Doctrine of Sin

Lesson 2: Hamartiology: The Doctrine of Sin p. 24

Hamartiology comes from the Greek word "hamartia" meaning sin. Hamartiology is the study of sin.

Real repentance is sorrow for one’s sin because of the wrong done to God and the hurt inflicted upon him. This sorrow is accompanied by a genuine desire to abandon that sin. There is regret over the sin irrespective of sin’s personal consequence.

Millard J. Erickson

What is sin?

Sin is missing the mark or falling short. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).

APPROBA´TION, n. [L. approbatio. See Proof and Prove.]

1. The act of approving; a liking; that state or disposition (inclination) of the mind, in which we assent (approve/agree with) to the propriety (or conforming to) a thing, with some degree of pleasure or satisfaction; as, the laws of God require our approbation (approval or praise). It differs from approve, denoting not only the act of the mind, but an expression of the act. See

Webster, Noah. 2006. In Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education.

2 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— (Ephesians 2:1–5, ESV)

It is the most comprehensive term for moral perversity or wickedness.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it (Jer. 17:9).

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Mt. 15:18,19).

Where did sin originate?

In the heart of Lucifer, the angel who rebelled against God in heaven. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till inequity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned... (Ezek. 28:15.16).

How did sin come into the world?

It began with Eve yielding to Satan's temptation. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression (1 Tim. 2:14).

It actually entered when Adam, who was not deceived or tempted, ate of the forbid- den fruit. Wherefore, a s b y o n e man sin entered into the world, a n d death by sin; a n d so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Rom. 5:12).

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— (Romans 5:12, ESV)

Are there different kinds of sin?

Yes. there are national sins (Prov. 14:34).

Righteousness exalts a nation,

but sin is a reproach to any people.  (Proverbs 14:34, ESV)

There are personal sins (Josh. 7:20).

20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”  (Joshua 7:20–21, ESV)

There are open sins (1 Tim 5:24).

24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.  (1 Timothy 5:24–25, ESV)

There are secret sins (Ps. 90:8).

You have set our iniquities before you,

our secret sins in the light of your presence.  (Psalm 90:8, ESV)

There are presumptuous sins (Ps. 19:13).

13  Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;

let them not have dominion over me!

Then I shall be blameless,

and innocent of great transgression.

14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  (Psalm 19:13–14, ESV)

There are willful sins (Heb. 10:26).

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (Hebrews 10:26, ESV)

There are sins of ignorance (Lev. 4:2).

4 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally in any of the Lord’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them (Leviticus 4:1–2, ESV)

There is a sin of blasphemy, called the unpardonable sin (Mt. 12:31,32).

31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.  (Matthew 12:31–32, ESV

blasphēmia). n. fem. blasphemy, slander. A contemptuous, irreverent, deliberate and insolent utterance of defamation and slander.

Mills, Donald. 2014. “Blasphemy.” In Lexham Theological Wordbook, edited by Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, and Rebekah Hurst. Lexham Bible Reference Series. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

ὀνειδίζω (oneidizō). vb. to revile, reproach without justification. To censure harshly, condemn, blame, or shame without good reason.

This verb is the usual Septuagint translation of חָרַף‎ (ḥārap, “to reproach”) and indicates the activity of insulting or reviling someone

Mills, Donald. 2014. “Blasphemy.” In Lexham Theological Wordbook, edited by Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, and Rebekah Hurst. Lexham Bible Reference Series. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press

There is a sin unto death (1 Jn. 5:16).

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.  (1 John 5:16–18, ESV

What is a sinner?

One who has a sin nature. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others (Eph. 2:1-3).

One who practices sin as a way of life.

Everyone who commits (practices) sin is guilty of lawlessness; for (that is what) sin is, lawlessness... (1 Jn. 3:4 Amplified Bible).

2. (But) he who commits sin (who practices evil doing) is of the devil- takes his character from the evil one... (1 Jn. 3:8 Amplified Bible)

9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.  (1 John 3:9–10, ESV)

Does God hate sinners?

No, he loves them.

1. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (john 3:16).

2. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).

REC̵ONCI´LE, v. t. [Fr. reconcilier; L. reconcilio; re and concilio; con and calo, to call, Gr. καλεω. The literal sense is to call back into union.]

1. To conciliate anew; to call back into union and friendship the affections which have been alienated; to restore to friendship or favor after estrangement;

Webster, Noah. 2006. In Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education.

But, he hates sin.

These six things doth the Lord hate; yea seven are an abomination (shameful abhorred) unto him; a proud look (arrogant in heart), a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations (plans), feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren (Prov. 6:16-19).

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity: therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows (Heb. 1:9).

What should be the Christian’s attitude toward sin?

A. We should hate it, also.

Ye that love the Lord, hate evil... (Ps. 97:10).

O you who love the Lord, hate evil!

He preserves the lives of his saints;

he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.  (Psalm 97:10, ESV)

Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgement in the gate . . . (Am. 5:15).

B. We should lay it aside. Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run far with patience the race that is set before us (Heb. 12:1).

C. We should abstain from it. Abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thess. 5:22).

22 Abstain from every form of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:22–23, ESV)

D. We should not let it reign in us. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof (Rom. 6:12).

E. We should no longer live in it. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God for- bid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Rom. 6:1, 2).