How do you define “sin”?

BANDERSNATCH

Senior Member
Of course I’m stirring the pot here, but wanted you guys to consider this question. For you (only you can answer this) Is the definition of sin objective or subjective?

In other words, has anything that was a sin before Jesus came and died now no longer a sin? (I know, many “grace” people believe that if you are in Christ you can sin all you want. Lol. Bare with me here)
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Good question, maybe put another way; did the Cross redefine sin?
I'll have to think about this more. I mean all that stuff in Leviticus is confusing.

1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
First we have to define sin before we can see if Jesus/Cross/Resurrection re-defined sin.
 
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NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
The way it was explained to me growing up, "sin" is pretty much anything that's fun or enjoyable.
 

BANDERSNATCH

Senior Member
Many are okay with religion, as long as it doesn’t interfere with their lives. Bandersnatch. :)
 

BANDERSNATCH

Senior Member
1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Ding Ding Ding!!! we have a winner! lol

Yep, the only way to define sin is to look at the Law. "Sin is transgression of the law" and has never, will never, change. If something upset God in the past, it still does, as He does not change. (even though the church loves saying that He doesn't change, it believes He changed, a lot! lol)

I like a Facebook meme i saw the other day. It said something like, "You opinion of what sin is doesn't matter." You can debate it all you want; it's only defined in one place.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Ding Ding Ding!!! we have a winner! lol

Yep, the only way to define sin is to look at the Law. "Sin is transgression of the law" and has never, will never, change. If something upset God in the past, it still does, as He does not change. (even though the church loves saying that He doesn't change, it believes He changed, a lot! lol)

I like a Facebook meme i saw the other day. It said something like, "You opinion of what sin is doesn't matter." You can debate it all you want; it's only defined in one place.
Romans 14:23
But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

Scripture almost sounds like when Jesus came, he tattoed the Law within our hearts. Therefore we no longer needed a written list. We now know what sin is.

Doesn't the Great Commandment of loving God and man show that we now have the way or answer? That all the commandment are now within us to show through love?
 

BANDERSNATCH

Senior Member
Romans 14:23
But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

Scripture almost sounds like when Jesus came, he tattoed the Law within our hearts. Therefore we no longer needed a written list. We now know what sin is.

That would contradict what Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-19 The gentiles who were believing in Jesus for salvation, and who knew nothing of the Law, were being told to learn in the synagogues on sabbath. It was understood that they would learn over time. It would also make John a liar, in I Jn 5. I do believe that He writes it on our heart...as was prophecied in Jer 31:31-33
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Were there ever sins that only Jewish people could break vs only sins that Gentiles could break? I've heard because Gentiles were never in a covenant with God that we could not sin by breaking those Jewish covenant laws in the Old Testament.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
That would contradict what Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-19 The gentiles who were believing in Jesus for salvation, and who knew nothing of the Law, were being told to learn in the synagogues on sabbath. It was understood that they would learn over time. It would also make John a liar, in I Jn 5. I do believe that He writes it on our heart...as was prophecied in Jer 31:31-33
What you are leading to is that when Gentiles were grafted in to Israel's covenant, we had to start keeping their Laws. Their sin list became our sin list.
 

BANDERSNATCH

Senior Member
What you are leading to is that when Gentiles were grafted in to Israel's covenant, we had to start keeping their Laws. Their sin list became our sin list.

No, you're misrepresenting my words. No one HAS to keep the law for salvation. It is clear from scripture that faith alone saves someone. Rewards, though, are from obedience. The sin list was not Isreal's, it's God's.
 

BANDERSNATCH

Senior Member
I believe we see salvation pictured beautifully in two OT stories; the Passover and Rahab of Jericho.

Passover.

It took faith in the blood of a lamb to prevent the death of the 1st born. When the destroyer came, he just looked at the door. He didn't vet out anyone behind the door. He didn't check to see what sins were in the life. He only looked for the blood.


Rahab

Rahab believed the words of the spies, who told her that anyone in the room with the scarlet cord would be 'saved' from destruction. They didn't check to see who, or how many were in the room. didn't care what their sins were, nor what they had done that day. If they believed that the room with the scarlet cord would save them, they got inside. Rahab, though, lived 'outside the camp' and could have lived there the rest of her life. But, we see that later, after coming into covenant with the God of Isreal (like Ruth) she was allowed inside the camp, and became part of the lineage of the Messiah.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
I sorta thought it was the other way around concerning Jews and Gentiles. That when the Wall of Hostility came down.
What is Ephesians 2:14 telling us;

15by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace.

This sounds way different than Gentiles now having to keep Jewish Law. Better yet, God's Law given to the Jews. It sounds like God did this to make it easier for the Gentiles to be grafted in, not the other way around.
It was like God is saying "Hey Gentiles, welcome to the club. Oh and I've changed up all those earlier requirements, come on in!"
 

BANDERSNATCH

Senior Member
I sorta thought it was the other way around concerning Jews and Gentiles. That when the Wall of Hostility came down.
What is Ephesians 2:14 telling us;

15by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace.

This sounds way different that Gentiles now having to keep Jewish Law.

LOL and then in chapter 6 Paul tells us to keep commandment #5... :) obviously Paul, who loved the Law per Romans 7, didn't think the Law was abolished. Matter of fact, in Acts 21 he goes to great lengths to prove to people that he, too, WALKS UPRIGHT and keeps the Law. (BTW, false witnesses are still today saying the same thing about Paul, that he taught against the Law)

Jesus Himself said that He would not abolish the Law, and that it was eternal. Matthew 5:17
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Think about what Romans 11 is saying. God harden Israel's heart to allow salvation to go to the Gentiles. He gave them a long list that he knew they could not keep. Their trespass meant riches for the world, and their failure meant riches for the Gentiles.
 

BANDERSNATCH

Senior Member
What are you inferring from the word "upset" here?

probably just a loose interpretation of what sin is.... sin is "probably" things that God does not like, or would 'upset' Him. We do know that God HATES some sins....6-7 of them in particular, per scripture.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
LOL and then in chapter 6 Paul tells us to keep commandment #5... :) obviously Paul, who loved the Law per Romans 7, didn't think the Law was abolished. Matter of fact, in Acts 21 he goes to great lengths to prove to people that he, too, WALKS UPRIGHT and keeps the Law. (BTW, false witnesses are still today saying the same thing about Paul, that he taught against the Law)

Jesus Himself said that He would not abolish the Law, and that it was eternal. Matthew 5:17
Maybe Paul taught against the law and for the Law. He taught about Free will and predestination. Grace and Works. Election of a Remnant by Grace alone.
 
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