Hamartiology - The Doctrine Of Sin

Go through what we have covered so far?

Last week Kurt talked about Humanity.

The creation of humankind in Genesis ends with these words:

Genesis 1:31 NKJV

31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

God finished creating and everything was very good!

So what happened?

Sin

That’s what happened.

Let’s talk about that.

Hamartiology - Hamartano (Greek) usually translated sin. Ology - study of.

Hamartiology - the study of sin.

Now, before we go any further I want to make it clear that we are not giving a “how to” lesson here.

The goal is not to make us all better sinners. LOL ;)

The goal is to understand: What does the Bible teach about sin?

PAPER: Through One Man - The Sin of Adam and the Righteousness of Christ

The paper touches on imputed sin, which we will talk about in a little bit, and imputed righteousness which we will touch on in Christology and Soteriology.

A. Sin: A Definition

There is no one place in Scripture that gives us a definition of sin.

What we do is look at Scripture as a whole and determine a definition from what it says about sin.

A few verses:

Proverbs 21:4; 1 John 3:4; 5:17; Romans 14:23; James 4:17

Proverbs 21:4 NASB95

4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, The lamp of the wicked, is sin.

Pride is sin.

1 John 3:4 NASB95

4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

Breaking the law is sin.

1 John 5:17 NASB95

17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

All unrighteousness is sin.

This means that anything conflicting with the nature and character of God is sin.

He has determined what is right, anything that varies from that is sin.

Romans 14:23 NASB95

23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

If we do something we believe is sin, it is sin for us.

Sin of Commission

We are to act in faith.

James 4:17 NASB95

17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

If we know what we should do and don’t do it, that is sin.

Sin of Omission.

Augustus Strong defines sin as a

“lack of conformity to the moral law of God, either in act, disposition, or state.”

Augustus Hopkins Strong, Systematic Theology (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1907), 549.

The Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms further defines sin as

“The fundamental unbelief, distrust and rejection of God and human displacement of God as the center of reality.”

Stanley Grenz, David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), 107.

1. The Old Testament Word for Sin

חָטָא (khata) which literally means to miss the mark

2. The New Testament Word for Sin

ἁμαρτάνω (hamartano) which means to miss the mark

Some have said that :

Sin is the transgression of, or lack of conformity to the law of God.

Sin is willful transgression of the law.

Sin is selfishness.

All these are true, but they don’t quite go far enough.

“Sin is the transgression of or lack of conformity to the holy character of God.”

Where does sin come from?

B. Sin: Its Origin

1. Sin did not originate with God .

God did not cause His creatures to sin or make it certain that they did.

The nature and character of God prevents Him causing sin.

There are distortions of the sovereignty of God that have Him doing this.

We must be very careful to speak where Scripture speaks and be silent where it is silent.

God is sovereign, yet He is not the author of sin.

Somehow, within His sovereignty, there is also the freedom to choose.

That’s great. We know where it didn’t come from, but where did it come from?

2. Sin originated with the choice of free creatures.

Let’s just dive right into some controversy here. :)

There are two things I believe that others may not.

Angels were created after day 1 of creation but before day 4.

Why? Because Scripture indicates that nothing was created until what we call creation week.

And the book of Job mentions the angels singing when the stars were created which took place on day 4.

The fall of Lucifer (also called Satan) did not occur until after day 7.

Why? Because when God ended creation He looked at everything He had made and He called it “very good”.

Angels are created beings and if Satan fell prior to this point how could God say it was very good?

a. Sin Began with Satan in Heaven

Ezekiel 28:15-17

Ezekiel 28:15–17 NASB95

15 “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you. 16 “By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire. 17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you.

There are things said in this passage that cannot apply to anyone but Satan or Lucifer.

Isaiah 14:14

Isaiah 14:14 NASB95

14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

Lucifer makes 5 “I will” statements in Isaiah 14.

The biggest statement was that he would make himself like the Most High.

The original sin was one of pride. This is where sin began.

b. Sin Entered Humankind with the Disobedience of Adam and Eve

Genesis 3:6-7

Genesis 3:6–7 NASB95

6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

Eve was deceived, Scripture makes that clear.

It seems that Adam was standing right there the whole time and did nothing.

He ate willingly and intentionally.

Romans 5:12, 16-19

Romans 5:12 NASB95

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—

This is what we call imputed sin.

The sin of Adam was passed on to us.

Romans 5:16–19 NASB95

16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

We will get into this over the next few weeks.

Christ dealt with the sin of Adam.

Just as Adam’s sin was imputed to us, Christs righteousness is imputed to all who beleive!

c. Sin is Passed from Parents to Child

Psalm 51:5; Ephesians 2:3; Romans 3:9

Psalm 51:5 NASB95

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

David isn’t talking about his mother being in a sinful relationship when he was conceived, he is referring to the fact that his sin nature is from birth.

Ephesians 2:3 NASB95

3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

By nature children of wrath.

Romans 3:9 NASB95

9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;

We are sinners by nature and by choice.

This is the origin of sin.

C. Sin: Its Nature

What does sin do?

Talk for a second about some

False ideas of sin.

1. Sin is a sickness

Sin can bring sickness but it is not a sickness.

Want to abdicate responsibility.

Sin is not a sickness, it is a choice.

2. Sin is an accident

Unfortunate chance happening.

oops!

Deliberate and intentional

If sin was an accident, God would be unjust in punishing sin.

3. Sin doesn’t exist

No absolutes.

You do you.

Live your own truth.

4. Sin is okay

Everyone does it.

No one is hurt.

No one knows.

5. Grace is a license to sin

Sin has consequences.

We are forgiven of sin, that doesn’t remove consequences.

False ideas. What does sin do?

Last week Kurt made it clear that God created man innocent, and sin corrupted everything.

The Manifestation of Sin

1. Self-godhood (placing oneself as the center of order and wisdom)

This is the original sin. Satan wanted to be like God.

When he tempted Eve in the garden of Eden he said “you will be like God knowing good and evil.”

2. Rebellion, betrayal of a relationship, or violation of trust

Think of Judas - his actions were all of these.

Rebellion was seen in Israel over and over again.

3. Corrupt, distorted, or crooked behavior

Sin is seen in attitudes and actions.

Attitude – such attitudes as pride, selfishness (go hand in hand, usually not 1 w/o the other), stubbornness, hatred, ect., are sinful attitudes.

Action – drunkenness, murder, stealing, ect., are sins of action.

 Both of these are sin. One is often dealt with more than the other. But it seems that attitude usually dictates the action. Along with these we can place the sinful state – we are born in a sinful state.

It is out of this sinful state that all other sins come.

4. Failure to fulfill the goal of loving God and others

(cf. the Great Two-fold Commandment)

The ten commandments are divided into two sections.

One division emphasizes man’s obligation toward God 1-3.

The other division emphasizes man’s obligation toward man 4-10.

SLIDE

This means that we are capable of sinning towards men and towards God.

Luke 15:18, 21

Luke 15:18 NKJV

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

Luke 15:21 NKJV

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

D. Sin: Its Effects

Sinners by nature and by choice.

1. Corrupts our ability to accurately reflect the image of God

This is a big deal because, as Kurt mentioned last week, we were made as the image of God!

Now that image has been corrupted.

2. Corrupts our nature

a. Every aspect of the human person is now corrupt

—perverted will, darkened intellect, dysfunctional affections, etc.—leaving the person unable on their own to refrain from sin and also to respond to God

(wholistic depravity)

1 Corinthians 2:14

1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB95

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

b. Every human is corrupt

Every human (with one important exception) is corrupt

(universal depravity)

Romans 3:23; 3:10-12

Romans 3:23 NASB95

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:10–12 NASB95

10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”

c. The corrupted nature is passed on

From one generation to another

(inherited depravity)

We talked about this earlier.

3. Given over to our own desires

which enslave us.

Romans 1:24-32

Romans 1:24–32 NASB95

24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. 28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

We see this in our culture today and have seen it throughout the centuries.

4. Forensic guilt acquired by the sins we commit

(other’s sins are not imputed to us)

2 Corinthians 5:10

2 Corinthians 5:10 NASB95

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

We will all give an accounting to God for what we have done.

5. Emotional guilt, despair, hopelessness, anxiety

Genesis 3:14-19

Genesis 3:14–19 NKJV

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” 16 To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” 17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

Several things to note here.

Pain, division, sorrow, anxiousness.

All a result of sin!

The vegetable kingdom is cursed and humankind will suffer!

6. Severed relationships

(with Yahweh, with others, with creation)

Genesis 3:8, 12-13

Genesis 3:8 NASB95

8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

The first relationship damaged by sin was that of humankind with God.

Genesis 3:12–13 NASB95

12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Immediately after that is the relationship with each other.

In God’s punishment we see the break with creation. Sweat in producing food.

7. Exile or spiritual death

(alienation from Yahweh; loss of his presence)—

Genesis 2:16-17

Genesis 2:16–17 NASB95

16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

Adam and Eve ate of it and didn’t die physically. So what did this mean?

Spiritual death = separation from God.

* Physical death becomes a problem too because of the loss of access to the Tree of Life

8. Disorder brought to the creation

Romans 8:19-22

Romans 8:19–22 NASB95

19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

Looked at Sin’s origin, nature, and effect.

Now let’s look at…

E. Sin: Its Penalty

1. What Adam and Eve were told

We just looked at this.

If you eat the fruit… you die.

That is the penalty.

That brings us to…

2. What we are told

Ezekiel 18:4

Ezekiel 18:4 NASB95

4 “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.

Not just a New Testament thing!

Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 NASB95

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Death is separation from God.

The true horror of hell is not the torment!

The true horror of hell is eternal separation from God.

Sin will be finally dealt with.

Talk about this more as we go, but let me give you an overview as we talk about…

F. Sin: Its End 

1. Satan Cast into the Lake of Fire

Revelation 20:10

Revelation 20:10 NASB95

10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The punishment of Satan is certain.

God has said it and He cannot and will not lie.

Jesus said in Matt. 25:41 that this everlasting fire was prepared for the devil and his angels.

The one who first rebelled against God will be finally and fully dealt with.

We like that. But that brings is to something we don’t like.

2. Sinners Cast into the Lake of Fire

Revelation 21:8

Revelation 21:8 NASB95

8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Those who do not accept the salvation made available by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross will experience torment for eternity.

This is not something we revel in or enjoy. However, it is a Biblical truth.

Because that is true, there is a glorious reality to bear in mind.

3. The remedy for the Sin of Man is the Death of Christ

Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7

Romans 5:10 NASB95

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

We are reconciled to God by the death of Christ!

We are saved by His life!

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB95

21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

He became sin for us so we could be the righteousness of God in Him!

Ephesians 1:7 NASB95

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

Redemption through His blood!

Sin forgiven!

Why? How?

Because of His grace!

4. All Sin and Opposition Ultimately Will be Put Down

1 Corinthians 15:24-25

1 Corinthians 15:24–25 NASB95

24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.

There is coming a day when everything will be put under Jesus’ feet.

Sin may seem to have its way, and right now it does.

But the day of sins reign is rapidly drawing to a close. We look forward to the day when sin will not have dominion because Jesus Christ will be on His throne!

5. Death Will be Destroyed

1 Corinthians 15:26

1 Corinthians 15:26 NASB95

26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

This is accomplished by Jesus Christ.

Death was never intended to be a part of God’s creation.

It is a result of the fall and as such will be done away with along with all other results of the fall.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Sin is an unwelcome intruder into God’s creation.

There is coming a day when God will fully and finally deal with sin.

For now we live in faithful obedience and eager anticipation for that coming day.