What is sin, and where did it come from?
Sin is any falling short of God's perfect standard, and at its root it is rebellion against God Himself. It entered the world through Adam's disobedience, it spreads to every person, and it brings death and separation. The good news is that where sin abounded, grace abounded much more in Christ.
This question arose from studying What does it mean to be made in God's image?.
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Sin is lawlessness and falling short
Sin is lawlessness: transgression of God's revealed will. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Whoever knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin: sin is both what we do against God and what we refuse to do for Him.
Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin.
It entered through one man's disobedience
Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death passed to all men, because all sinned. The woman saw that the tree was desirable, and she took it and gave it to her husband, and the world broke.
Therefore as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.
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 to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too. Their eyes were opened, and they both knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made coverings for themselves.
For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.
Its wages are death and separation
The wages of sin is death. Your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you. You were dead in your trespasses and sins, children of wrath. Sin is not a small thing; it is cosmic rebellion with cosmic cost.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
But grace abounded more
Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There is no condemnation for those in Christ.
The law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly; that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
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for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
Therefore as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; and so death passed to all men, because all sinned.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.
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