What thoughts come to mind when you see the word sin?
For some, sin is a word loaded with guilt, shame, and fear. For others, sin is a silly, archaic word reserved for theology books. For some, the word feels intriguing or exciting. But what does this word mean for us today? And how can understanding the word help us make healthy choices for ourselves and others?
Let’s explore together.
Key Ideas:
- Sin is any action, thought, or desire that goes against our identity as God’s partners in renewing the world.
- Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we receive forgiveness, redemption, and a new life, freeing us from the guilt and shame of sin.
- To identify sin, we can ask if a choice helps us become more like Jesus, harms others, or could lead others into sin.
The First Sin
The Bible starts with God making the world and creating a paradise for the first humans. This prime real estate was a gift from God and came with only one condition—these humans could eat anything in the garden, except for the fruit of one tree in the center of the garden.
You probably know what happened next, even if you haven’t read the story. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, and God kicked them out of the garden.
Why Was Eating the Fruit a Sin?
It’s easy to struggle with this strange story because God seems overly harsh. Can you relate? It’s just one piece of fruit, so what’s the big deal?
The story tells us that the first humans lived in harmony with God, others, and creation. All that they knew was good. But the tree gave them another option—bad. Once they chose to do wrong, to sin, everything changed.
A few germs can make a person sick, and clicking on one shady email can empty your life savings. In other words, small things can make a big impact.
This story is an example of this idea. The moment people learned how to sin, they couldn’t go back to how things were. Quickly, human relationships unraveled. Adam and Eve had sons who experienced deadly conflict. Further down the family tree, conquerors set up cities built on violence.
In the beginning, it was natural to do good. But now? Doing good is a choice, and people often choose the wrong thing.
So why was eating the fruit a sin? Because it was a small act of disobedience that spiraled into a global catastrophe we still suffer from today.
What Is Sin?
Now that we’ve seen the deadly effects of the first sin, let’s pause and define sin. Sin isn’t just an especially evil choice. Even a comparatively small choice (like eating the fruit) can be a sin. So what is sin?
Let’s skip ahead in the Bible to the very end. The Bible concludes with a vision of the future, where God has brought heaven to earth as a home for renewed people. This city is a restored version of the paradise that was lost when the first people sinned. It’s full of life, peace, and eternal joy.
God’s ultimate plan for the world is the renewal of all things, and He invites us to get involved. As Jesus often illustrated through His stories, our purpose is to partner with God to make earth more like heaven—through others-focused choices. So then, what is sin? Sin is anything that doesn’t align with that purpose.
Sin Definition
Sin is any action, thought, or desire that goes against our identity as God’s partners in renewing the world.
Seems incredibly broad, right? And that can be a problem. But before going into an anxiety spiral worrying about all the ways we might be sinning, let’s take a breath and remember God’s grace.
No One Is Perfect
Everyone sins because we all have what many Christians call a “sin nature.” Basically, this means that our natural instinct is to make choices that don’t align with our purpose. But the good news of the gospel is that God sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Through His sacrifice on the cross, we’re offered forgiveness, redemption, and new life.
Paul, one of the key writers of the New Testament, teaches that we’re all guilty of sin: “... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ...” (Romans 3:23 NIV). But thanks to God’s grace, we don’t have to stay stuck in sin and guilt. When we confess our sins and put our faith in Jesus, we receive forgiveness and freedom. Paul goes on to tell us ...
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NIV
Is Sin a Big Deal to Christians?
Does God’s grace mean we’re free to keep on sinning? Of course not. Our identity is to partner with God in remaking the world, and sin just gets in the way. So we work to avoid, overcome, and kill sin in our lives and rest in God’s grace when we fall short.
3 Ways to Identify Sin
The Bible does identify a lot of specific sins, like murder, stealing, and ignoring people in need. Those sins transcend time and place. They’re true for everyone at any time. But what about the modern sin questions we ask today, like is it a sin to watch that show? Or to follow these people on social media? Or to listen to this kind of music?
We won’t find specific answers to these questions in Scripture, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find wisdom to help us identify sin. Here are three questions to ask whenever you wonder if something is a sin.
1. Is It Helping Me Become More Like Jesus?
The ultimate example of what it looks like for a human to fully embrace their purpose is Jesus, so we’re wise to follow His teachings and example. Jesus is kind, generous, forgiving, and full of grace.
During His earthly ministry, He took time to notice people the world often neglected, like people suffering from chronic illnesses or who had significant moral failings. Even though He was God, He acted with humility and treated people with respect.
But Jesus wasn’t a robotic servant. He built friendships, took time to rest, and presumably found ways to have fun and enjoy God’s creation.
If you’re wondering if something is a sin, start with Jesus. Ask yourself if the thing you’re considering will help you become more like Him.
2. Could This Potentially Harm Me or Others?
Next, we should consider the negative impact of our choices. First, consider the short term. For example, rude words could cause pain in someone’s life, and distracted driving could lead to devastating consequences.
Then, think about the long-term impacts. Some sins are private, like lustful thoughts or imagined angry conversations where we tell our coworkers what we really think about them. But these, too, take us away from our purpose. Living and loving like Jesus takes our whole lives, including our private world and thought life.
Private Sin Has Consequences
A private sin like watching porn might feel like it’s not hurting anyone, but it’s feeding a devastating addiction that can derail your relationships and distract you from your calling. In the case of pornography, the people involved are often exploited or victims of human trafficking, and viewing their content contributes to their suffering.
Scripture says that the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. What does that mean? That our speech and actions reflect our private lives. In the context of our subject, this verse is saying that private sin has public consequences.
3. Could This Lead Me or Others to Sin?
Not all sin is a sin for everyone. Sounds strange, right? In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul talks about how people have different perspectives on certain practices.
In one section, he addresses questions about meat sacrificed to idols. People in his day often asked, is it a sin to eat meat that was involved in a pagan sacrifice? Paul’s answer isn’t a yes or a no.
Instead, he says there’s nothing spooky about the meat, so it isn’t evil to eat. Yet at the same time, it could cause new believers to struggle. So, Paul recommends not eating the meat to avoid causing others to sin.
In Romans, Paul addresses a similar issue related to following Judean food requirements. In this case, Paul says that God doesn’t require people to uphold ancestral eating laws, meaning Christians can eat whatever they want. However, he also acknowledges that some people disagree and feel convicted to continue upholding their dietary restrictions as an act of worship to God. So, for Paul, eating certain meat wouldn’t be a sin, but it would be a sin for those who feel convicted.
Let’s Make This Practical
Let’s put these pieces together. Imagine you’re going out to eat at a nice restaurant with some friends. Is it a sin to order wine? Well, there’s nothing in the Bible that suggests that drinking alcohol is wrong. After all, Jesus drank wine at the Last Supper.
But what if you have a history of alcohol addiction and made a personal commitment to God and others that you’d abstain from drinking alcohol? In that case, it might be a sin for you, since you’d know that having one drink might send you back into an unhealthy addiction.
Now, imagine you’re at the same restaurant and don’t have a history of alcohol addiction. Instead, you know that one of your friends very recently struggled with alcohol and just joined an alcohol recovery support group. Would it be a sin for you to order wine? In that specific case, probably, because it would be insensitive to your friend and might cause them to relapse.
How Do We Avoid Sin?
Our purpose isn’t to avoid sin—it’s to follow Jesus.
We’re wise to ask ourselves if specific choices are a sin, but it’s unhelpful to spend all of our mental energy obsessing over every choice we make. Why? Because our purpose isn’t to avoid sin—it’s to follow Jesus. As we follow Jesus, we’ll naturally find it easier to resist temptation and embrace God’s calling for our lives.
Want Freedom From Sinful Choices?
Maybe you’re here today because you feel trapped in sin. Know that God wants to help you find freedom. He hasn’t rejected you. Instead, He’s full of grace and love for you.
If you haven’t made a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ’s gift of forgiveness and new life in Him, then your next step is to explore this article about who Jesus is with an example salvation prayer.
If you have decided to follow Jesus, lean into God’s grace and choose confession and repentance. It’s in our human nature to hide sin, but sin only gets worse in the dark. So make the brave choice to drag your sin into the light and allow God and others to support your healing process.
As you fight sin, we’d love to support you. If you’d like prayer, let us know.
If you want to find helpful, supportive people, consider joining an online or in-person small group (we call them LifeGroups).
What Does This Mean for You?
Sin isn’t just about breaking rules—it’s about how our choices affect our relationship with God and other people. Certain sins may seem small, but they can have lasting consequences.
The good news is that no sin is too big for God’s love and forgiveness. Jesus’ life and death show us what it means to live in righteousness. Through faith in Him, we’re not only forgiven but also empowered to overcome sin through His Spirit. Salvation is a gift we could never earn, but it’s freely given to anyone who believes.
Moving Forward
Where do you go from here? Start by asking God to show you the areas in your life where you’ve fallen short. Dive into the Bible to learn more about His truth and grace. And remember, you’re not alone. God is faithful to forgive, redeem, and restore every part of your life. Through Christ, you can experience the freedom and joy of living in His love and purpose for your life.
No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, God’s grace is bigger. His forgiveness is real. And His love will never fail.