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What is "sin"?
What is the meaning of the term "sin" in the New Testament?
It seems to mean different things at different times in the Bible. that can be confusing for new believers and old alike. So how should we define "sin"? is there more than one definition? Are there alternative terms we can use that would make which shade of meaning we are referring to at any given time more clear?
below are a few different verses. they use the term sin, but seem to use it differently. i just share them to illustrate what i mean by "different shades of meaning" regarding the term "sin". i dont have good greek pograms on my computer, so if the verses below are using different greek words, someone might comment on the difference of the meanings. but i am not sharing these verses for the purpose of focusing on them, we can discuss any of the new testament uses of the term sin. these are just as an illustration.
Rom 7:20
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
-here "sin" seems to mean evil desire!
James 1:15
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
-here "evil desire" and "sin" are two different things, one leading to the other!
I Jn 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
-here we are told to confess our "sins". sounds simple enough, but which of the first two examples are we supposed to confess?!?!?! Or does it make any difference which we confess anyway?!?!?! (these are rhetorical questions, just illustrating the issue i am trying to discuss)
the goal is not to discuss which acts are sin, like lying or stealing or such, though some of those might come up as illustrations. thanks!
my main questions are:
-What is the meaning of the term "sin" in the New Testament?
-are there different shades of meaning for this term?
-how can understanding, or misunderstanding, this term affect the christian's daily life?
It seems to mean different things at different times in the Bible. that can be confusing for new believers and old alike. So how should we define "sin"? is there more than one definition? Are there alternative terms we can use that would make which shade of meaning we are referring to at any given time more clear?
below are a few different verses. they use the term sin, but seem to use it differently. i just share them to illustrate what i mean by "different shades of meaning" regarding the term "sin". i dont have good greek pograms on my computer, so if the verses below are using different greek words, someone might comment on the difference of the meanings. but i am not sharing these verses for the purpose of focusing on them, we can discuss any of the new testament uses of the term sin. these are just as an illustration.
Rom 7:20
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
-here "sin" seems to mean evil desire!
James 1:15
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
-here "evil desire" and "sin" are two different things, one leading to the other!
I Jn 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
-here we are told to confess our "sins". sounds simple enough, but which of the first two examples are we supposed to confess?!?!?! Or does it make any difference which we confess anyway?!?!?! (these are rhetorical questions, just illustrating the issue i am trying to discuss)
the goal is not to discuss which acts are sin, like lying or stealing or such, though some of those might come up as illustrations. thanks!
my main questions are:
-What is the meaning of the term "sin" in the New Testament?
-are there different shades of meaning for this term?
-how can understanding, or misunderstanding, this term affect the christian's daily life?
Tags: sin
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on -
I believe we are saying the same thing but just to make sure let me break it down, what I am saying is this:
In general: No rapist, killer, thief, selfish, lustful, arrogant and prideful individual etc... Becomes that out of the blue. A rapist and all the rest have spend months and years in accumulated time indulging in the sin before actually turning the thought into action/sin, not everything we think about will eventually birth and action as we are all aware and maybe we meditate on the sin for our entire life without ever acting upon it. However the times we indulged in the thought- is sin. When the thought becomes and action we sin again, which generally carries more serious consequences. If we learned to take the thought captive at the time of conception of the thought then we have not sin and you don’t need to confess it.
Example:
A very attractive woman passes by me and my mind (fleshly desire or a firy dart is thrown) starts lusting, at this point if i am quick to take the thought captive to the obedience of Christ, it’s my conviction that i have not sin, but exercise self control. In the other hand if I fail to take the thought captive and indulge in it – I have sin. If I continue to indulge in the lustful thoughts, sooner or later for most individuals it will birth sexual immorality in the case of lusting.
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Chapman on -
We are in agreement! Evil desire gives birth to sin! Or we cud say a sinful thought will lead to thinking ong the thought instead of just having a thought. And sinful thought in general will eventual produce some misdeed.
To SEE something lustful is not transgression, to LOOK at somthing lustful is! To have a lustful THOUGHT is not a transgression, to THINK on something lustful is! To have a fleshly DESIRE is not a transgression, to DECIDE to FULFILL a fleshly desire is!!!
And decisions to indulge lustful thoughts do generally lead to some transgessing deed!
We are agreed!!! I hav found most of us walk around feeling so defeated cause we dont make these distinctions. We connect ourself with the wickedness of the desires of the flesh and confwss to god that we are wicked and vile. If we mean our flesh is wicked and vile and we are grateful that that sinnful flesh was crucified and condemned 2,000 years ago, than we are correct. If we say that flesh is WHO WE ARE in gods sigh, we are greatly mistaken and that discouragment will set us up for a fall!!!
Gbu
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