Returning to the idea of defining "sin" such that clarity and not confusion arises from God's word, let us consider different aspects of Sin.
1) Any deviation from God's will for our thoughts and actions.
2) Any deviation where we knew beforehand such thought or action violated God's express will.
3) The just consequence imposed by God for any deviation from His will, volitional or inadvertent.
What if we used "sin" for #1, "trespass" for #2 and "forfeiture" for #3.
Thus Eve did not trespass in the likeness of Adam's trespass because she was deceived. However, Adam willingly sinned, Genesis 3:17, and so his action should be translated as "trespass."
Romans 2:12 (NASB)
For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have trespassed under the Law will be judged by that Law.
Romans 3:23
for all forfeited and fallen short of the glory of God,
Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as through one man forfeiture entered into the world, and death through forfeiture and so death spread to all mankind, because all forfeited.
Romans 5:14 (NASB)
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the violation by Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
There is no support that those who died during that period knew they were sinning. In fact, a reasonable interpretation is they did not know, as Adam did, they were going against God's will. And recall that Paul himself did not know "coveting" was sin, until he learned from the Law that it was.
And to repeat, if Eve was deceived, then she did not realize she was actually going against God's will, thus her action was not said to be a transgression.
Thus, Romans 5:14 could be better rendered as: Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not trespassed in the likeness of the violation of Adam, who is a type of Him who was come.
Note that to be "made sinners" Romans 5:19 would now read the many were made to forfeit.
1) Any deviation from God's will for our thoughts and actions.
2) Any deviation where we knew beforehand such thought or action violated God's express will.
3) The just consequence imposed by God for any deviation from His will, volitional or inadvertent.
What if we used "sin" for #1, "trespass" for #2 and "forfeiture" for #3.
Thus Eve did not trespass in the likeness of Adam's trespass because she was deceived. However, Adam willingly sinned, Genesis 3:17, and so his action should be translated as "trespass."
Romans 2:12 (NASB)
For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have trespassed under the Law will be judged by that Law.
Romans 3:23
for all forfeited and fallen short of the glory of God,
Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as through one man forfeiture entered into the world, and death through forfeiture and so death spread to all mankind, because all forfeited.
Romans 5:14 (NASB)
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the violation by Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
There is no support that those who died during that period knew they were sinning. In fact, a reasonable interpretation is they did not know, as Adam did, they were going against God's will. And recall that Paul himself did not know "coveting" was sin, until he learned from the Law that it was.
And to repeat, if Eve was deceived, then she did not realize she was actually going against God's will, thus her action was not said to be a transgression.
Thus, Romans 5:14 could be better rendered as: Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not trespassed in the likeness of the violation of Adam, who is a type of Him who was come.
Note that to be "made sinners" Romans 5:19 would now read the many were made to forfeit.