A Study on Sin

Sin: The Unseen Struggle

Bible Passages: Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8-10, James 1:14-15, Psalm 51:4, Judges 20:16, Proverbs 19:2, Genesis 37:9, Exodus 5:16, 1 Samuel 26:21, Romans 5:21, Romans 6:6, Romans 7:15-16

Summary: This sermon explores the nature of sin, its effects on our lives, and recognizing what Jesus does to restore our relationship with God.

Application: By understanding the pervasive nature of sin and the grace offered through Jesus, teens can gain insight into their own lives, learn to recognize their struggles, and find hope in the forgiveness available in Jesus.

Teaching: This sermon teaches that sin is universal and manifests in various ways; actual sin, iniquity, and transgression. This sermon focuses on the first of those which is actual sin (khata’ and hamartia). These are Hebrew and Greek translations.

How this passage could point to Christ: In the context of the Bible, sin ultimately leads to a need for redemption, which is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who atones for our sins and grants us forgiveness and a new identity in Him.

Big Idea: Recognizing and then confessing our sin leads to restoration and a deeper relationship with God, highlighting His mercy and our need for His grace in our lives.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider diving into the nuances of biblical definitions of sin in Logos, including terms like 'hamartia' and their implications. It might also be valuable to explore commentaries on Romans and 1 John for insights on sin's nature and its effects on the believer. Additionally, examining historical perspectives on confession and repentance can enrich your understanding of its relevance today.

1. Sin means “to fail” - Khata’ and Hamartia

Sin translates to the Hebrew word khata‘ and the Greek word hamartia. The most basic meaning of sin isn’t religious at all. Khata’ simply means “to fail,” or “miss the goal.”

So in the Bible, sin is a failure to fulfill a goal. But what’s the goal?

Think of life as a video game. Your objective is to level up and defeat the bad guy at the end, but sometimes you wander into traps that set you back. That's kind of like sin—you lose sight of the main quest. God’s goal for us is to experience life in abundance, like reaching the highest score. But every time we stray, we miss out on those epic upgrades! Let's keep our eyes on the prize!

But also remember Romans 3:23 states that everyone sins. This could help the listeners understand that struggling with sin is a common human experience shared by all. Emphasize the idea that acknowledging our sin is the first step toward receiving God's grace. This point can prepare the audience to approach their own struggles with humility and honesty before God.

Then there are two words translated with the English word sin. In verses 2 and 3 it is the Hebrew word chattath, meaning “sin offering.” In verse 4 it is chata, translated in the Septuagint by the Greek word hamartia, meaning “to miss the mark.” That’s all—just miss the mark. We don’t come up to God’s standard, and it is in that sense that all…

Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Ps 50:23; V 2, p 762

2. Two Ways to Fail

On page one of the Bible, we learn that every human is an image of God, a sacred being who represents the Creator and is worthy of respect. And so in this way of seeing the world, sin is a failure to love God and others by not treating them with the honor they deserve. 

 You can see this idea in the famous code of conduct given to the Israelites, the ten commandments. Half of them identify ways you can fail at loving God, and the other half name ways you can fail at loving people. And the fact that both kinds of failure are combined shows that failing to honor God is deeply connected to failing to honor people. 

Imagine you invite friends over for a pizza party, and as they arrive, you realize you forgot to order the pizza! Being told the ten commandments is like having the ultimate pizza checklist. The first half reminds us not to forget to love God, like making sure you have enough toppings. The second half? It’s all about loving your guests, just as important if you want to keep everyone happy. Without both halves, the party just won’t be the same!

This is why, in the Bible, sin against people is sin against God. Like when Joseph refuses to sleep with the wife of Potiphar, he says, “How could I sin against God?”3 In Joseph’s mind, failing to honor a human made in God’s image is a failure to love God. And so sin is a failure to be truly human. 

Unbelief is not the failure of the mind to grasp truth. It is not the unsoundness of a logical premise. It is not a bad conclusion drawn from a logical premise. It is a moral sin.6

A. W. Tozer

3. Why Do Human’s Sin?

James 1:14-15

You could explore how sin develops, using James 1:14-15 to illustrate its progression from temptation to action. Stress the importance of self-awareness in recognizing what entices and potentially ensnares us. Highlighting this can encourage vigilance in teens, empowering them to resist and step away from the cycle of sin, and seek God's help in overcoming temptations.

Remember Cain and Abel.

Their parents had just given into this beastly temptation to redefine good and evil by their own wisdom, and now Cain is faced with a similar choice. He’s jealous and angry that God has favored his brother, and so God warns him. “If you don’t choose what is good, khata’ is crouching at the door. It wants you, but you can rule over it.”

So in these stories, sin, or moral failure, is depicted as this wild, hungry animal that wants to consume humans. And we know how that story ends. 

 The Bible is trying to tell us that failed human behavior, our tendency toward self-deception, it runs deep. It’s rooted in our desires and selfish urges that compel us to act for our own benefit at the expense of others. And it leads to this chain reaction of relational breakdown. 

Imagine a high school soccer game where everyone is cheering for their favorite team. The goalkeeper, a fan favorite, lets in an easy shot, and the crowd gasps. But his friends in the stands cheer for him anyway, exclaiming, 'It's okay! You're still our hero!' It's funny how we sometimes let our personal biases cloud our judgment on right and wrong. Just like in that game, we often judge ourselves and others based on emotions rather than solid moral principles. Who knew sports could teach us about humility and the complexity of morality?

4. Jesus, the True Human

This is why in the Bible, the story of Jesus is such good news. He’s depicted as the Creator become a truly human one, who did not fail to love God and others, that is, he did not sin. And yet he took responsibility for humanity’s history of failure.

He lived for others, and he died for their sins. And he was raised from the dead to offer them the gift of his life that covers for their failures. Or in the words of the apostles, “He committed no sin, yet he carried our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to our sins and live to do what is right.”9 

And that’s the story behind the biblical word for sin. 

Picture a failed high school project that was a disaster—papers missing, glue everywhere. Then your friend steps in to save the day, finishing it and even making it a masterpiece. When you present it, everyone is amazed! That’s how Christ stepped into our messy lives: He saw our failures, took them away with His sacrifice, and raised us to new life with His resurrection, showing us grace in our chaos.

2140 The Bible says that God himself accepted the responsibility for sin; the cross is the proof that he did. It cost Jesus Christ to the last drop of blood to deal with the vast evil of the world.

Oswald Chambers (Lecturer and Missionary)

Our Response?

Psalm 51:4

Maybe delve into David's acknowledgment of sin in Psalm 51:4, where he confesses sin as an offense against God. This provides a powerful example of honest self-reflection and repentance that restores one's relationship with God. Emphasize the restorative aspect of confession and the grace offered through faith in Christ, inspiring teens to pursue a life of repentance and reconciliation with God.

You may experience pressure to fit in with friends who engage in behaviors that contradict your values. This week, take time to reflect on how the Bible defines sin—not just as 'bad behavior,' but as anything that separates you from God.

Create a list of situations where you feel tempted to compromise your values. Share this list with a trusted family member or mentor who can help you find support and hold you accountable. This will empower you to stand firm in your faith, even when it's hard to do so at home.

Were you listening?

What does the Hebrew word 'khata'' and the Greek word 'hamartia' signify about the nature of sin?

How does the sermon explain the connection between loving God and loving others?

According to James 1:14-15, what is the progression of sin from temptation to action?

How does the sermon describe Jesus in relation to sin and humanity?