What is Sin?
Definition: From Easton's Dictionary. Sin is "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" (1Jn 3:4; Rom 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom 6:12-17; Rom 7:5-24)." It is "not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties." (quote from Hodge - with no explanation as to what "the law of God" is)
1 John 3 vs 4 does not state: “Whoever commits sin transgresses the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.”
… it says: “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness”
The words ‘transgress’ or ‘break’ the law are not in the original at all. They were added in, originally by the Geneva Bible translators, in order to insist that believers were still under the Decalogue. Other translations (KJV, Jubilee 2000, American KJV) simply followed suit. On the other hand, the NIV, NKJV, ESV, Berean Literal, NASB, CSB, NET, NAS1977, ASV, ERV, Young's Literal all agree: sin is lawlessness.
Other translators think that the word ‘anomia’ (Strong's #458) should be translated ‘lawbreaking’, not ‘lawlessness’. There is a critical difference. The one assumes the existence of an applied law that is being broken, the other says there is no law in place.
Prominent and obvious is his use of a parallel expression by contrast: “Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.” (vs 7) We can see that the sentence structure is identical. The point being that it is the ‘doers doing’ that indicates the nature of the ‘doer’. Thus, it would seem that ‘anomia’ generally is synonymous with ‘wicked’ and ‘anomia’ means ‘wickedness’ – moral deficit. It is not a specific reference to the law of God being broken … UNLESS the context, as in Romans 2, indicates specifically that that is what is being spoken of.
A disregard for law reveals a lawless attitude. Breaking a law you are under is a sin, but living without regard for the law is the essence of sin. Far deeper than an act, the desire of one’s heart reveals righteousness or wickedness. Do not covet is far more insidious than do not murder because man can detect and prosecute murder but God alone can see our motives, comprehend our hearts. We can endanger ourselves thinking we have avoided man’s detection, forgetting that no creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account. This is why we must resist the call of our flesh to push “hidden sins” out of our minds; there is One to whom we must give account, and nothing is hidden from Him.
Romans 13:1-7 (HCSB) Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience. And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s public servants, continually attending to these tasks. Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.
Paul’s focus in this passage is not “God’s law” but the laws of men. He did not write this to people living under a benevolent Roman government, but a ruthless one which demanded everyone to confess that Caesar was divine. We see several reasons to submit to the state – we bring judgment upon ourselves if we disregard its laws.
Peter had the same message, to people in similar trying circumstances. 1 Peter 2:13-20 (HCSB) Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the Emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. As God’s slaves, live as free people, but don’t use your freedom as a way to conceal evil. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor. Household slaves, submit with all fear to your masters, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel. For it brings favor if, mindful of God’s will, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if you sin and are punished, and you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God.
Neither Paul nor Peter provides an excuse to not submit to every human authority because it’s inconvenient, unpleasant, or costly. We have clear teaching in the Bible that we do not have to submit to human authority if they demand we disobey God or forbid us from obeying Him. But taxes are required to be paid, even if we think them unjust. Speed limits are to be obeyed, even if we think them unreasonable. Aren’t you happy most people obey traffic regulations, so we can enjoy a reasonable amount of safety on public roads? If we ignore Scripture because we think the human authorities are unjust, we are walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit. And whatever is not of faith (trusting in God) is sin.
James 4:17 So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it. James is not speaking here of violating a written law, but of violating one’s conscience. The child of God has the law of Christ embedded in the center of his being – the two great commands that demand we love God and our neighbor. Jesus and His apostles taught what this Holy Spirit enabled love looks like; not a list of do and do not instructions. When we do not love God, when we fail to love one another, we violate the Holy Spirit enabled conscience He has given us – we are not walking by faith.
When we think about sin, we tend to think of the big sins – murder, adultery, blasphemy, and so on. These are big sins; but if we do not consider “small sins” of our everyday life, we will grow a bit hard-hearted about sin. Jesus died to pay for our ALL our sins, not only the “big” ones that we are likely not to physically commit. But we need to bear in mind that coveting another’s spouse is adultery and being unjustly angry is murder. Avoiding taxes is patriotic; evading them is sinful.
We all stumble in myriad ways every day – not only one those days when we yell at our spouses. Playing games about “small sins” hurts us and others. Being honest about sin is helpful in keeping our hearts tender before God and man. We need one another in this life, because, left alone, we can justify all sorts of “small sins” just accommodate our selfishness. It’s been said that trying to domesticate sin is like trying to make a rattlesnake a pet. It simply can’t be done. May God help us to live and walk with a right understanding of sin – for that is what had to be placed upon our Lord when He hung on the cross. Our sin filled up the cup of God’s wrath that He had to drink – all of it, down to the dregs. Jesus doesn’t condemn us when we sin; He grants us sorrow and repentance. Each of us sins in many ways in a given week; hence we are told to lay aside the sin that so easily entangles us and press on toward the prize that will not perish. Let us not wallow in our sin but rejoice that we have Jesus. Hallelujah! what a Savior!
