Sin

What is sin?

In order to understand what wrongdoing is, we must uncover what “right-doing” is. We cannot hope to come up with a definition of wrong if there is no right by which we can compare it

Shalom:

“In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight - a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.”

Not the Way its Supposed to be. 10.

Shalom is what God saw when He said “It is good”

Definition of Sin: Anything that spoils the shalomic will of God in any way.

Sin makes you an enemy of God (v. 4)

Puts the sinner at enmity with God because it is a rejection of God’s will.

All sin has first and finally a Godward force. ... Sin is a culpable and personal affront to a personal God.

Not the Way its Supposed to Be, (13)

Different terms for sin used in Psalm 51

Transgression: The action of going beyond or overstepping some moral boundary or limit

Iniquity: Implies some sort of twisted-ness

Where is sin?

Where might I find sin?

Actionable sin : (v. 3, 4, 9)

The actions that we do that actively work against shalom.

Human nature (v. 2, 5)

We are at our very essence sinners. We are born with the innate desire to subvert shalom and rebel against God’s will.

Examples: Crying as a baby, stealing when young

Institutionalized sin

Every structure that we touch is defined by sin. Sin is an inherent part of humanity.

Examples

The lottery to a person with a gambling problem

Our cultures ability to say that we must give in to every desire

Racism, xenophobia

What does God do about Sin?

Washes away sin (1, 2, 7)

Jesus’ blood on the cross cleanses the sinner

God answers the marring effect of actionable sin.

He forgives us.

Delivers from bloodguiltiness (8, 10, 14)

His sacrifice in death delivers me from being merely a sinful creature doomed to die

God gives the sinner a “new heart” (v. 10)

God fixes the effects of the sin nature

Reconciles all of creation (18, 19)

His defeat of death destroys the effect of sin that is built into our very existence.

Removes the stranglehold grip of institutionalized sin.

We may live in the already but not yet, but sin has been defeated!