WHAT IS SIN?

WHAT IS SIN?

Main Text: James 4:17, Romans 3:23, Romans 14:23

Theme: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
— Romans 3:23

INTRODUCTION

The word SIN is used everywhere, but few understand it biblically. For some, sin is only adultery, stealing, or murder. But the Bible reveals sin is far deeper — it is a nature, a state, and a choice.

The chart above lists seven categories, but we must teach it with the right division (2 Timothy 2:15), so that we do not put the Body of Christ back under the Law.

I. THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF SIN

The Greek word for sin is HAMARTIA, which means “to miss the mark.”
The mark is the glory of GOD Himself!

Scripture gives us four clear definitions:

A. Sin is Transgression of the Law — 1 John 3:4
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
This is a sin of commission — knowing what God forbids and doing it anyway.

B. Sin is Whatever is Not of Faith — Romans 14:23
“…for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
Anything done without dependence on God and His Word is sin in His sight, even if it looks good to men.

C. Sin is Knowing to Do Good and Not Doing It — James 4:17
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
This is the Sin of Omission. This is your point, and it is absolutely correct. It is not just evil we do; it is the good we know to do that we refuse to do. If God shows you to help, to forgive, to preach, to restore, and you withhold it — God counts it as sin.

D. Sin is Coming Short of God’s Glory — Romans 3:23
This is the summary of all. Even our best efforts fall short of God’s perfect standard.

II. THE ORIGIN OF SIN

1. Inherited Sin — The Sin Nature — Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12
   “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
   We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners by birth. Through Adam, sin entered the world.
2. Imputed Sin — The Legal Guilt — 1 Corinthians 15:22, Romans 5:13, Ephesians 2:1-3
   “For as in Adam all die…”
   Because Adam was our representative, his sin was imputed — charged — to our account. That is why man is spiritually dead, “dead in trespasses and sins.”

III. THE SEVEN CATEGORIES OF SIN EXPLAINED

1. LAWLESSNESS — 1 John 3:4
   Deliberate rebellion against God’s revealed will.
2. IMPUTED SIN — 1 Corinthians 15:22, Romans 5:13, Ephesians 2:1-3
   The guilt we received from Adam legally.
3. INHERITED SIN — Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12
   The corrupt nature we received from Adam inwardly.
4. DELIBERATE SIN — Psalm 5:5, Hebrews 10:26, James 4:17
   Willful sin. This is where James 4:17 belongs. When a believer knows the right thing to do according to the Word and refuses — it becomes deliberate sin of omission. This is very serious for ministers and mature believers.
5. THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN — Mark 3:20-30
   Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost — attributing Christ’s miracles to Beelzebub. This was committed by Israel under the law. Under Grace today, we must rightly divide: For the Body of Christ, there is no unforgivable sin because Christ died for ALL sins (1 Timothy 2:6, 1 John 2:2 for the world). All sin is forgivable through His blood.
6. LUST OF THE FLESH — 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:5, Galatians 5:19-21
   The outward manifestation of the sin nature — adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, etc.
7. UNBELIEF — Romans 14:23, John 3:18, Hebrews 3:19
   The root of all sin. “He that believeth not is condemned already.” Israel could not enter rest because of unbelief.

IV. THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

A. Death — Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin are death”
Three-fold death: Spiritual death (separation from God now), Physical death (of the body), and Second death (eternal separation in the lake of fire — Revelation 20:14).

B. Separation — Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God…”

C. Guilt and Condemnation — Romans 3:19 The whole world is guilty before God. No man can boast.

V. THE SOLUTION — RIGHTLY DIVIDED

This is where we must be careful not to mix Law and Grace.

Under the Law (Israel’s Program): The solution was to keep the law, bring sacrifices, and repent with confession of sin (1 John 1:9 is written to Israel’s little flock).

Under Grace — For the Body of Christ Today — The Solution is Different and Complete:

1. Christ Died FOR Our Sins — 1 Corinthians 15:3
   “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” He took every category — imputed, inherited, deliberate, lawlessness — upon Himself on the cross.
2. Sin is No Longer Imputed to the Believer — Romans 4:7-8, 2 Corinthians 5:19
   “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”
   “…not imputing their trespasses unto them.” Once you believe the Gospel, God no longer charges sin to your account for salvation. Your standing is in Christ’s righteousness.
3. We Are Dead to Sin — Romans 6:1-2, 6:11
   “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Our old man was crucified with Christ. We must reckon it so by faith.
4. Sin Shall Not Have Dominion Over You — Romans 6:14
   “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Law gives sin its strength (1 Cor 15:56). Grace gives us victory over sin.

VI. PRACTICAL APPLICATION FOR BELIEVERS TODAY

1. For Salvation: Stop trying to stop sinning to get saved. Believe the Gospel — that Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again (1 Cor 15:1-4). The moment you believe, you are justified from all things (Acts 13:39).
2. For Fellowship: James 4:17 becomes a daily examination. Ask yourself: What good has the Lord shown me to do today that I am neglecting? Forgive that person? Visit that sick brother? Share the Gospel with that neighbor? Support the work of the ministry? To know it and not do it is a sin that breaks fellowship, not salvation.
3. For Victory: When temptation comes under the Lust of the Flesh category, do not fight in the flesh. Reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). Victory is by faith in your new identity.
4. For Service: The sin of omission is the greatest danger for ministers. We know to study to show ourselves approved (2 Tim 2:15), we know to preach the Word rightly divided, we know to equip the saints — if we fail to do it, it is sin.

CONCLUSION

Sin is serious. It took the death of the Son of GOD to solve it.

Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound (Romans 5:20).
Today, the question is not “Are you sinless?”
The question is “Are you in Christ, where sin is no longer imputed?”

If you have never believed, believe today.

If you are saved, let James 4:17 search you — do the good you know to do.

Remember:
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin are death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”