Sin

Sin - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Is "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is "not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment, and calls down the righteous wrath of God. Hence sin carries with it two inalienable characters, (1) ill-desert, guilt (reatus); and (2) pollution (macula).", Hodge's Outlines.

The moral character of a man's actions is determined by the moral state of his heart. The disposition to sin, or the habit of the soul that leads to the sinful act, is itself also sin (Rom. 6:12-17; Gal. 5:17; James 1:14, 15).

The origin of sin is a mystery, and must for ever remain such to us. It is plain that for some reason God has permitted sin to enter this world, and that is all we know. His permitting it, however, in no way makes God the author of sin.

Adam's sin (Gen. 3:1-6) consisted in his yielding to the assaults of temptation and eating the forbidden fruit. It involved in it, (1) the sin of unbelief, virtually making God a liar; and (2) the guilt of disobedience to a positive command. By this sin he became an apostate from God, a rebel in arms against his Creator. He lost the favour of God and communion with him; his whole nature became depraved, and he incurred the penalty involved in the covenant of works.

Original sin. "Our first parents being the root of all mankind, the guilt of their sin was imputed, and the same death in sin and corrupted nature were conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation." Adam was constituted by God the federal head and representative of all his posterity, as he was also their natural head, and therefore when he fell they fell with him (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:22-45). His probation was their probation, and his fall their fall. Because of Adam's first sin all his posterity came into the world in a state of sin and condemnation, i.e., (1) a state of moral corruption, and (2) of guilt, as having judicially imputed to them the guilt of Adam's first sin.

"Original sin" is frequently and properly used to denote only the moral corruption of their whole nature inherited by all men from Adam. This inherited moral corruption consists in, (1) the loss of original righteousness; and (2) the presence of a constant proneness to evil, which is the root and origin of all actual sin. It is called "sin" (Rom. 6:12, 14, 17; 7:5-17), the "flesh" (Gal. 5:17, 24), "lust" (James 1:14, 15), the "body of sin" (Rom. 6:6), "ignorance," "blindness of heart," "alienation from the life of God" (Eph. 4:18, 19). It influences and depraves the whole man, and its tendency is still downward to deeper and deeper corruption, there remaining no recuperative element in the soul. It is a total depravity, and it is also universally inherited by all the natural descendants of Adam (Rom. 3:10-23; 5:12-21; 8:7). Pelagians deny original sin, and regard man as by nature morally and spiritually well; semi-Pelagians regard him as morally sick; Augustinians, or, as they are also called, Calvinists, regard man as described above, spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1; 1 John 3:14).

The doctrine of original sin is proved, (1.) From the fact of the universal sinfulness of men. "There is no man that sinneth not" (1 Kings 8:46; Isa. 53:6; Ps. 130:3; Rom. 3:19, 22, 23; Gal. 3:22). (2.) From the total depravity of man. All men are declared to be destitute of any principle of spiritual life; man's apostasy from God is total and complete (Job 15:14-16; Gen. 6:5, 6). (3.) From its early manifestation (Ps. 58:3; Prov. 22:15). (4.) It is proved also from the necessity, absolutely and universally, of regeneration (John 3:3; 2 Cor. 5:17). (5.) From the universality of death (Rom. 5:12-20).

Various kinds of sin are mentioned, (1.) "Presumptuous sins," or as literally rendered, "sins with an uplifted hand", i.e., defiant acts of sin, in contrast with "errors" or "inadvertencies" (Ps. 19:13). (2.) "Secret", i.e., hidden sins (19:12); sins which escape the notice of the soul. (3.) "Sin against the Holy Ghost" (q.v.), or a "sin unto death" (Matt. 12:31, 32; 1 John 5:16), which amounts to a wilful rejection of grace.

Sin, a city in Egypt, called by the Greeks Pelusium, which means, as does also the Hebrew name, "clayey" or "muddy," so called from the abundance of clay found there. It is called by Ezekel (Ezek. 30:15) "the strength of Egypt, "thus denoting its importance as a fortified city. It has been identified with the modern Tineh, "a miry place," where its ruins are to be found. Of its boasted magnificence only four red granite columns remain, and some few fragments of others.

Sin

Sin - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

SIN, n.

1. The voluntary departure of a moral agent from a known rule of rectitude or duty, prescribed by God; any voluntary transgression of the divine law, or violation of a divine command; a wicked act; iniquity. Sin is either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not action only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God's commands or law. 1 John 3. Mat 15. James 4. Sinner neither enjoy the pleasures of nor the peace of piety. Among divines, sin is original or actual. Actual sin, above defined, is the act of a moral agent in violating a known rule of duty. Original sin, as generally understood, is native depravity of heart to the divine will, that corruption of nature of deterioration of the moral character of man, which is supposed to be the effect of Adam's apostasy; and which manifests itself in moral agents by positive act of disobedience to the divine will, or by the voluntary neglect to comply with the express commands of God, which require that we should love God with all the heart and soul and strength and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves. This native depravity or alienation of affections from God and his law, is supposed to be what the apostle calls the carnal mind or mindedness, which is enmity against God, and is therefore denominated sin or sinfulness. Unpardonable sin, or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, is supposed to be a malicious and obstinate rejection of Christ and the gospel plan of salvation, or a contemptuous resistance made to the influences and convictions of the Holy Spirit. Mat 12.

2. A sin-offering; an offering made to atone for sin. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. 2 Cor 5.

3. A man enormously wicked. [Not in use.]

4. Sin differs from crime, not in nature, but in application. That which is a crime against society, is sin against God.

SIN, v.i.

1. To depart voluntarily from the path of duty prescribed by God man; to violate the divine law in any particular, by actual transgression or by the neglect or non-observance of its injunctions; to violate any known rule of duty. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Rom 3. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned. Psa 51.

2. To offend against right, against men or society; to trespass. I an a man more sinn'd against than sinning. And who but wishes to invert the laws of order, sins against the' eternal cause.

SIN,for since, obsolete or vulgar.

Sinful - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

SIN'FUL, a. [from sin.]

1. Tainted with sin; wicked; iniquitous; criminal; unholy; as sinful men. Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity! Isa 1.

2. Containing sin, or consisting in sin; contrary to the laws of God; as sinful actions; sinful thoughts; sinful words.

Sinner - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

SIN'NER, n.

1. One that has voluntarily violated the divine law; a moral agent who has voluntarily disobeyed any divine precept, or neglected any known duty.

2. It is used in contradistinction to saint, to denote an unregenerate person; one who has not received the pardon of his sins.

3. AN offender; a criminal.

SIN'NER, v.i. To act as a sinner; in ludicrous language. Whether the charmer sinner it or saint it.

sin'-er (chaTTa; hamartolos, "devoted to sin," "erring one"): In the New Testament, in addition to its ordinary significance of one that sins (Lu 5:8; 13:2; Ro 5:8,19; 1Ti 1:15; Heb 7:26), the term is applied to those who lived in disregard of ceremonial prescription (Mt 9:10,11; Mr 2:15 ff; Lu 5:30; Ga 2:15); to those stained with certain definite vices or crimes, as the publicans (Lu 15:2; 18:13; 19:7); to the heathen (Mt 26:45; Ga 2:15; compare Tobit 13:6; 1 Macc 1:34; 2 Macc 2:48,62); to the preeminently sinful (Mr 8:38; Joh 9:24,31; Ga 2:17; 1Ti 1:9; Jude 1:15). It was the Jewish term for a woman of ill-fame (Lu 7:37; compare Mt 21:32, where it is stated that such had come even to John's baptism also). For the general Biblical conception of the term, see SIN.

M. O. Evans

Definition

The term “sin” refers to actions, thoughts, and words that are against God’s will and laws. Sin can also refer to not doing something that God wants us to do.

• Sin includes anything we do that does not obey or please God, even things that other people do not know about.
• Thoughts and actions that disobey God’s will are called “sinful.”
• Because Adam sinned, all human beings are born with a “sinful nature,” a nature that that controls them and causes them to sin.
• A “sinner” is someone who sins, so every human being is a sinner.
• Sometimes the word “sinners” was used by religious people like the Pharisees to refer to people who did not keep the law as well as the Pharisees thought they should.
• The term “sinner” was also used for people who were considered to be worse sinners than other people. For example, this label was given to tax collectors and prostitutes.

Translation Suggestions

• The term “sin” could be translated with a word or phrase that means “disobedience to God” or “going against God’s will” or “evil behavior and thoughts” or “wrongdoing.”
• To “sin” could also be translated as to “disobey God” or to “do wrong.”
• Depending on the context “sinful” could be translated as “full of wrongdoing” or “wicked” or “immoral” or “evil” or “rebelling against God.”
• Depending on the context the term “sinner” could be translated with a word or phrase that means “person who sins” or “person who does wrong things” or “person who disobeys God” or “person who disobeys the law.”
• The term “sinners” could be translated by a word or phrase that means “very sinful people” or “people considered to be very sinful” or “immoral people.”
• Ways to translate “tax collectors and sinners” could include “people who collect money for the government, and other very sinful people” or “very sinful people, including (even) tax collectors.”
• Make sure the translation of this term can include sinful behavior and thoughts, even those that other people do not see or know about.
• The term “sin” should be general, and different from the terms for “wickedness” and “evil.”

(See also: disobey, evil, flesh, tax collector)

Bible References

• 1 Chronicles 9:1-3
• 1 John 1:10
• 1 John 2:2
• 2 Samuel 7:12-14
• Acts 3:19
• Daniel 9:24
• Genesis 4:7
• Hebrews 12:2
• Isaiah 53:11
• Jeremiah 18:23
• Leviticus 4:14
• Luke 15:18
• Matthew 12:31
• Romans 6:23
• Romans 8:4

Examples from the Bible stories

• __3:15 God said, “I promise I will never again curse the ground because of the evil things people do, or destroy the world by causing a flood, even though people are sinful__ from the time they are children.”
• __13:12 God was very angry with them because of their sin__ and planned to destroy them.
• __20:1 The kingdoms of Israel and Judah both sinned__ against God. They broke the covenant that God made with them at Sinai.
• __21:13 The prophets also said that the Messiah would be perfect, having no sin. He would die to receive the punishment for other people’s sin__.
• __35:1 One day, Jesus was teaching many tax collectors and other sinners__ who had gathered to hear him.
• __38:5 Then Jesus took a cup and said, “Drink this. It is my blood of the New Covenant that is poured out for the forgiveness of sins__.”
• __43:11 Peter answered them, “Every one of you should repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that God will forgive your sins__.”
• __48:8 We all deserve to die for our sins__!
• __49:17 Even though you are a Christian, you will still be tempted to sin. But God is faithful and says that if you confess your sins, he will forgive you. He will give you strength to fight against sin__.

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0817, H0819, H2398, H2399, H2400, H2401, H2402, H2403, H2408, H2409, H5771, H6588, H7683, H7686, G02640, G02650, G02660, G02680, G03610, G37810, G39000, G42580