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What is
sin?
Sin is the breaking of God's law. If God says "Do not lie" and you
lie, then you have broken His law and sinned. When you sin, you
offend God because it is His law that you have broken. Also, the
reason God says to not lie, not cheat, etc., is because these laws
reflect the moral purity of His nature. Therefore, the Law is a
reflection of the character of God. It is wrong to lie because God
cannot lie. It is wrong to steal because God cannot steal, etc.
The moral law is not arbitrary. It is based on God's holiness.
The law, then, is a standard of moral purity. The
Old Testament contains the Law of God. It
is a perfect standard because it is God's standard. When we fail
to keep the law, we sin. When we sin, we offend God. This
offense against God results in a judgment. Laws are laws because
they have penalties. There is no law without
a penalty. Therefore, breaking God's law brings
judgment which is separation from God. "But your sins have made
a separation between you and your God," (Isaiah 59:2). And,
"the wages of sin is death..." (Rom. 6:23). So, to sin, to
break God's law, results in judgment. The judgment is known as
damnation which is the righteous judgment of God upon the sinner.
If God did not judge the sinner, then He is not upholding His holiness
and he would be allowing sinners to go unpunished.
Of course, Jesus came to take our place and die for our
sins (1 Pet. 2:24). This means that Jesus bore our sin in His body on the cross
and paid for them. He took the judgment upon himself. This further means that anyone
who trusts in what Jesus did on the cross will have his sins removed; he
will be saved from God's future judgment.
So, replying to the question "What is sin?" is best
answered by saying that it is breaking God's law. All people
have sinned. Therefore, all people are under God's judgment --
except for those who've trusted in God's provision to escape that
judgment.
Where are you? Are you in the place of God's judgment
or of salvation in Christ?
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