What IS Sin Anyway?

 Whether Christians or not, we are all taught by our parents what right and wrong is, good or bad. The world has adopted laws and standards for living all over the world as to what they consider right or wrong. In the United States these laws have been adapted from "Christian-Judeo" ethics, but let's simplify what sin is now. Let's make it relevant for today. So we can do away with it, once and for all. It is not an abstract. It is clear and certain in the Bible, so that no matter where you live on this planet, you can know what sin is.

-All wrongdoing is sin. 

1 John 5:17a. NIV [17] All wrongdoing is sin,...

Wherever you live in the world, whatever you do or say, if you do something that is wrong, it is sin.

-Anything not done in faith is sin.

Romans 14:23b. NIV [23b.] ...and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

What does that mean? As Christians, anything we do while not trusting in and depending upon God for is sin. 

-When you know to do good and you don't do it, that is sin also.

James 4:17 NIV [17] If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

So, sin is anything that the world or the society you live in considers wrong. It's doing anything with the absence of faith, or doing things without God. It's also knowing to do good and not doing it. 

So whatever that looks like for you, wherever you live, that's what sin is.

However, don't be deceived, go to the Bible for specifics because some things that are sin in the Bible are not sins by the world's standards. Just a word of warning. 

Now, having said that, how do we deal with sin in our lives?

-Get it out of your life QUICKLY! Don't let it settle into your life. Don't let it take "root" in your heart, your spirit.

Matthew 18:8-9 NIV [8] If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. [9] And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. 

Jesus is saying deal with sin directly and immediately. Do not let it slowly meander its way into your life. Flush it out and have nothing to do with it. It WILL destroy you. Have that mindset when sin or temptation comes around, which it will, trust me.

-Next, as part of rejecting sin, don't use any part of yourself for sin whether mind, body, or spirit:

Romans 6:11-14 NIV [11] In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. [12] Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. [13] Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. [14] For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. 

Offer your whole self to God, not sin. So awesome.

Last very important thing to mention here, do not cause others to sin because of the sin in your life.

Matthew 18:7 NIV [7] Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 

Jesus realizes that sin must come in this fallen and broken world. He knows sin will exist. Don't you be the one to bring it into people's lives. Whatever that might be, don't be that person.

Remember, "no man lives to himself, no man dies to himself." We affect and influence those around us everyday. Influence people for good, not evil.

As Christians, let this help as the Holy Spirit guides us everyday.

CONTACT ME AT: postjeff0321@gmail.com. I'd love to connect with you!!! 

If you're not a Christian yet, please read my post, "Are You Saved?" 

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Love you guys,

Jeffrey Post