WHAT IS SIN?

REVIEW

False Evidence Appearing Real

The question is not whether fear will cause you to act... it will.

Just as only Jesus can deliver you from fear, so only Jesus can deliver you from the power of sin.

FACES OF SIN

1 John 4:18 TPT

18 Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection.

If you live in fear, you have a love problem...

INTRODUCTION

Beliefs About the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Survey respondents were asked whether they agreed (strongly or somewhat), disagreed (strongly or somewhat), or weren’t sure about a variety of statements. Here’s how those who are considered evangelicals responded to the following statements regarding basic beliefs about the person and work of the Godhead—prepare to be shocked by almost all of these:

32% agree: Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.

46% agree: God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

56% agree: Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God. (An additional 11% are not sure!)

32% agree: Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God.

51% agree: The Holy Spirit is a force but is not a personal being.

54% disagree: Even the smallest sin deserves eternal damnation.80% agree: God counts a person as righteous not because of one’s works but only because of one’s faith in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 32:5 ESV

5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

SIN

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 2632 חַטָּאָה

2632 חַטָּאָה (ḥǎṭ·ṭā·ʾā(h)): n.fem.; ≡ Str 2402, 2403; TWOT 2726b, 638e—LN 88.289–88.318 sin, wickedness, i.e., what is an offense to a moral standard (Ex 34:7; Isa 5:18+)

Isaiah 5:18 NLT

18 What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart!

INIQUITY

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 6411 עָוֹן

6411 עָוֹן (ʿā·wōn): n.masc.; ≡ Str 5771; TWOT 1577a—1. LN 88.289–88.318 sin, wickedness, iniquity, i.e., wrongdoing, with a focus of liability or guilt for this wrong incurred

TRANSGRESSIONS

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 7322 פֶּשַׁע

7322 פֶּשַׁע (pě·šǎʿ): n.masc.; ≡ Str 6588; TWOT 1846a—1. LN 39.34–39.41 rebellion, revolt, i.e., to rise up in clear defiance to authority (1Sa 24:12); 2. LN 88.289–88.318 crime, sin, offence, fault, transgression, i.e., what is contrary to a standard, human or divine, with a focus on the rebellious nature of the sin (Ge 50:17

Sin is not the human condition, rather it is the exact opposite. You must have a real relationship with Jesus via the Holy Spirit; one based upon a deep revelatory understanding of the blood of Jesus and the finished work on the cross. Only will this allow you to bring your darkest secrets into the light of God’s love. Only this will allow you to question your every motivation without at once questioning your worth as child of God.

Look at the 10 commandments; half show ways to fail to love God, and half show ways to fail to love people. The law has a horizontal and vertical aspect, as does the cross.

Consider Joseph’s encounter with Potiphar’s wife:

Genesis 39:6–9 NLT

6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, 7 and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. 8 But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. 9 No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

Joseph expresses that his sin against Potiphar would be a sin against God. As all sins, whether directly against God or another person, are a sin against the divine standard of love.

Matthew 10:16 NLT

16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.

How we are to respond to wolves (sin damaged human beings.)

Luke 3:14 NLT

14 “What should we do?” asked some soldiers. John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”

Galatians 5:19–23 NLT

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

You can’t sin against an inanimate object. You sin against beings, divine or otherwise.

7 N.T. WORDS FOR SIN

Contrary to many modern teachings, all sin is not the same in the New Testament. There are at least 7 different Greek words for sin, each one having a different shade of meaning. This subject is so large that we only have space, in one devotion, to introduce the Greek words for sin:

ONE "HAMARTIA"

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 266. ἁμαρτία

266. ἁμαρτία hamartia, ham-ar-tee´-ah; from 264; sin (prop. abstr.):—offence, sin (-ful).

"To miss the mark", as in archery competition, and therefore fail to receive the prize, or blessing. This is the general Greek word for sin, and is used 221 times. "Hamartia" encompasses the other 6 words for specific sins, in the sense that in all types of sin, we are "missing the mark".

Hebrews 12:1 NLT

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

TWO - “HETTEMA”

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 2275. ἥττημα

2275. ἥττημα hēttēma, hayt´-tay-mah; from 2274; a deterioration, i.e. (obj.) failure or (subj.) loss:—diminishing, fault.

1 Corinthians 6:7 The Message

7 These court cases are an ugly blot on your community. Wouldn’t it be far better to just take it, to let yourselves be wronged and forget it?

Hettema - Ugly Blot

Placing emphasis on the things that please God bring Hias wonderful blessings into our life. Especially Americans, who are obsessive about personal rights and privileges, often at the expense of corporate responsibility.

3. "Paraptoma"

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 3900. παράπτωμα

3900. παράπτωμα paraptōma, par-ap´-to-mah; from 3895; a side-slip (lapse or deviation), i.e. (unintentional) error or (wilful) transgression:—fall, fault, offence, sin, trespass.

A FORM OF:

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 3895. παραπίπτω

3895. παραπίπτω parapiptō, par-ap-ip´-to; from 3844 and 4098; to fall aside, i.e. (fig.) to apostatize:—fall away.

FOUR - “AGNOEMA”

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) 52 ἀγνόημα

52 ἀγνόημα (agnoēma), ατος (atos), τό (to): n.neu.; ≡ Str 51; TDNT 1.115—LN 88.302 sin committed in ignorance (Heb 9:7+)

Hebrews 9:7 NLT

7 But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

FIVE - “PARAKOE”

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 3876. παρακοή

3876. παρακοή parakŏē, par-ak-ŏ-ay´; from 3878; inattention, i.e. (by impl.) disobedience:—disobedience.

Willful disobedience. “well, God will forgive me, though I know it’s wrong. This is why we MUST bring every thought captive to the Lordship of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:6 NLT

6 And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.

KJV = "disobedient" In this passage;

2 Timothy 4:3 NLT

3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

SIX - “PARABASIS”

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 3847. παράβασις

3847. παράβασις parabasis, par-ab´-as-is; from 3845; violation:—breaking, transgression.

Sin as an intentional act of the will to refuse truth.

SEVEN - “ANOMIA & PARANOMIA”

These 2 words are used interchangeably.

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 458. ἀνομία

458. ἀνομία anŏmia, an-om-ee´-ah; from 459; illegality, i.e. violation of law or (gen.) wickedness:—iniquity, × transgress (-ion of) the law, unrighteousness.

Lawlessness - that is to know the law, and refuse to live according that law.

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 3891. παρανομέω

3891. παρανομέω paranŏmĕō, par-an-om-eh´-o; from a comp. of 3844 and 3551; to be opposed to law, i.e. to transgress:—contrary to law.

3892. παρανομία paranŏmia, par-an-om-ee´-ah; from the same as 3891; transgression:—iniquity.

Paranomia definition is - an aphasia characterized by the incorrect naming of objects. an aphasia characterized by the incorrect naming of objects… See the full definition

Numbers 32:20–24 NLT

20 Then Moses said, “If you keep your word and arm yourselves for the Lord’s battles, 21 and if your troops cross the Jordan and keep fighting until the Lord has driven out his enemies, 22 then you may return when the Lord has conquered the land. You will have fulfilled your duty to the Lord and to the rest of the people of Israel. And the land on the east side of the Jordan will be your property from the Lord. 23 But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. 24 Go ahead and build towns for your families and pens for your flocks, but do everything you have promised.”

Titus 2:14 NLT

14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

He gave us His life. Only Jesus can free you from sin, iniquity, and lawlessness.

Just as only Jesus can deliver you from fear, so only Jesus can deliver you from the power of sin.

Religion can’t save you...

Good works can’t save you...

Trimming a bush won’t kill it, you must destroy the roots or will continue to resurface time and time again.