The Bible describes sin as the breaking, or transgression, of God's law (1 John 3:4). It is also defined as disobedience or rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7), as well as independence from God. The original translation means "to miss the mark" of God's holy standard of righteousness. Sin came into the world when Satan tempted Adam and Eve and they disobeyed God (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12). The root of sin is idolatry: the attempt to put something or someone in the place of the Creator. Most often, that someone is one's own self. While God allows sin, He is not the author of sin. All sins are an offense to God and they separate us from Him (Isaiah 59:2).
Sin creates problems. Sin interferes with the quality of relationship with God and others (Galatians 5:19-21). We try to design life on our own terms taking on His role, becoming our own god. By trying to control things we can’t control, we lose self-control. We judge and move away from being real and experiencing life and others, and move towards judging self and others. We can’t deal with sin and temptation without confession and repentance (James 5:16).
How can we know if something is sin? Basically, sin is to live independent of God. It is moving away from dependence on God as the source of life, and trying to get your needs met other than from God and His people. The Ten Commandments give us a clear picture of God's laws. They are basic rules of behavior for spiritual and moral living. Many other verses in the Bible present direct examples of sin: (Proverbs 6:16-19; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Sins of omission and commission: These sins refer to personal sins. A sin of commission is something we do (commit) by the act of our will against the command of God. A sin of omission is when we fail to do something commanded by God (omit) through a knowing act of our will.
Are all sins equal to God? The Bible seems to indicate that there are degrees to sin, that some are more detestable to God than others (Deuteronomy 25:16; Proverbs 6:16-19). However, when it comes to the eternal consequences of sin, they are all the same. Every sin, every act of rebellion, leads to condemnation and eternal death (Romans 6:23). Sin is a serious problem. The following verses leave no doubt: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
What attitude do you have toward sin? Sin is not just the behavior, it is also internal. The truth is, we all sin: (Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:10). The Bible says that God hates sin and encourages us as Christians to stop sinning: "Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them" (1 John 3:9). Further complicating the matter are Bible passages that seem to suggest that some sins are debatable and that sin is not always "black and white." What is sin for one Christian, for example, may not be sin for another Christian.
What areas of your life are you still living independently from God?
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