What is Sin?

Since there's nothing that empowers the flesh more than this. Sin is behind every pain and disaster, yet we find ourselves being enticed by it. Although we know what it does, we still are pulled towards it. We try to make excuses for it or even conceal it. Why do we Christians want to choose what is and what is not sin and not let the word of God define it? We often want to fit God into our lives, not realizing we have to give up our lives instead..

What is sin? Sin is a violation of God's law, anything that distances us from God's presence and separates us from His holiness. According to 1 John 3:4, "everyone who sins is transgressing against God's law." Sin is the act of breaking God's law, but what exactly is God's law? We will explore this in a 4-part blog series, covering various topics: Introduction, Sexuality (homosexuality, fornication), Vanity and Anger (murder, comparison), and Hate (hatred for self and others). These are the three major areas that significantly impact most people's lives.

This introduction is mostly going to be opinion-based, though I will add known theory at the end. I believe there are two types of sin: sins that are classified as 'sins', those that bring iniquity into our lives, and secondly, sins that make us unclean and far away from God's presence, like eating unclean animals and ceremonial acts like not sacrificing animals to God. Looking at Exodus 20, Leviticus 11, and Deuteronomy 14, we can see that God told us about sins that bring iniquity into our lives in Exodus 20. He continues to give us rules about what to eat and what not to eat in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. The act of eating an unclean animal is not a moral transgression but is seen as something that makes you impure and separated from God's holiness. In our modern world, this can look like listening to secular music or watching horror movies. These examples mentioned aren't moral transgressions but can be seen as sins that separate you from God's holiness.

The reason I classified them into two is that we all know Jesus died for our sins, and because of our new covenant with Him, we don't have to follow the old law of keeping ourselves pure. This means we don't have to sacrifice animals or eat certain foods in order to be pure and righteous; we are now pure and righteous through Christ. However, we still need to live a life of holiness and keep God's commandments. The act of keeping ourselves pure is now found in Christ and not in our actions, but iniquity can still enter our lives through the moral transgressions we commit. We have found grace in Jesus to become righteous and pure in Him, but the sin of iniquity is one that is still very present in our lives. It is still important for us Christians to live a holy life and be as close to God's presence as possible, just as it is important for us to be obedient towards God's law and His commandments.

The types of sin of iniquity:

• Sins against God, this would be idolatry, disobedience and any acts violating God's commands. Also, when we sin against others or ourselves, we, in turn, sin against God. We all belong to God and made in His image, God created laws so we can love each other and serve Him the right way. When we sin against others and ourselves, we violate God's commands. Idolatry and disobedience are also sins against God as we are called to only serve God and no one else, as referred in Deuteronomy 6:13. We are also called to obey God as that is what God desires.( 1 Samuel 15:22)

• Sins against others, these would be when we harm others through lying, stealing, hatred, deceiving, assulting, rape, molestation and murder. These sins are done towards another person and ruins their lives one way or another. They cause harm psychologically, physically and changes their perspective on life and themselves.I personally believe this is one of the worst sins of all, as it causes another human being to suffer for your actions. How horrible it is to suffer and experience permanent change because of another person. Let's do our best to treat others with the respect and dignity they deserve, as it was given to them by God.

• Sins against yourself: Lust, self-hatred and substance abuse. These sins are towards ourselves and often lead us away from God, especially lust, which is sometimes not considered as it is often directed at someone else.. But, 1 Corinthians 6:18 states that sexual immorality is a sin against our own bodies, whether done with another person, sex/touching, or masturbation. These sins harm our hearts and souls. Self-hatred and substance abuse is a sin against yourself as it harms your body and mind. 1 Corinthians 6:19 states that our bodies are not our own, but the temples of the Holy Spirit. When we don't take care of ourselves, abuse substances or practice self-hatred we are sinning against ourself and our bodies, the very bodies God implies are now holy.

The sin of iniquity can be classified as the following that we are aware of: Sins of omission and sins of commission.

Sins of Commission

Sins of commission are those sins that go against God's Word; when we do, say or think things that are explicitly stated to be sinful. An example would be the sin Adam and Eve committed in the Garden of Eden(Genesis 3). The act of eating the fruit God declared to be forbidden is a sin of commission. When we steal, fornicate, commit adultery, lie, practice gluttony and any other sin stated in the Bible, we commit sins of commission. Sins of commission are not done by accident, they are sins done intentionally even without the intention to hurt God, but to fulfill a desire. We need to be cautious of these sins as they are designed to trap us and keep us in a cycle. James 1:15, emphasizes on how these sins give birth to more sins and eventually death. These sins harm our relationship with God and disrupts the full power of God's hand in our lives as they were designed to keep us away from God.

Sins of Omission

The sin of omission is based on James 4:17, "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." This verse highlights that failing to do the right thing is sinful. An example would be Matthew 25:31-46, When Jesus spoke about those who did not help the needy,did not provide comfort or clothing to the sick and prisoners. The people mentioned here failed to do what was right or what the Bible taught us to do and it resulted with them not being accepted into Heaven. Another example would be when we fail to treat others with respect and love, for we are called to love one another as we are called to help the needy and widows. This is more of a choice than an action, when we refuse to give a homeless an food, we don't necessarily cause direct harm to the man. The choice is just a failure of doing what we know is right and this is seen as sinful in the eyes of God. The people who did not do what was right, were not accepted into the Kingdom of God in Matthew 25:31-46. We need to ask God daily to give us empathy and courage to do what we know is right in the eyes of God and repent.

Conclusion

This introduction of sin serves as a valuable tool for understanding the concept, empowering us to pursue a holy life with Christ through the Holy Spirit. It is meant to enlighten, not to condemn. Recognizing sin is vital, but knowing how to confront it is equally essential. We are encouraged to repent, confess our sins to God, and seek His guidance in obedience. Remember, confession alone is not enough as we are weak. Open your heart to God about your sins, withhold nothing as satan thrives on secrecy, using it to lead us deeper into sin and away from God. But take heart! With Christ and the Holy Spirit in us, we have the strength to overcome any sin. We are more than conquerors in Christ, as stated in Romans 8:37. Embrace this truth and let it inspire you to live a life filled with hope and victory!

Thank you for reading my post, loves. Please message me if you have any queries or questions. Any new ideas and criticism are welcome. May God bless y'all. Sending love and positivity your way!!