What is sin?

WHAT IS SIN ? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SIN AND SINS Our greatest enemy as human beings is death. It is therefore important for us as people and children of God to be aware of where death comes from. As shall be discussed in this article, sin is the cause of death. This article then services to illuminate and enhance our understanding of sin and its consequences. The great and paramount prayer of the author is for God to bless us with the potency of denying sin whilst hating it with perfect hatred. Understanding that we have a sinful nature is good but we need to go a step further and appreciate that committing sin is by choice. Subject to this statement is the fact that Sin and Sins are therefore two distinct and separate things. Our beloved apostle John has this to say in his gospel epistle pertaining to sin; The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29. On the other hand, this is what John says in relation to sins; If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake. Psalms 79:9. It is crucial for the sake of fathoming sin to appreciate that these bible writers are personalising sins and not sin. Sin is of the world but sins are ours. It’s quite critical to imbed that in mind. We need to take note of instances where the word sin is used as a noun and verb. Sin belongs to the world but sins are ours. All who shall be saved are sinners who would grasped correctly the position of sin in relation to sins. “Ignorance has no defence in the sight of law” this is a profound statement which does not bind in secular matters only but even in the spiritual and heavenly as well. Let’s consider the following text from scripture; And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist [it] not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. Leviticus 5:17. Soul refers to a person. And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7. As you go through this article please pray for the spirit of discernment and understanding. The rightful ruler or prince of this world is Satan, therefore, sin is of Satan and was caused by him. That’s why it is the sin of the world and not of you and me. Let’s have a look on the following verses; Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. John 14:30. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. John 18:36. This world is sin marred and damaged to an extent that all of us are born with a sinful nature. That is we are born with sin in us but not with sins. The fact that little children are called angels does not mean they don’t have a sinful nature rather they don’t have sins. According to 1John 1:9, in one of the paragraphs above, the bible has told us that if we confess our sins Jesus is faithful to forgive us. We don’t confess sin because it’s not ours neither did we volunteer or choose to have it (sin). This is the reason why Jesus died for everyone. We have a sinful nature by default and not by choice. I am a sinner not because I have committed a sin but because I have a sinful nature. Heaven is therefore for those sinners who shall choose, in the grace of God, not to commit sin though they have a sinful nature. Upon His coming Jesus shall finish the very process He started on His first advent. This process is of removing sin. We have seen that this world is a world of sin that is the reason why God is going to destroy this present world whose ruler and prince is Satan. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2. Paul’s exhortation is that we may not be like this world or to agree to its standards and dealings when it comes to worshipping and spiritual life. But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2Peter 3:7. It is absolutely clear according to the text above that this world is going to be utterly destroyed. We must therefore choose not to identify ourselves with this world but with God through His word. At this juncture, let the bible then define sin for us. We can only know sin and be certain of it if the bible is the one which would have defined it. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1John 3:4. If the bible talks of transgression or breaking of law, it will be talking of God’s eternal and universal law the Ten Commandments. For more light on the law get my article entitled, ‘The Law of God.’ In simple terms when the bible says sin is the transgression of law, it means we are born with propensities and desire to go against God. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalms 51:5. This is because God’s character is manifested in His word and can be summarised in only ten statements known as God’s law. Exodus 20:1-17, just go through these verses. These ten statements or law of God were written by His finger on the tablets of stone and given to Moses. And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God. Exodus 31:18. The greatest question is how to conquer and overcome sin then, if it’s engraved in me upon birth? The answer is very simple, allow Jesus to change your mind through grace. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:11-13. Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, it also teaches us to live righteously. My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments [are] righteousness. Psalms 119:172. Righteousness is keeping God’s Ten Commandments. To live a righteous life we must keep God’s holy law. For more light on grace and law get my article entitled, ‘The Relationship between Law and Grace’ The law of God are divided into two groups. The first group constitutes of four commandments and these govern our relationship with God, a vertical relationship. The last six pertains to the relationships amongst ourselves as human beings. This is the reason why the six commandments are the ones our courts deals with. No one can be sued or arrested because they have other gods or because they have not kept the Sabbath. So the greatest confusion we have is if we are not punished by God immediately when we sin, we tend to think that we not sinning. Even though the first four commandments have no immediate punishment but breaking them is sin. We have to change our minds indeed. If you want to know how painful sin is, to the married let someone take your partner and engage into sexual intercourse with them, that’s adultery. To those who are still single, if one day you work up in the morning your girlfriend or boyfriend has been killed by robbers, you will better appreciate why God has commanded us not to kill. The happening of any of the situations mentioned above is very painful and disturbing. This is because God knew the pain we would go through that is the reason why He said we must not do that. The most grievous and sad part of the story is when someone don’t understand and appreciate that God is pained when I have other gods besides Him or when I don’t keep the Sabbath. This only shows how careless and foolish we have become. If we don’t want our property to be stolen, beloved killed and our partners to be taken why are we careless of how God feels when we don’t keep His first four commandments. Sin has got many bad and painful repercussions but for the purposes of this article I shall touch on death only. The reason being the article is designed for my and your salvation, nothing else. For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23. Take note, when the bible talks of death it will be talking of second death not this temporary death we are dying now. This death is the death of death, when Satan and death shall be killed; The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death. 1Corinthians 15:26. Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:6. For further information and explanation on second death and resurrection feel free to contact the author, the contact number is at the end of the article. Our desire as Christians to please God and ultimately have eternal life can be hindered by committing sin. This issue is not a church issue or a group one, whereby you can go and ask someone whether you are sinning or not. You simply need to take your bible and reflect upon the Ten Commandments. Jesus knowing how bad sin is He actually uttered the following words; If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15. No true love is based upon infringing pain on one another. If we don’t keep God’s Ten Commandments it means we don’t really love Him because we will be causing pain to Him. Love for God is shown in keeping of God’s commandments. Keeping of God’s holy law or commandments will then determine the church you go to, its not vice-versa. You don’t go to church in order to keep the commandments but you rather go to church because you keep them. Find my article entitled, ‘The True Church’. According to what we have discussed so far, allow me to liken sin to a fruit tree and sins to the fruits the tree bears. Though sin is part and parcel of our nature we can choose not to sin (verb). Jesus had also a sinful nature that’s why He had to come through birth by a woman. And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Matthew 19:17. Committing sin or breaking the law of God is absolutely a choice we make, we can actually choose not to break it (law). It is very true that if conditions are tempered with a fruit tree may fail to bear fruits. If there is no enough nutrients in the soil, no sunlight for photosynthesis, no oxygen in the air, no fruit tree can bear fruits. The same concept applies to our sinful nature, when we supress it with the word of God and prayer sins cannot be committed. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. John 14:23. Grace [be] to you and peace from God the Father, and [from] our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. Galatians 1:3-4. These verses explicitly states that Jesus died for our sins not our sin. The sin is of this present evil world and not for us. Therefore, I want you to stop blaming anyone for what you have done so far. You must blame yourself, the same with me, I must blame myself. Going against our fleshly desires is difficult but possible. Remember Enoch, Elijah and Moses have made it, they are in heaven, so why thinking its impossible? Our duty is just to love doing and keeping the commandments and Jesus then grants us power in form of grace. It must be understood that God does not tolerate sins we commit but He loves us. We therefore need to do all in our power to shun and hate sinning. All the commandments of God are holy and breaking any one of them we would have done a great sin (verb). For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. James 2:10-11. We don’t choose commandments to keep and leave some, all must be kept. Heaven will be full of sinners who out of love for Jesus would not commit sin. This is because grace is there to activate in us the spirit of righteousness and perfection. The presence of God’s power (grace) in us entails a scenario whereby you will hate indulging in sinful acts. As such you will become a sinner who cannot sin (verb). A sinner because of our sinful nature, who cannot sin because of grace the power of God that teaches us to hate sinning (committing sin). We need to seek for power and grace from God to do all the commandments. Grace services to give us power to be able to keep whatever God has commanded us to keep. We are therefore given power or grace enough and necessary to keep that which we would have believed and accepted. Grace does not suffice for the portion we would have failed rather it gives me power to get 100%. The thinking that God will understand you and me when we get less than 100% is a lie. Let’s seek God’s face now and do His commandments, deferred punishment does not mean we won’t be punished. It only means God is loving and wants all of us to be reconciled back to Himself. May the Lord richly bless you as you endeavour to do His will. Written and Compiled by Godwin Chipunza~0775390551/0775125751