Lesson Twenty-One: sin (part one) Sin is the transgression of God’s law –– the falling short or missing the mark of the character of Jesus Christ. Although the penalty for sin is death in the lake of fire, all sin can be completely forgiven by God who desires that all men be saved. God forgives sin upon the repentance of the individual who accepts the shed blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ as payment in full for the penalty of his sins.
Doctrinal Overview
The most consistent and important theme of the New Testament concerning sin is that it will be gladly forgiven by God upon any human being’s repentance, acceptance of the shed blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and baptism. Hence, sin need not have “dominion” over a Christian, nor must it “reign” over his life (Romans 6:12), nor block his entrance into the Kingdom of God!
Sin is “all unrighteousness” (1 John 5:17); “for sin is the transgression of the law” ( 1 John 3:4, KJV or “lawlessness,” RSV). Sin, in fact, cannot be imputed when there is no law (Romans 5:13), “where there is no law, there is no transgression” (Romans 4:15).
The seventh chapter of Romans deals with the relationship between sin and law. Paul wrote, “If it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin” (Romans 7:7). Using the tenth commandment as his example, Paul continued, “I should not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’” Paul explained that sin is made obvious because the law condemns it. “For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it killed me” (v. 11).
But this in no way maligns the law, as some would quickly and erroneously conclude. Paul immediately thwarted this false concept by writing, “So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure” (verses 12-13).
In addition to being the breaking of God’s law, sin is also the result of falling short of God’s way of life. The two concepts overlap greatly, but stress different approaches. There are two basic ways of life, one of “giving” and the other of “getting.” God’s way is the giving way; that of outgoing concern for and understanding of others; it is the way of love which is God’s primary characteristic. Man’s way is the way of “get”; of vanity, jealousy, lust and greed; it is the way of satisfying his own desires without care or concern of others. God defines His way by His law. When man breaks that law and thereby sins, he falls short of God’s perfect way.
Two further expansions of the scope of sin were developed by Paul and James. Both relate to missing the mark of a godly orientation to life. Paul wrote that “for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). This means that if a person does something that his conscience tells him is wrong even though the act itself is not actually wrong in God’s sight, (e.g. drinking an alcoholic beverage), the very fact that the person has violated his own principles is sufficient to convert it into a real sin. In other words, doing something that is not a sin becomes a sin if the person who does it thinks it’s a sin, because he defiles his conscience. This shows the critical importance God places on a person’s mental attitude and approach. It also indicates the great appreciation God has for the human conscience, which He created as an efficacious tool in impelling us toward good conduct and right motives (if properly educated). To countermand one’s faith violates one’s conscience and risks destroying it (1 Timothy 4:2 refers to consciences “seared with a hot iron.”) Furthermore, Romans 14:23 indicates that there can be at least some areas of sin which are relative to the individual person’s attitude of mind –– i.e. they may be sin to some people and not to others, thus adding one more reason for not judging our brothers. (A New Testament example is eating meat which had been offered beforehand as a sacrifice to an idol. This relative determination of sin is governed by conscience and does not, of course, apply to the obvious areas where God’s laws are already explicitly clear.)
James referred to sins of omission when he wrote, “Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is a sin” (James 4:17). Sin, therefore, is expanded beyond its traditional (albeit fully valid) “thou shall not” boundaries. Not doing wrong is no longer sufficient to keep one from sinning. Affirmative positive action is obligatory for an individual to do in certain situations or sin will result. If the person does not do what he knows is right to do (for whatever reason, e.g. laziness, inconvenience, etc.), then that is just as much a sin as the direct breaking of any of God’s law. Not helping the poor, for example, when one is able (either by giving of one’s time or resources) is a sin; not going out of your way to sacrifice and show outgoing concern for one’s parents, children, spouse, relatives, friends, strangers or enemies may violate James 4:17 and become a sin if one knows that it would have been proper to do, but chose to not do it.
One who has God’s Spirit is under no “condemnation” whatsoever in spite of the fact that he must still wrestle against sin and may on occasion succumb to sin (cf. Romans 7; 8:1). Such a converted person is not counted as a “sinner” although he may indeed sin out of weakness. He is rather looked upon by God as “holy” (Colossians 3:12) because God imputes His righteousness to him through faith (Romans 4). Only one who has had the burden of the penalty of sin completely lifted from his shoulders and has experienced the deep exhilaration of knowing that his every sin has been totally forgiven and forgotten by God can fully appreciate David’s statement, “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Romans 4:7-8; Psalms 32:1-2). Such a person has been given the “joy and gladness” which comes from having peace with God (Psalms 51:8). A forgiven Christian knows he need not feel hopeless if he sins in weakness, because God looks upon the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). He realizes that God hates sin but loves the sinners enough to have sent His only Son as their Savior. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
God can appreciate our human frailty because Jesus Christ, our mediator and intercessor, is always at His right hand. To Jesus, sin is not some theoretical theological concept; for He experienced the full force of temptation in all points of human susceptibility (Hebrews 4:15). He also experienced the full force of the penalty of sin. Though he never sinned, Jesus can well remember the enormity of the incessant battle, constantly resisting Satan’s wiles and ceaselessly fighting His own human nature. Jesus will never condone sin; but He will understand it, He will never condemn the person for it, and He will always be extremely desirous of asking God to forgive it.
God in His perfect wisdom knows that not all men will repent of their sins or accept the sacrifice of Christ. Some will absolutely decide, of their own free will and volition, while knowing better, never to obey God and never to repent. Hence, a person who has steeled and hardened his mind against repentance is a person who cannot be forgiven, not because God will not forgive him, but because the person himself does not want to be forgiven. This Sin, against the Holy Spirit, (which is the Agency by which God removes sin,) is called “unpardonable,” not because God lacks the power to pardon it, but because the sinner has rejected God, and His Holy Spirit, and refuses to ask for pardon. Those who accused Jesus of performing miracles through the power of Satan were perilously close to that ultimate hardness of heart which will refuse to repent, and therefore refuses to ask God’s pardon for sin. The lake of fire is the ultimate penalty for one who commits this unpardonable sin. But, the great God who created the universe will only destroy an individual for whom eternal life would become unending misery, the ultimate torture of terrible frustration.
Yet it must be emphasized and understood that anyone, at any time, can and will be able to repent of any sin when he sincerely desires to be forgiven and to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. This is God’s will for all mankind-“Not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9; cf 1 Timothy 2:4). Even Paul, as we saw, had his problems of not always living the way he should –– of missing the mark –– of not having the perfect attitude (Romans 7:15-23). Even he was influenced by Satan’s attitudes and human covetousness. But he knew that Christ’s sacrifice would forgive and cover all sin (Romans 7:25).
Thus, the unpardonable sin is not at all the fearsome weapon of a sadistic God who refuses to forgive a poor sinner who has made a few mistakes out of weakness. The opposite is the case. Anyone, at any time, can and will be able to repent of any and all sins simply by desiring to be forgiven and by accepting the blood of Christ as payment in full for the penalty of those sins. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). It is only in Jesus Christ that “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished upon us” (Ephesians 1:7). Redemption is through “the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19), with which converted Christians were (and are continuously being) washed from their sins (Revelation1:5-6). The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was “for all time a single sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:12) because His life, as Creator of everything (Colossians 1:16), was more important than all other lives put together.
