The Two Aspects of Sin

[Van]

When we read "sin" in scripture, most of us, I expect, think of the miss deed, whether thought or activity, committed at various to the will of God. But that misses an important usage of the Greek words translated as "sin."

The wages of sin is death. This verse teaches sin has consequences imposed by God for our deviation from God's will. And on of these is separation from God because He is Holy, and as a sinner, we were not.

One of the Greek words translated as "sin" actually refers to the consequence or effect imposed by God for that missing of the mark. "HamartEmatOn" (G265) is the transliteration of Greek word that usually refers to the effects of sin, rather than the misdeed itself.

Mark 3:28 (NASB)
“Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons and daughters of men, and whatever blasphemies they commit;

Here we see the concept that what is forgiven is the consequence or effect of the sin, and not necessarily our missing the mark thought or action.. In Mark 4:12 we see once again that the penalties of sin are in view

In Romans 3:25 we God was righteous when He did not impose the penalties of sin. And finally, in 1 Corinthians 6:18 we see the consequences of sexual immorality sin include adversely affecting our physical bodies.

 

[Van]

First let us consider "hamartanō" (G264) which is a verb and therefore refers to our human action of deviating from the will of God.

Second let us consider "hamartia" (G266) which is a feninine noun and is used to refer to the misdeed and also the consequence.

Lastly consider "hamartēma" (G265) which is a neuter noun and refers to the penalty of sin.

In summary, G266 is used to refer to both the misdeed and the penalty and therefore requires study to determine whether one or the other or both are in view.

 

[Van]

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Jesus became the slain Lamb of God, thus became the consequence of sin. So we would expect to find G266 and we do!

 

[Alan Gross]

Not to get ahead of you, but these men had good stuff and I, for one, still dig them.

The 1677/89 London Baptist Confession of Faith.

CHAP. VI.

Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.



1. Although God created Man upright, and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which had been unto life had he kept it, (a) and threatened death upon the breach thereof;
yet he did not long abide in this honour; (b) Satan using the subtilty of the serpent to seduce Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who without any compulsion, did wilfully transgress the Law of their Creation, and the command given unto them, in eating the forbidden fruit; which God was pleased according to his wise and holy Councel to permit, having purposed to order it, to his own glory.

a Gen. 2.16,17,

b Gen. 3.12,13. 2 Cor. 11 3.
2. Our first Parents by this Sin, fell from their (c) original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them, whereby death came upon all; (d) all becoming dead in Sin, and wholly defiled, (e) in all the faculties, and parts, of soul, and body.

c Rom. 3.23.

d Rom 5.12 & c.

e Tit. 1.15 Gen. 6.5. Jer. 17 9. Rom. 3.10-19.
3. They being the (f) root, and by Gods appointment, standing in the room, and stead of all mankind; the guilt of the Sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation, being now (g) conceived in Sin, and by nature children (h) of wrath, the servants of Sin, the subjects (i) of death and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal and eternal, unless the Lord Jesus (k) set them free.

f Rom. 5.12-19. 1 Cor. 15.21,22.45.49.

g Ps. 51.5. Job 14.4.

h Eph. 2.3.

i Rom. 6.20. & ch. 5.12.

k Heb. 2.14. 1 Thes. 1.10.
4. From this original corruption, whereby we are (l) utterly
indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do (m) proceed all actual transgressions.

l Rom. 8.7. Col. 1.21.

m Jam. 1 14,15. Mat. 15.19.

 

[Van]

Not to get ahead of you,
SNIP.

Yet another off topic non-germane post for the purpose of disrupting actual biblical discussion!!
First let us consider "hamartanō" (G264) which is a verb and therefore refers to our human action of deviating from the will of God.

Second let us consider "hamartia" (G266) which is a feninine noun and is used to refer to the misdeed and also the consequence.

Lastly consider "hamartēma" (G265) which is a neuter noun and refers to the penalty of sin.

In summary, G266 is used to refer to both the misdeed and the penalty and therefore requires study to determine whether one or the other or both are in view. For example, in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "harnartia" is used to refer to the consequence of sin, and not the misdeed, because Jesus was sinless.

 

[Van]

Matthew 3:6 (NASB)
and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

Matthew 9:2 (NASB)
And they brought to Him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man who was paralyzed, “Take courage, son, your sins are forgiven.”

The bolded and red words reflect the usage of G266, which is used for two different meanings.

In these two verses, we see that when our human action is in view, such as confessing our sins, the misdeed is in view. OTOH, when we see that God's action to not impose the penalty is in view, the consequence of sin is in view.

Hope that helps...

 

[Van]

Matthew 3:6 (interpretive translation)
and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their misdeeds.

Matthew 9:2 (interpretive translation)
And they brought to Him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man who was paralyzed, “Take courage, son, your penalties for sins are forgiven.”

Here we see how the translation of "harmartia" (G266) could be improved by choosing the contextually indicated meaning.

 

[Van]

2 Corinthians 5:21 (interpretive translation)
He made Him who knew no misdeed, was made sin's penalty for our benefit, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Here we see the benefit of contextually translating "harmartia" (G266) in one of the most debated verses of scripture!

 

[Van]

Mark 2:9
“Which is easier, to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sin's penalties are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’?

John 8:24
“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sin's penalties; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sin's penalties.”

Acts of the Apostles 7:60
Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin's penalty against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

 

[Deacon]

Van, your clarification by substituting "sin's penalty" (instead of simply "sin") might also imply a negation of sin's consequences.

Rob