What is Sin?http://www.ethne.info/what-is-sin/en-US2008-07-09T03:29:43ZSquarespace Site Server v4.1.2 (http://www.squarespace.com/)What is Sin?http://www.ethne.info/what-is-sin/2006/11/27/what-is-sin.htmlethne2006-11-28T03:02:10Z Sin is more than disobeying or ignoring the Ten Commandments. Sin is committing an act that is wrong OR not doing what is right. You may be asking, “Isn’t that a lot of stuff?”” What’s the bottom line? Sin is any failure or refusal to do what’s morally perfect or just but not as we define morality and justice but as God defines it. Since His standards are way higher than ours, the real depth of sin unfathomable.

Well most of us thought the big picture of sin was 'do not forsake the Ten Commandments.' (But realistically God gave his people more than 10 laws. He gave them at least 600) and they were to follow them wholeheartedly.) But realistically sin is not just doing what’s wrong. Just think. Here are questions to ask that might help you to determine if something is sinful:

1. Would God approve of this?
2. Is it morally perfect and righteous?
3. Does it go against my conscience?
4. Would Jesus do it?
5. Does it go against the teaching of the Bible?

Sin is an offense against God. It’s a refusal to honor Him - especially as His image-bearers. We were created in the image of God and we choose to profane him. It’s horrible in his eyes. It’s a like a son who chooses to profane the family name all over town. It’s wrong and utterly evil if your son whom you fed, clothed, and perfectly loved shows his gratitude by cursing you, disrespecting you, ignoring you, insulting you, etc.

Sin against God is ten thousand times worse than this: The Lord who knows you perfectly well and what you like to eat cooks for you. He whips up a 14 course meal with all that you need and like and instead of enjoying his goodness and provision, you choose to horde you belly on spam and poison-laced black licorice. That’s a picture of the concept but the reality and depth of sin is ten thousand times greater.

Jeremiah 2:12-13
“Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the Lord. “My people have committed two sins. They have forsaken me, the spring of living water and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Essentially every one of our sins is two-fold. We (1) reject the Lord and (2) pursue some lesser thing to satisfy us. The bible calls this evil and we do this. We sin countless times everyday. Because of sin, we will stand guilty before God and deserving of death for our crimes against Him. That is why people go to hell but if we have asked for forgiveness of our sins in Jesus Christ our Lord and choose to follow his ways then we will be forgiven of our sin and will be united with Him forever and ever.

Here’s one more ultimate picture of sin:

Isaiah 64:6
“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;
And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

Here in this passage those who knew God confessed that their sin has become like filthy rags. But the original language really bears “menstrual rags.” Here those who knew God say to the Lord that their sin and work are nothing but used tampons and maxipads. If the deeds and sin of those who knew God were like filthy tampons, consider how God views the sin of those who don’t believe in God or choose to ignore Him?

Wow, this God is pretty serious about us. It's both alarming and comforting realizing this God is really that serious about us.

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