SIN — lawlessness (1 John 3:4) or transgression of God’s will, either by omitting to do what God’s law requires or by doing what it forbids. The transgression can occur in thought (1 John 3:15), word (Matt. 5:22), or deed (Rom. 1:32).
Mankind was created without sin, morally upright and inclined to do good (Eccl. 7:29). But sin entered into human experience when Adam and Eve violated the direct command of God by eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:6). Because Adam was the head and representative of the whole human race, his sin affected all future generations (Rom. 5:12–21). Associated with this guilt is a corrupted nature passed from Adam to all his descendants. Out of this perverted nature arise all the sins that people commit (Matt. 15:19); no person is free from involvement in sin (Rom. 3:23).
God is holy and cannot sin (James 1:13). Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came to earth in human form, is also sinless. His perfection arises from His divine nature, as well as His human nature (1 Pet. 2:22). Although the story of the Bible focuses on the sin of mankind and God’s provision for our redemption, the angels are also described as capable of sinning. Some have fallen away from God’s service (Jude 6). But animals are not morally responsible creatures; so they cannot sin.
Mankind originally fell into sin at the temptation of Satan. As the tempter, he continues to lure people into sin (1 Pet. 5:8); nevertheless, people remain fully responsible for what they do. God is not the author of sin, but His plan for world redemption does include His dealing with the reality of sin (2 Sam. 24:1; 1 Chr. 21:1). This truth is dramatically witnessed in the death of Jesus Christ. The crucifixion happened according to God’s will; but at the same time, it was the worst crime of human history (Acts 2:23).
Sin is not represented in the Bible as the absence of good, or as an illusion that stems from our human limitations. Sin is portrayed as a real and positive evil. Sin is more than unwise, inexpedient, calamitous behavior that produces sorrow and distress. It is rebellion against God’s law—the standard of righteousness (Ps. 119:160).
Since God demands righteousness, sin must be defined in terms of mankind’s relation to God. Sin is thus the faithless rebellion of creatures against the just authority of their Creator. For this reason, breaking God’s law at any point involves transgression at every point (James 2:10).
Violation of the law of God in thought, word, and deed shows the sinfulness of the human heart. Sin is actually a contradiction to the holiness of God, whose image mankind bears. This depraved condition is called “original sin” because it comes from Adam and characterizes all persons from the moment of their birth.
The moral depravity of mankind is total in that “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7). Apart from Christ, all are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). But this does not mean that people behave as wickedly as they might, for God restrains the outworkings of the sinful heart. At times He even helps sinners to do things that conform to the law (Gen. 20:6). The corruption of sin is not developed or expressed to the same degree in every person. Neither is it expressed in the same way in any person at all times.
Sin involves the denial of the living God from whom human beings draw their life and existence (Acts 17:28); the consequence of this revolt is death and the torment of hell. Death is the ultimate penalty imposed by God for sin (Rom. 6:23).
Against this dark background of sin and its reality, the gospel comes as the good news of the deliverance that God has provided through His Son. Jesus bears the penalty of sin in place of His people (Mark 10:45). He also redeems us from lawlessness and makes us long for good works in service to God and others (Titus 2:14).
Youngblood, Ronald F. ; Bruce, F. F. ; Harrison, R. K. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville : T. Nelson, 1995
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