How Do You View Sin?

Sin (noun):

God is the one who created the Divine Law. He is the Law. This is stated and shown within His Word (The Bible) because, most importantly, He is the Word (John 1:1).

To Greeks, the name is: Ἰησοῦς, which is pronounced “Yay-soos”

To Jews, the name is: Yeshua (ישוע)

To others and especially in modern times, the name is: Jesus Christ (Jesus, meaning “The Lord is Salvation”; Christ, meaning “anointed one” or “Mashiakh”/”Messiah”)

No matter what, Jesus Christ is Messiah and Savior. He is both the beginning and the end (Revelation 22:13). Yet, because of our sin “in Adam”, we needed the Messiah to come in the form of man to liberate His people from their sin – sin being a direct trangression (”going against the law”) towards God.

Jesus Christ was 100% man and 100% God.

Jesus came in the form of man in order to fulfill Old Testament prophecy and to also suffer all things that people do, so he can defeat it all.

Although Jesus was made finite, He was still Infinite in His earthly life and ministry because if He wasn’t, then His work wouldn’t have made an eternal seal of saving Grace for His elect.

Now, going back to it. What is Divine Law?

The Old Testament, of which the first 5 books of it are known to Jewish people as the Torah, is made up of 39 books. The Old Testament includes the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

The meaning of “Torah” is often restricted to signify the first five books of the Hebrew Bible  (Old Testament), also called the Law (or the Pentateuch, in Christianity). These are the books traditionally ascribed to Moses, the recipient of the original revelation from God on Mount Sinai.” (srce: Britannaca)

The Law of Moses, making up the Old Testament, was meant to be abided by perfectly. That was the way one needed to be, in order to be right with God. The Old Covenant that consisted of animal sacrifices to honor God and also many leaders, whom were commissioned to do God’s work, failed such commmission and thus God’s mission. Animal sacrifices fell short in striving to “atone” for people’s sin.

(Hebrews 10:1-18; Romans 3:20).

Yet, as we go further, you’ll see that all of this bad news leads to the Good News!

Stay with me here.

You’ll see that The New Covenant with Jesus is that of the One and Only Begotten Son of God in which He came to earth and perfectly fulfilled all of God’s will.

Old Covenant (and sacrifices) = animal sacrifices.

New Covenant (and The Sacrifice) = Jesus death for our sins.

Like I said in the beginning, a version of Yeshua is Jeshua / Jesus / Joshua, and the root of such a word means “salvation”.

But what specific sin is being referred to here?

It’s all sin.

Every. Single. Act. Of. Sin. That. Puts. One. In. Enmity. With. God.

But, what if one were to ask, “What if one lives the perfect life?”

First off, such a thing is impossible.

Secondly, for the sake of hypothetical argument, let’s say someone did live a perfect life (even though it’s impossible).

If the person in this example is not a believer in Jesus Christ (Jesus being the One who atones for sin) then who is said person a child of, if they are not a child of God through the Lord Jesus Christ?

If they’re not a child of God, they can only be a child of the enemy.

If we’re talking about direct lineage, the person in this example, would be a direct son of Adam.

If one is in Adam, one has inherited original sin and is an enemy of God due to such sin.

Imagine the words “enemy of God.”

Think about being against the One who created the entire universe.

Are you a person who is currently against the One who created the entire universe?

A single person, who is like a small, feeble spec of dust in the biggest of dust pans cannot withstand the weight and fiery of God’s wrath – in which such punishable action is just.

How can it not be?

If God is Perfect and God is Just, won’t he put away with that which is not such? (Jeremiah 18:1-9; Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 64:8; Romans 9:21).

The only source of perfection for us is Jesus Christ. We are imperfect. Jesus is perfect.

We don’t always love, but Jesus always loves. (1 John 4:19).

It’s not to say we scrap together our perfection by working our way towards Jesus Christ. No. By God’s Grace and by faith, we are given Jesus Christ.

It’s not to say, the sinner who is repenting doesn’t have accountability, in that they don’t accept that they’re a sinner.

If one were truly a repenting person, seeking to believe that Jesus needs to wash away their sins by His perfect work, he/she is actually being accountable in that such person knows the wrong being done.

It’s like he/she got to the end of a cliff while being pursued by a snake of sin and said, “Oh, I definitely got myself into trouble. I know I’ve gone too far. I know what’s ahead of me. It’s a pit of destruction…. of death. What can save me now?”

In such a state of need, Jesus allows such a person, saving Grace (if it is his elect). He swoops them up by His Grace and saves them.

One will only truly understand what needing a savior means, until one truly, desperately, and whole-heartedly gets to the point of knowing their need for a savior.

The only Savior is Jesus Christ.

So, it comes back to the following point:

Unbeliever, is your sin worth the penalty that comes with it?

Believer, is your sin worth the knowing that each of your selfish pleasures is a direct dagger of denial that penetrates the flesh of Christ? Are you recrucrifying Christ with your sin?

Unbeliever or believer, the Truth is, sin is still sin.

And yes, the most overwhelming, beautiful, and joyous reality is: Christ did die for the sins of His elect. He defeated sin, the greatest of which is death, so that those who believe in Him, may have eternal life!

Yet, believer, while you’re here on this temporal home of earth, does your falling into sin ever blindfold you to the point of not acknowledging the Truth of what Christ perfectly did in executing His Father’s Will?

It should never.

Jesus Christ is greater than the devil. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

Look to Christ!

Let me state one more, HIGHLY CRITICAL point, amongst all of this Good News though!

It comes from personal experience and is backed by Scripture verses, as well.

Any sin in your life, is NEVER going to be worth the consequence of the wrath of God against you.

Any evil in your life, cannot be outrun (as Numbers 32:23 says when Moses is talking to the tribes led by Reuben and Gad: “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.”).

See what is said towards the end in Numbers 32:23.

“You have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.”

You can never outrun your sin.

More importantly, you can never hide from God, for He knows all things (as it goes in Hebrews 4:13: “And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”).

Knowing we’ve sinned should lead us to immediate repentance in seeking forgiveness from God.

On the further thought of sin, would you dare to play with fire unless you want to get severely hurt or even end up dead? Of course not. Then, don’t play with sin.

As James says, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15).

Don’t treat your sin the way you might with texting and driving. At first, you might let it slide that texting and driving is fine. “It’s just this one time”, you say to yourself. It won’t happen again.

One thinks such words hold signifance, until they don’t, and gradually one goes on texting and driving without budging as to the vow once made to themselves before.

But after a while, such arrogance leads to foolish driving. Foolish driving leads to being a selfish driver. Being a selfish driver puts one in a terribly dangerous situation.

Until eventually, it’s no matter a game of negotiation. Rather, it’s a game of life and death because a small act of texting and driving can lead one into the grave.

Is it no different with sin?

Treat sin as you would your finger to a hot pan. If your finger gets ever-so-close to a hot pan, it immediately repulses away in order to avoid getting burned.

It’s an instant reaction.

It’s not a question as if to keep the finger on the hot pan or not. It’s an active doing to get away and get away fast!

As 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

As Hebrews 12:1-3 says, ”Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Be vigilant.

This isn’t a game.

Just as Satan through the serpent snake convinced Eve to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which caused Adam to further sin alongside Eve, gives way to show that sin is subtle.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” (Genesis 3:1)

We can’t make our sins right, nor can we overcome our sin. Only Jesus Christ makes such a thing possible!

Defend yourself by equipping your mind and heart with the Word of God.

As Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.”

So, put on the armor of God as it’s put in Ephesians 6.

The only offensive weapon in this portion of Ephesians 6 is the Sword.

The Sword = The Word of God.

And guess what!

Even Jesus came to bring a sword and not peace. Meaning, He knew His Words would bring division to those who know Truth and those who don’t.

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34)

Think about “The Sword” too. It’s an offensive weapon. An offensive weapon can hurt people.

That’s why it’s called “offensive”.

Offensive (adjective):

The Truth offends, a.k.a “hurts”, people sometimes.

It’s better to side on the way of Truth and to suffer for such a thing than to give way to sin and live in a pool of filth, which leads to the Lake of Fire (if one stays in such bondage). (cf. all of Revelation 20).

Always keep in mind that it’s better to suffer than to sin.

It’s better to run the entire race as a Christian and pray without ceasing, then to give way to the temporary pleasure of selfish sin.

As pg. 3 of the Free Grace Broadcaster pamphlet, “Godly Manhood”, a collection of scholarly writings on such a topic, Benjamin Keach in his article titled “True Godliness Described” says:

“This is True Godliness. [It is] not a bare living up to the natural principles of morality nor an historical, notional, or dogmatical knowledge of the sacred Gospel and its precepts; but a faithful conformity to the principles of the Gospel, discharging our duties with as much readiness and faithfulness towards God as towards man, so that our conscience may be kept void of offence towards both (Act 24:16). It consists in forsaking sin and loathing it as the greatest evil and in cleaving to God in sincerity of heart, valuing Him above all, being willingly subject from a principle of divine love to all His laws and appointments. Godliness makes a man say with the Psalmist, “Whom have I in heaven but thee?” (Psalm 73:25). St. Austin saith, “He loves not Christ at all, that loves him not above all.” He that entertains True Godliness is as zealous for the work of religion as for the wages of religion. Some there are who serve God that they may serve themselves upon God. However, a true Christian desires grace, not only that God would glorify him in heaven, but also that he may glorify God on earth. He cries, “Lord, rather let me have a good heart than a great estate.” Though he loves many things beside God, yet he loves nothing above God This man fears sin more than suffering, and therefore he will suffer rather than sin.”

“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:6)

The more one grows in his/her walk with Christ, the more sensitive he/she becomes to sin. Why? Because he/she knows the cost entailed! With a renewed mind and heart in Jesus Christ, there should be no desire to even sin anyways.

(1 Thessalonians 1:9; Acts 11:18)

Don’t do it for you, do it because Christ simply is the Savior. Although you’ll feel the benefit of giving your life to Christ, it’s all for his Glory anyways.

Don’t just do it for you. You won’t be able to. Do it for Jesus Christ. Because Christ and His Grace has already done it for you and will do it for you.

Sin is severe in the sight of God, yet the Perfect Savior lived the perfect life, took upon the wrath of God for His people, died, resurrected and is now seated at the right hand of God.

When believing in Christ, our case of guiltiness, transgressions, and being an enemy of God, is taken away and replaced by the case of Jesus Christ’s perfection, in that God the Father sees our case as “not guilty” when weighed against the perfection he requires, all thanks to the Grace, Mercy, and Love of Jesus Christ.

“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)