The Biblical Definition of Sin

[The Biblicist]

There are those on this forum who insist that sin must be restricted only and merely to willful transgression of the law - 1 Jn. 4:6.


However, that is not the only definition of sin because it is not the only way the law can be violated.


1. Sin is defined by OMISSION or COMING SHORT or not doing what the law requires - Rom. 3:23

"For all have sinned and COME SHORT of the glory of God" - Rom. 3:23

1 Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.


2. Sin is the condition of the heart even if the act considered by the heart is not performed - Mt. 5:

Mt. 5:27 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Mt. 5:21....Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:



3. Sin is everything said and done due to a sinful motive in the heart - Rom. 3:23; I Cor. 10:31

Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.


Mt. 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Ec 9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Pr 12:20 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

Pr 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Mt 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.



4. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin - Rom. 14:21 - meaning according to context if you cannot do something in full confidence in regard to your conscience it is sin!

Rom. 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

 

[webdog]

Its still the willful violation of God's law whether of omission, comission or thought.

 

[The Biblicist]

Its still the willful violation of God's law whether of omission, comission or thought.

That is simply not true! Omission of the law does not necessarily imply willful intent to omit! Omission is simply coming short of the standard whether by intent or by ignorance or by neglect or by simply inability to measure up to what is demanded - sinlessness!

 

[webdog]

Your argument is with 1 John 3:4 then. If its of ignorance it is not counted as sin. Read Genesis 12 and 20 concerning sins stemming from ignorance from God's perspective.

 

[The Biblicist]

Your argument is with 1 John 3:4 then. If its of ignorance it is not counted as sin. Read Genesis 12 and 20 concerning sins stemming from ignorance from God's perspective.

First, I include that text.

Second, you cannot restrict the Bible teaching to that one text when the Bible supplies many other texts and evidences on the same subject!

Third, you are presumming that 1 Jn 3:4 must contradict all other Biblical data on this subject or you wouldn't make such a statement above!

This is like the person who denies the diety of Christ because he restricts the Biblical evidence to only those scriptures that talk about his humanity when the Bible offers much more evidence.

The Bible offers much more evidence on this subject that proves willful violation of the law is but ONE of many other ways the law can be broken.

 

[webdog]

My 6 week old daughter is crying, I tell her to stop. She continues crying. She is disobeying her parent...is this a sin?

 

[webdog]

...and as Skan would say "the strength of one's argument is not found in the potions addressed but what's ignored" (or something along those lines)

 

[The Biblicist]

My 6 week old daughter is crying, I tell her to stop. She continues crying. She is disobeying her parent...is this a sin?

Does she understand what you are telling her? If she does understand it but chooses to cry louder what you call that? Defiance? Stubborness? Rebellion against authority?

Sin is defined by simply violating your conscience much less your parents who are placed over you in the place of God and as accountable to God to discipline you and raise you correctly.

Pr 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

 

[webdog]

Does she understand what you are telling her? If she does understand it but chooses to cry louder what you call that? Defiance? Stubborness? Rebellion against authority?

Sin is defined by simply violating your conscience much less your parents who are placed over you in the place of God and as accountable to God to discipline you and raise you correctly.

Pr 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

So is that a yes or a no? She cannot understand me at that age, is this not ignorance?

 

[The Biblicist]

So is that a yes or a no? She cannot understand me at that age, is this not ignorance?

Are you seriously telling me that a six year old child cannot understand telling her to stop crying or stop yelling or stop hitting another sibbling???????

I have raised five children and all of them could understand "no" and "stop" before they were three years old!

 

[webdog]

Are you seriously telling me that a six year old child cannot understand telling her to stop crying or stop yelling or stop hitting another sibbling???????

I have raised five children and all of them could understand "no" and "stop" before they were three years old!

I said 6 WEEK old not 6 YEARS old.

 

[The Biblicist]

I said 6 WEEK old not 6 YEARS old.

Ohhhh! Well that makes a huge difference doesn't it? My apologies, I have poor eyesight and must wear glasses and even then have problems seeing things if I am not careful.

No, a child of six weeks old does not know the English language and therefore cannot understand what you are saying.

A child of six weeks old is very limited in expression. However, as the child grows and more able to express itself you will see that you will not have to train it by word or example to do evil but it will flow naturally. Instead what you will have to do is restrain what naturally flows from it by nature!

A child that is three years old will be utterly and intentionally defiant even though it does not yet understand the moral significance of its choices. However, ignorance does not change rebellion into submission or make sin something other than sin. It only means the child will not be accountble for sin at that age.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

If something is sin, Scripture states it is worthy of eternal punishment, even if it is simply eatin a forbidden fruit.

No one has the right to say sin carries no eternal punishment if in fact it is sin. Scripture refutes any such notion.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

Before one posts that there is a sin not unto death, and suggest that it somehow proves not all sin will be judged by eternal separation from God, let me post this short point about that Scrpture.

1 John, chapter 5
"16": If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

HP: Here I see an isolated text that does not appear, at first glance, to fit the overwhelming notion concerning sin in Scripture, that sin is the transgression of the law incurring the prescribed penalty of sin, i.e., eternal separation from God, and that where no law is sin is not imputed.

I would maintain that in this verse, there is a sin unto ‘physical death,' i.e., in some cases God directly times physical death to be directly associated as a ‘consequence of sin.’ This is not to say that physical death is by any means the penalty for sin, but rather the timing of physical death can and is in fact in some cases, a consequent of sin.

If in fact a person sins a sin in which God sees fit to terminate their life as a consequence of it, John tells us that it will do us no good to pray about that. God has made the decision and it is final already. No time to pray for any change.

This verse does not state or imply that some sins will not receive the penalty of separation from God for eternity.

 

[The Biblicist]

If something is sin, Scripture states it is worthy of eternal punishment, even if it is simply eatin a forbidden fruit.

No one has the right to say sin carries no eternal punishment if in fact it is sin. Scripture refutes any such notion.

I understand you line of reasoning. However, I think Marke answered your straw man dilemma when he said;

Everyone born into the world inherits the sin of Adam (Rom. 5:19), but nobody is condemned because of Adam (Eze. 18:20). In one respect children are born 'innocent' in that none of their sins are anything but sins of ignorance and sins of ignorance are forgiven by the Lord on the basis of His atoning sacrifice (1 Ti. 1:13; Num. 22-30). - Marke

Hence, what they do is sin and thus proves they are sinners by nature and by practice. However, the basis for accountability for their sin is different than for those who understand the moral significance of sin but willfuly choose to sin anyway.