DISCIPLESHIP CLASS—LESSON 3 SIN

SIN DEFINED—The first issue in studying sin is determining what it is. The Bible tells us that sin is many things:

    1. Transgression of God’s law.—Even though we are no longer bound by ceremonial aspects of the law of the Old Testament (see Acts 15:5-21, Galatians 3:21-29), the law provides us the framework of behavior and attitudes God considers sinful (See I John 3:4). Thus, whatever the Old Testament commands people not to do, we should still be obedient and not do it.
          2.  All unrighteousness is sin before God (See I John 5:17). With this, we need to

live life, not with the mindset that if the Bible doesn’t condemn it, it’s ok, but rather with the affirmative determination to ask ourselves how God would view an action, attitude, et cetera.

           3.  The third definition goes hand in hand with the second definition. Romans

14:23 tells us that anything that is not of faith is sin. This is in context of Romans 14:1-23, where the question was whether it was sinful to eat meat that had previously been offered to idols. Paul answers by saying there is nothing sinful in and of itself for the meat (verse 20), but if you have a conscience problem and consider something unrighteous, it is sinful for you to do what you think is wrong (See also I. Cor. 8:4-13 telling us not to offend a weaker brother’s conscience, for that is sin also).

           4. James 2:9 gives a very unique definition of sin. It says it is sinful for us to

have respect of persons, i.e. to esteem certain persons over others for economic, social or other reasons. If we do this, we pre-judge others, we don’t feel love for everyone like we should, and we tend to skew our evangelistic efforts towards people we favor, ignoring those we disfavor. Also, this prevents us from being servants to men, as commanded, when we take economic and social status into account, because we will be unwilling to serve those we consider beneath us.

5. James 4:17 tells us of a different type of sin. In this verse, James tells us that if we know to do the right things, but don't do them, that is sin. This is known as the sins of omission, as opposed to the sins of commission.

FIRST SIN INTRODUCED—

The first sin recorded in the Bible is found in Genesis 3:1-7. These verses tell us about the serpent tempting Eve to eat the fruit of the tree that God had commanded her and Adam not to eat of (See Genesis 2:16-17—under threat of death). After Eve disobeys God by eating of the forbidden tree, she then persuades Adam to eat of the same tree (verse 6). The Bible then tells us in Romans 5:12, 14-19 that this is the act of disobedience that triggers the natural fallen state of all born men and women.

THE PENALTY OF SIN---
    1. In Genesis 2:16-17, when God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the forbidden

tree, He told them if they did it, they would die. The serpent told Eve, "Surely thou shalt not die." Obviously, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they did not die immediately, as they were needed to populate the Earth. However, per Vine’s Bible Dictionary, ‘death’ in Genesis 2:16-17 refers more to separation of man from God, spiritually. This is supported by the fact that, after the act of disobedience, God made Adam and Eve leave the garden (See Genesis 3:23-24), as well as Ezekiel 18:4, II Chronicles 25:4 and Isaiah 59:1-3.  Consequently, physical death also reigned upon all mankind due to this sin, as God prevented Adam and Eve from eating from the tree of everlasting life afterwards (See Genesis 3:22-24). See also Genesis 3:19; I. Corinthians 15:20-22; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:10, Ephesians 2:1-5 in regards to physical death sentence.

         2.  God punished Eve by coupling reproduction with great pain (Genesis 3:16),

and also by placing her under willful subjection to her husband (See also Genesis 3:16).

         3.  God punished Adam by cursing the ground, thus making self providence a

task of hard labor for mankind, as opposed to pre-disobedience times where God provided all food with ease (See Genesis 2:16-17).

          4.  God punishes sin by turning His face from those who sin, even when it is His

adopted children, for He cannot look upon sin (See Habakkuk 1:13, Isaiah 59:1-3; 64:6-7). The practical effect is that when we, as Christians, have unconfessed sin or are living a sinful lifestyle, He cannot look upon us, nor hear our prayers until we get things right with Him.

          5.  The ultimate penalty of having unrepented sin is condemnation into an eternal

lake of fire and brimstone (See Romans 5:12-21, II Thessalonians 1:7-9, 2:10-12, Jude 7, Revelations 20:11-15, Luke 16:22-26, Mark 9:43-48).

SIN’S UNIVERSAL APPLICATION---

The Bible is very clear that all men sin (See Romans 3:9-20, 23, I Kings 8:46, Ephesians 2:1-5, Galatians 3:22) due to the sin nature passed down from Adam (See Romans 5:12, 14-19). We do not stop sinning once we are saved (I John 1:8,10, Romans 7:15-25), but God is just to forgive us if we confess our sins (See I John 1:9).