Is Sin For Real ?

Food For Thought
My Friends, Sin Is Real!

For Wicked men, who desire to continue in sin, yet affirm it is just a figment of man’s

imagination. Sin’s existence is not the result of inherited depravity,

genetic deformity, or environmental deficiency (Eze. 18:20).

Yet, sin exists. “Sin is a fact of experience,

of observation, and of revelation”.

What is sin? Sin means to miss the mark (John 1:29), to

violate one’s conscience (whether properly trained, or not

[Rom. 14:23]), to fail to do the good one should (Jam. 4:17),

to transgress the law (1 John 3:4), and to do unrighteousness

(1 John 5:17).

Here my Friends, is a list of eight basic

words in the Hebrew (Old Testament) which describe sin.

bad (Gen. 38:7), wickedness (Exo. 2:13), guilt

(Hos. 4:15), sin (Exo. 20:20), iniquity (1 Sam. 3:13), err (Isa.

28:7), wander away (Eze. 48:11), or rebel (1 Kings 8:50).

Additionally, my friends, view my lists of twelve basic words in the Greek (New

Testament). They are: bad (Rom. 13:3), evil (Mat. 5:45), godless

(Rom. 1:18), guilt (Mat. 5:21), sin (1 Cor. 6:18), unrighteousness

(1 Cor. 6:9), lawlessness (1 Tim. 2:9), transgression (Rom. 5:14),

to be ignorant (Rom. 1:13), to go astray (1 Cor. 6:9), to fall

away (Gal. 6:1), and hypocrite (1 Tim. 4:2).

The first time the word sin appears in our English Bibles

(King James Version), of the hundreds of times it does occur,

is in Genesis 4:7. The original word (in Genesis 4:7) can mean

an offense, or the offering for the offense. In this passage, it

indicates an offering which must be made because of sin; that

is, the commission of sin necessitated an offering made to

God in order for the sinner to obtain forgiveness. This is an

important Bible principle (cf. Lev. 17:11).

Sin entered the world when Adam and Eve transgressed

the plainly given command of God (Gen. 2:16-17), a command

which they both understood (Gen. 3:2-3), but which they

both disobeyed (1 Tim. 2:13-14; 2 Cor. 11:3). By Adam, sin,

and its tragic results, “entered into the world.”

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,

and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men,

for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in

the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no

law…) (Rom. 5:12-13; cf 1 Cor. 15:21-22, 45).

Sin had existed outside the world before the fall of

Adam and Eve, for Satan had sinned “from the beginning”:

“He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth

from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was

manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1

John 3:8; cf. John 8:44). Apparently, Satan was one of the angels

of Heaven, but sinned [perhaps, because of pride] (Jude 6; 2

Pet. 2:4; 1 Tim. 3:6; Luke 10:18).

His temptation of Adam and Eve, through the three

avenues of “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and

the pride of life” (Gen. 3:6; cf. 1 John 2:15-17), and their

succumbing to temptation (Jam. 1:13-16; 1 Cor. 10:13; Luke

11:14), was by their hearing, believing, and obeying a lie (Gen.

3:4)—and, resulted in their being cursed and cast forth from

the Paradise of Eden (Gen. 3:16-19, 23-24). The sad account

of the fall of Adam and Eve forcefully and vividly demonstrates

the reality of sin.

THE REACTION TO SIN

My Friends, God’s reaction to the sin of the first pair, Adam and Eve,

shows just how serious our Heavenly Father considers the

problem of sin to be. Another example of God’s reaction to sin

is in the divinely given record of events prior to the worldwide

flood in Noah’s day.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in

the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his

heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD

that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at

his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom

I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and

beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for

it repenteth me that I have made them (Gen. 6:5-7).

God’s destruction of the world by the flood, because

of man’s sin (2 Pet. 3:5), exhibits how God hates sin--it is an

abomination to Him (Pro. 6:16-18). Therefore, God has warned

man of a prepared place of perpetual punishment and pain for

the wicked (Mat. 25:41), for sin cannot abide in the presence

of God (v. 46).

My Friends, Why should not God so react? Sin destroyed the purity of

His creation, put man at enmity with Him, brought forth upon

mankind pain, sorrow, suffering, separation, and death, and finally

demanded the death of God’s Son on the cruel cross of Calvary

(Isa. 53). Yes, God hates sin, and rightfully so! While God hates

sin, He mercifully proved His great love for all men, by giving

His Son to die for sinners (1 John 2:2; John 1:29; 1 Tim. 2:4).

The “Golden Text Of The Bible” affirms the great love of

God, even for sinful man: “For God so loved the world, that he

gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Likewise,

Paul assured the Romans (and all of us):

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while

we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then,

being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from

wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we

were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much

more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And

not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus

Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement

(Rom. 5:8-11).

My Friends, We have noted, from the Scriptures, God’s reaction to sin. What is man’s reaction? Man’s reaction may be varied. See if You May know anyone like this my friends? Some (most), deny responsibility and seek to blame someone else for

their sins (Gen. 3:12-13; Exo. 32:22-24; 1 Sam. 15:15, 21). How

many lost men have you met who would truthfully admit they

were in sin? Some enjoy sin (Exo. 32:6), and revel in its pleasures

and excesses. Some are proud of sin, and even boast of their sins

to others. Some envy sinners (Pro. 23:17). While they will not

do what others do, they really WISH they could! Some tarry in

sin, “intending” some time, some how, some way, some day to

put sin behind them, and get ready for eternity, but most never

follow through on their “good intentions” (Acts 24:25).

Yes, most deny they have sinned (1 John 1:10), but notice

the good example for all given by the “prodigal” when he “came

to himself.”

And when he came to himself, he said, How many

hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and

to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to

my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned

against heaven, and before thee, And am no more

worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy

hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father.

But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him,

and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and

kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have

sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more

worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his

servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him;

and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And

bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and

be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again;

he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry

(Luke 15:17-24).

Instead of repenting of their transgressions and honestly

confessing, “I have sinned,” you may hear from them my friends, “ Well I would

repent, but: (1) He (one who wronged them) will not repent, (2) I would

be embarrassed, (3) It was just a little sin, (4) I enjoy it and want

to continue in it, (5) I am too proud to say I did wrong, (6) I do

a lot of good things, (7) Nobody saw me do it [God did], or (8) I

did not do any worse than (someone else) did!” How sad! My friends, do you Know anyone like this?

My Friends Man's reaction should be one of sorrow, shame, regret, abhorrence of

the sin committed, repentance, confession, and after seeking forgiveness,

determination to do differently, to do and be better, and to live a

holy, pure, righteous life pleasing to God—because of love for God

(1 John 5:3), and gratitude for His great grace matchless mercy and full forgiveness.

My Friends I now ask you, Is Sin For Real To You?