1 John 3:4) correct? So, physical murder is still (present tense) sin (1 John 3:4) correct? Transgression of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) in any way, either letter or spirit, is still (present tense) sin (1 John 3:4) correct, since the Law of God was always spiritual (Romans 7:14), and Jesus desires us to keep His commandments (John 14:15; Exodus 20:6), by walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25), being since it was Jesus who wrote them by the Holy Ghost (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:10; Luke 11:20; Matthew 12:28)?

Hey! Pyong... : )
Yes those are all sin, except for not keeping the Sabbath, nor the eating of unclean animals. The Holy Spirit has indwelt us and we are living walking temples of the Lord, every day until forever. It is always a good day to worship the Lord and to do good works and to minister the Spirit to those in need. The letter of the law shows us what sin looks like, while the Spirit of the law imparts the fruit of righteousness along with our heavenly Father's chastisement that is separate from the Jesus' imputed righteousness. This is what makes us able in the New Covenant to keep the intent of the Lord's commandments where they of the OT failed to keep even the letter of the law. Keeping the Sabbath for the enjoyment of a pure heart is good, while doing it to earn righteousness is not.
Praise the Lord in the name of Jesus, our God and King!
Maranatha!

Jesus said:

Mat_5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

I disagree with you, since scripture disagrees with you.

Is the fourth commandment one (James 2:10) of the Ten Commandments?, John 14:15; Exodus 20:6; Exodus 20:8-11?

Have you read Isaiah 56:1,8; John 10:16; Isaiah 56:2-7, and seen its fulfillment in Acts 4:24, 13:44; 14:15-16, 17:30?

As for diet, have you not read Acts 10, 11, 15 (directly quoting the health laws) and 1 Peter 1:15-16 (citing directly from the middle of the health laws); and 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Corinthians 6:13; Isaiah 66:17; Matthew 24:37-38; Luke 17:26-27, and more?

Nice colours. Charitable suggestion? Make the words in the center a heart shape through spacing. Also, I know people like femalish looking angels, but scripturally it ain't so. Angels are powerful beings, radiating glory (always given in masculine, having masculine names, Lucifer, Gabriel).

Something like:

My practice with a clear conscience in the sight of my heavenly Father is to observe the Seventh Day as the Sabbath of the Lord.

If you wish to call respecting the hallowing of God Himself the Sabbath, Keeping the Sabbath," go right ahead if it makes yu feel justified. but my observance is strictly due to my respecting what God has said about it. It is a gift and a privilege to accept His gift to His children.

You folks who want to make it some kind of burden tell Him, not those who know Him.

Sin is a mouse to your home. For such a small creature, a mouse can devastate your health within your home, will bring filth and disease, and it's generally there when carelessness didn't wash dishes or take out the trash for a few days. Now its adding to your problems.

Sin is the same way. We have condensed sin down to a mouse. Ironic enough however, to God, sin is the sole reason He died for us. It's that important. and we let sin creep in by measuring and categorizing it. We have become doctors of our own disease...sin!! Yeshua, many times said, Be Healed which meant your sins are forgiven. And means that unto God, He measures sin (unforgivened sins) like a doctors diagnosis of your charts. Sin is an illness to Him, just like a mouse is to your home!!

Please forgive me all, I did not want to hijack the thread, I was responding so because someone above mentioned the ten commandments are to be obeyed excepting the one about the seventh day...….I love the seventh day so I reacted without thinking it out about the op..forgive me, that is what we are supposed to do, so I am forgiven, thanks all.

In my opinion..........sin is anything one does outside of the will of God, that causes them to (miss the mark per Biblical definition) fail to live a Christ like life........Sin is not a good thing to be living in, for one will not live long.

Isaiah 59:1) Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Why I believe the first Sermon Jesus preached was:

Matthews 4:17) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

I can see a curve ball coming a mile away.
Let me guess where this is leading to.... *drum roll* Sabbath keeping? Am i right? Tell me, am I right?

Joh_9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

I cannot stand that persons attempt to redefine "sin", when the Bible clearly defines it:

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

There is no other definition. All other references in scripture point to this single foundational definition.

I also cannot stand when persons attempt to redefine "the law" (God's Ten Commandments), either.

Rom_7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

I cannot stand when persons attempt to redefine how sin is known, even presently (right now).

I cannot stand when persons attempt to disparage any part of God's Law:

Rom 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Psa_40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Psa_119:44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

Psa_119:70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.

Psa_119:92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

Psa_119:97 MEM. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

Psa_119:113 SAMECH. I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.

Paul said the same thing as David.

The LORD is coming ...

Psa_119:126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.

Notice that in each case "the law" is to be loved, even as Jesus is to be loved:

Pro_8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Rom_6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Joh_14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1Jn_3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

1Jn_2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Joh 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Joh_15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Heb_4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

You say, this thread is about "sin". Exactly. 1 John 3:4 just specifically stated what "sin" is. Paul said he had not known "sin" except that the law had said ...

The question then becomes how then does the Holy Ghost convict of "sin"?

Joh_16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Joh_16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Psa_119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

Psa 119:151 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.

1Co_15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.