What Is Sin? | God Blog

Sin is too stupid to see beyond itself.
- Alfred Lord Tennyson

What Is Sin?

The concept of origin evil, much less sin, is more marginalized every day. Bastions of morality have succumbed to situational ethics, while behaviors such as alcoholism are redefined as genetic predisposition or "disease." As good and evil blur into merely points of view, individuals and whole societies are free to do whatever's right in their own eyes.

Yet, even the mundane has rules. Basketball without a hoop and archery without a target would be meaningless. How much more so life? Furthermore, with such compelling evidence of a Divine Creator, disregarding God's directives might well prove disastrous in both time and eternity.

Sin is waiting to attack you, longing to destroy you. But you can conquer it!

- Genesis 4:7 TLB

Few words in any language are as well known as "sin." Yet for all it's history and importance the term frequently fails to be fully appreciated or understood. The Jewish version, originating from Old Testament passages views sin as the act of violating one or more of God's commands. As wikipedia explains, "Hebrew has several words for sin, each with its own specific meaning. The word pesha, or "trespass", means a sin done out of rebelliousness. The word aveira means "transgression". And the word avone, or "iniquity", means a sin done out of moral failing. The word most commonly translated simply as "sin", het, literally means "to go astray." Just as Jewish law, halakha provides the proper "way" (or path) to live, sin involves straying from that path."

While encompassing the Jewish perspective, classical Christianity develops the concept in much broader detail. In the New Testament, sin not only incorporates actions, but thoughts, words and attitudes. The Greek word hamartia, translated "sin" 170 times literally means "missing the target." Applicable as an archery term, Christ and His apostles explain fallen human nature itself is in a constant state of sin, or missing the mark of God's holiness and design for man.

Like so many things in life including salvation, sin can best be described as both an event and process. Succinctly put, sin is the inevitable result of failing to understand and appreciate God as our Creator and Savior, as well as our place in His creation. This being true, in a sense willful ignorance is the fountain head from with sin springs. In modern culture this translates into failing to be concerned enough with life's ultimate questions to discover if there are compelling reasons to believe that faith is reasonable and the Bible authoritative.

By its very nature, sin turns spiritual apathy into hardened ignorance and even hostility against God, others and ourselves. Like a living thing, sin within, about and above coalesce into an opponent we underestimate at both our peril and that of others:

"Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm. Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering didn't get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk. God spoke to Cain: "Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it. Cain had words with his brother. They were out in the field; Cain came at Abel his brother and killed him." Genesis 4:3-8 MSG

Insidiously, sin has a way of putting even pious and religious people at odds against the very God they seem to love and worship. Throughout scripture and history God's own people, often beguiled and deceived by sin's craftiness have found themselves at odds with this intractable ancient foe:

"When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit." Romans 5:5-6

"I can already hear your next question: "Does that mean I can't even trust what is good [that is, the law]? Is good just as dangerous as evil?" No again! Sin simply did what sin is so famous for doing: using the good as a cover to tempt me to do what would finally destroy me. By hiding within God's good commandment, sin did far more mischief than it could ever have accomplished on its own." Romans 7:13 MSG

"It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different." Romans 7:21-25 MSG

"Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal." Romans 10:1-2

“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life." John 5:39-40

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.'" Matthew 7:21-23

Subtle Slide

Sadly sin's a bumper crop for mankind. Likely numbering in the quintillions, seen from God's perspective sinful thoughts and attitudes, words and deeds abound to the point of literally defining humanity. Like thistles rampant among wheat, it's weeds are as resilient and quick to spread as they are painful and dangerous. Though evil can be loud and boisterous, it's in sin's subtlety that it flourishes with overwhelming success. For instance, no one's born hoping to grow up, be imprisoned and/or die an alcoholic or drug addict. Yet by our own choices and those of others, billions find themselves in a downward spiral that if not reversed the Bible warns will end in the depths of hell.

The Epistle of James, written by the half brother of Jesus, is remarkable on many levels from discerning the difference between faith and presumption to it's insights on this subject. Perhaps the most practical of all the Books of the Bible, his letter addressed to first century believers continually raises the problem of sin within the world as well as within the Church. From his opening chapter James warns of sin's perilous progression:

"And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death." James 1:13-15

The premature death and murder of billions, arising from a litany of sins from abortion to war, testify to the truthfulness of James' insight. Yet a far greater number live and die without comprehending the dangerous progression of temptation, sin and spiritual death. This is due, in large part, to the way sin propagates. Like slow acting poison, sin's most obvious and devastating effects may take years or decades to fully develop. Like an opiate, sin often produces feelings of delight and euphoria until it's damages are discovered. Like a cancer, it's spread may go undiagnosed and untreated until too late.

Tragically, humanity shows a "spiritually genetic" predisposition to sin. So much so scripture's abound in support of the old adage "we're not just sinners because we sin, but rather we sin because we're sinners."

"Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there." Psalm 51:1-6

"You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways. But you have been very angry with us, for we are not godly. We are constant sinners; how can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. Yet no one calls on your name or pleads with you for mercy. Therefore, you have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins." Isaiah 64:5-7

“‘I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom. What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me. But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you'll soon wish you hadn't. You'd be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don't have to make it worse—and it's doomsday to you if you do. If your hand or your foot gets in the way of God, chop it off and throw it away. You're better off maimed or lame and alive than the proud owners of two hands and two feet, godless in a furnace of eternal fire. And if your eye distracts you from God, pull it out and throw it away. You're better off one-eyed and alive than exercising your twenty-twenty vision from inside the fire of hell.'" Matthew 18:5-9

"Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it: 'There's nobody living right, not even one, nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God. They've all taken the wrong turn; they've all wandered down blind alleys. No one's living right; I can't find a single one. Their throats are gaping graves, their tongues slick as mudslides. Every word they speak is tinged with poison. They open their mouths and pollute the air. They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year, litter the land with heartbreak and ruin, Don't know the first thing about living with others. They never give God the time of day.'" Romans 3:10-18 MSG

"You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we're in— first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death. That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone, but the extent of the disturbance was not clear until God spelled it out in detail to Moses. So death, this huge abyss separating us from God, dominated the landscape from Adam to Moses. Even those who didn't sin precisely as Adam did by disobeying a specific command of God still had to experience this termination of life, this separation from God. But Adam, who got us into this, also points ahead to the One who will get us out of it. Yet the rescuing gift is not exactly parallel to the death-dealing sin. If one man's sin put crowds of people at the dead-end abyss of separation from God, just think what God's gift poured through one man, Jesus Christ, will do!" Romans 5:12-15 MSG

Sinister Struggle

The struggle against sin begins, rather than ends, when becoming a Christian as noted in a famous quote by Florence Nightingale, "Life is a hard fight, a struggle, a wrestling with the principal of evil, hand to hand, foot to foot. Every inch of the way is disputed. The night is given us to take breath, to pray, to drink deep at the fountain of power. The day, to use the strength which has been given us, to go forth to work with it till the evening." A daily, if not moment by moment struggle against a deceptive enemy, scripture's quite clear concerning the necessity to recognize and battle the process of temptation, sin and death:

"You yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers. Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:8-11

"Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God's fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God's wonder and grace didn't seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased. The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did." 1 Corinthians 10:1-10 MSG

"The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity." 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 MSG

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." Romans 12:1-2

"Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn't think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way. You're cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn't care? The proverb has it that "he's a fiercely jealous lover." And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you'll find. It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble. So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he'll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get on your feet." James 4:1-10 MSG

Scripture clarifies how sin deeply affects our thoughts and attitudes, words and deeds. Tragically, mankind and most of the Church disregard the Bible's warning that each of us will give account for every thought, word and act:

"You know the next commandment pretty well, too: 'Don't go to bed with another's spouse.' But don't think you've preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody notices—they also corrupt. Let's not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to live a morally pure life, here's what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment you catch it in a lustful leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral trash pile. And you have to chop off your right hand the moment you notice it raised threateningly. Better a bloody stump than your entire being discarded for good in the dump." Matthew 5:27-30 MSG

”A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Matthew 12:35-37

"Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what's coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad. That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment." 2 Corinthians 5:10-11 MSG

”For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable." Hebrews 4:12-13

"Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: 'Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.' This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire." Hebrews 12:25-29

"But when the Day of God's Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment. Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we'll hardly notice. We'll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness." 2 Peter 3:10-13 MSG

Adding to our understanding of sin, the Bible teaches that evil has a personified source. Satan, also known as the Devil and the Evil One, is revealed as the originator of sin and the instigator of a heavenly angelic insurrection as well as human rebellion against God. From the Garden of Eden to the present day the great Adversary works through temptation and deception to repress godliness by enticing and enflaming immorality and mankind's baser impulses and instincts:

"And you He made alive when you were dead, slain by your trespasses and sins. In which at one time you habitually walked. You were following the course and fashion of this world, under the sway of the tendency of this present age, following the prince of the power of the air. You were obedient to and under the control of the demon spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience, the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God. Ephesians 2:1-2 AMP

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:10-12

"Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:13-17

"If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God." 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

Commission and Omission

Theologically sin comes in two forms. The category that should be most obvious are sins of "commission" or the wrong that we do. Unfortunately, as culture or even an entire generation embraces, rather than resist temptation, truth becomes increasingly harder to recognize much less believe. As individuals or whole societies wade deeper into the darkness of deception, attitudes and actions that were once pitch black pass as grey and grey appear white. Modern society's seen an unprecedented upheaval in moral and religious standards, much of the thinking of which has been incorporated into Churchianity. When everyone's moving together, like those aboard a ship at sea, there's little sensation of traveling at all, much less in the wrong direction.

For this reason, in a single generation some of the most blatant violations of God's clarion commands have become the norm. In many cases, what was unacceptable and even unthinkable throughout human history in now entrenched as an inalienable right or even "moral" imperative. Personal choice not only passes for the new integrity, but an emerging widespread from of religion. Welcoming everything, except morality, has become the only enlightened, politically correct choice.

A second set of wrongs, sins of omission, are more subtle by nature. Yet, while the good we fail to do is less evident, the Bible continually emphasizes this part of the equation. A theme is well developed in scripture, Christ's teachings on salvation such as the Good Samaritan, Rich Man and Lazarus and Sheep and the Goats all strongly suggest the difference between heaven and hell hinges on our response to this issue:

"Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. 'Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?' He answered, 'What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?' He said, 'That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself.' 'Good answer!' said Jesus. 'Do it and you'll live.'" Luke 10:25-28 MSG

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46

"Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, 'You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.' These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law." Romans 13:8-10

"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, 'Some people have faith; others have good deeds.' But I say, 'How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.' You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20

"If you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil." James 4:17 MSG

Tragically, both sins of commission and omission are contagiously cumulative. Like a super virus, they spread and multiply within individual lives, families and communities. Airborne, through mass media, as well as passed by direct contact, the contagion's without boundaries. Like radiation without a "half life" such sins infect and endanger young and old, rich and poor, passed both around the globe and down throughout the ages. While there is an antidote, most find it too costly. As Christ warned:

"Stand up for me against world opinion and I'll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I'll cover for you? Don't think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut—make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me. If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me." Matthew 10: 32-39 MSG

"Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple... Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple. Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it's useless, good for nothing. Are you listening to this? Really listening?" Luke 14:27, 33-35 MSG

Scripture abounds with equally harsh and challenging words, yet rather than seriously examining our behavior in the light of such passages they are largely ignored or rationalized. Modern Christianity claims it do so to be seeker friendly and portray a kinder, gentler God. But is it justifying God or our disobedience to ignore Biblical teaching? In a vain attempt to do the later rather than face the true nature of sin and it's fallout, billions settle for placebos or deny the outbreak all together.

Required Repentance

An honest and accurate diagnosis of the problem of sin requires a prognosis of deep and ongoing humility, brokenness and repentance. Often misunderstood, Wikipedia defines the term repentance as follows:

In Biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by two verbs: שוב shuv (to return) and נחם nicham (to feel sorrow). In the New Testament, the word translated as 'repentance' is the Greek word μετάνοια (metanoia), "after/behind one's mind", which is a compound word of the preposition 'meta' (after, with), and the verb 'noeo' (to perceive, to think, the result of perceiving or observing). In this compound word the preposition combines the two meanings of time and change, which may be denoted by 'after' and 'different'; so that the whole compound means: 'to think differently after'. Metanoia is therefore primarily an after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of mind accompanied by regret and change of conduct, "change of mind and heart", or, "change of consciousness".

Many consider the word repent to be synonymous to the military term "about face, march!” Real repentance encompasses more than thinking and feeling, wanting and wishing. As in making an about face, one must stop moving in the previous direction and make a 180 degree turn, and move in the opposite direction. As a prerequisite of salvation, Biblical repentance requires the mind, heart and will beginning and continuing to act in concert resulting in a reversed in course full of "love and good deeds."

"So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And 'don’t sin by letting anger control you.' Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:25-32

Another oft used analogy of the process of sin, forgiveness and repentance is removing a nail(s) from wood. While Christ’s costly atonement may provide for the nail’s extraction, it nevertheless leaves a mark. A more accurate rendering would be driving a nail into and removing it from human flesh. Doing so leaves a wound of torn and bleeding skin, punctured blood vessels and perhaps an artery, damaged nerves and perhaps even an organ.

Such a metaphor also clarifies why Scripture explains that all sin is not the same even though all sin is an affront against God:

“And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Matthew 12:31-32

“There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for “becoming one” with another. Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:17-20 MSG

“For instance, if we see a Christian believer sinning (clearly I’m not talking about those who make a practice of sin in a way that is “fatal,” leading to eternal death), we ask for God’s help and he gladly gives it, gives life to the sinner whose sin is not fatal. There is such a thing as a fatal sin, and I’m not urging you to pray about that. Everything we do wrong is sin, but not all sin is fatal.” 1 John 5:16-17 MSG

One can easily see why sin is to be avoided at all costs. Yet as fallen and dualistic beings constantly tempted and deceived by fallen beings above and about, sin seems all but unavoidable. With all this in mind perhaps the Apostle Peter sums it up best:

“Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility [as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful)—[and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the dominion (power, authority, rule) forever and ever. Amen (so be it).” 1 Peter 5:5-11 AMP

Hierarchy of Sin

Godblog offers this article as an introduction to the topic of sin. Given Scripture’s bottom line on the subject is simply “whatever is not of faith is sin” it should be noted that all the articles on this site deal either directly or indirectly with the topic. That said, some wonder if all sin is the same? As so often is the case, the answer to this question is spiritually quantum in nature.

For example, the Bible explains it’s the same God who forbids murder who also forbids adultery. Thus breaking either or any commandment makes us sinners:

“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.” James 2:10-11 NIV

From important yet relatively rare passages like this we learn that all sin is sinful. By comparison, Scriptures referencing the difference and hierarchy of sin nearly are too many to number. For our purpose the following few should suffice:

1. All Who Sin: Here Paul explains that all mankind will be eternally judged by their actions, including those never having heard the glorious gospel of Christ:

“All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.” Romans 2:12-16 NIV

2. Great White Thrown Judgment: Because of the infinitely costly atonement of Christ, we are told that Jesus is the “Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.” Rather than supporting “Universal Salvation” as some wrongly suggest, this verse simply states that because of the flawless work of Christ (incarnation, sinless life, miraculous ministry, crucification, atonement, resurrection, ascension, intercession and second advent) all mankind will be resurrected (saved) from mortal death. What follows is the Great White Throne Judgment:

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15 NKJV

3. Book of Life: Many understandably yet mistakenly believe that the afore mentioned “Book of Life” grants eternal security. Yet as elsewhere, this same Book of Revelation points out to the church of Sardis (and by logical extension the rest of us) that God can and will not only add but erase names from His Book of Life:

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:1-5 NKJV

4. Deal Breakers: Such passages raise the question, what sins does Scripture warn are “deal breakers?” The following comprise a short list the Bible repeatedly emphasizes:

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [by perversion], nor those who participate in homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers [whose words are used as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander], nor swindlers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 AMP

“But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law. Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.” Galatians 5:18-24 AMP

5. Re-Cruficied Christ: Scripture warns that while many sins may genuinely be repented of, some are eternal in nature. This includes having once fully embraced Christ to the point of having “tasted of the (miraculous) powers of the age to come” (which few today have done) then turning one’s back Christ’s commands:

“Once people have seen the light, gotten a taste of heaven and been part of the work of the Holy Spirit, once they’ve personally experienced the sheer goodness of God’s Word and the powers breaking in on us—if then they turn their backs on it, washing their hands of the whole thing, well, they can’t start over as if nothing happened. That’s impossible. Why, they’ve re-crucified Jesus! They’ve repudiated him in public! Parched ground that soaks up the rain and then produces an abundance of carrots and corn for its gardener gets God’s “Well done!” But if it produces weeds and thistles, it’s more likely to get cussed out. Fields like that are burned, not harvested.” Hebrews 6:4-8 MSG

6. Blasphemy of the Spirit: Occasioned by attributing Christ’s miraculous works to Satanic influence, Jesus again explains there is a difference between forgivable and unforgivable sins:

“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” Mathew 12:31-32 NKJV

7. Sin Unto Death: Regrettably, Scripture does not directly identify what the Apostle John calls the “sin unto death.” Even so, here again we see that while all sin is sin and to be avoided at all costs which admittedly is far easier said than done, not all sin is equal:

“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he will pray and ask [on the believer’s behalf] and God will for him give life to those whose sin is not leading to death. There is a sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for this [kind of sin]. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death [one can repent of it and be forgiven].” 1 John 5:16-17 AMP

Far from exhaustive, the above references provide a brief summary of the kinds of sins that top Scripture’s list. From these and other passages we learn that seen from a certain vantage point all human thoughts and attitudes, words and deeds seem to fall into the categories of white, black or grey. A parting passage may somewhat help to explain this principle:

“This is a faithful and trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him (white); If we endure, we will also reign with Him (white); If we deny Him, He will also deny us (black); If we are faithless, He remains faithful [true to His word and His righteous character], for He cannot deny Himself (grey).” 2 Timothy 2:11-13 AMP

Here is the same passage with the origin intent rendered by the more modern Message version:

“This is a sure thing: If we die with him, we’ll live with him; If we stick it out with him, we’ll rule with him; If we turn our backs on him, he’ll turn his back on us; If we give up on him, he does not give up—for there’s no way he can be false to himself.” 2 Timothy 2:11-13 MSG

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