Jesus' Teachings on Sin and Human Perfectionism
Jesus' teachings on sin emphasize its pervasive nature and the human inability to escape it through self-effort. Sin is defined as any "want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God," encompassing both internal states and outward actions, whether by omission or commission [4]. It is an offense against a personal lawgiver, God, and carries the consciousness of being intrinsically vile and deserving punishment [4].
Jesus confronted the idea that some might be without sin, stating, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains" (John 9:41) [3]. This suggests that self-perceived righteousness or a claim to understanding can, paradoxically, confirm one's sinful state. The Holy Spirit, when he comes, "will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment" (John 16:8) [1].
The biblical understanding is that all human beings are born sinners [5]. This corruption of human nature means that humanity is "in the dark about the nature and perfections of God; about sin, and the consequences of it; about Christ, and salvation by him" [10]. Sin is not merely a violation of natural law but an offense against God [4]. The first sin, committed by Adam and Eve, involved a "love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters—a preference of the creature to the Creator" [6]. Deliberate sins are often committed with an "insolent or arrogant attitude," representing rebellion against God [7].
While believers do fall into sins (1 John 1:8-10), the ideal for those who abide in Christ is to be separate from sin [9, 12]. However, even after conversion, the "guilt remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and... the sin of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us" persists [9]. To claim "we have not sinned" is to make God a liar [9]. The apostle Paul extensively teaches about "universal sinfulness," asserting that both Gentiles and Jews are "equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own" (Romans 1:18–3:20) [8]. God's anger is a "holy God’s necessary response to sin" [8].
Jesus himself is presented as the perfect example, "holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners" (Hebrews 7:26) [2]. Conformity to Christ is required in holiness, righteousness, purity, love, humility, meekness, obedience, self-denial, ministering to others, benevolence, forgiving injuries, overcoming the world, and being guileless [2]. However, the New Testament also clarifies that God is not the author of sin [11].
Sources
- John “When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment; -- John 16:8”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Example of Christ, The — Is perfect -- Heb 7:26. Conformity to, required in Holiness. -- 1Pe 1:15,16; Ro 1:6. Righteousness. -- 1Jo 2:6. Purity. -- 1Jo 3:3. Love. -- Joh 13:34; Eph 5:2; 1Jo 3:16. Humility. -- Lu 22:27; Php 2:5,7. Meekness. -- Mt 11:29. Obedience. -- Joh 15:10. Self-denial. -- Mt 16:24; Ro 15:3. Ministering to others. -- Mt 20:28; Joh 13:14,15. Benevolence. -- Ac 20:35; 2Co 8:7,9. Forgiving injuries. -- Col 3:13. Overcoming the world. -- Joh 16:33; 1Jo 5:4. Being not of the world. -- Joh 17:16. Being guileless. -- 1Pe 2:21-22. Suffering wrongfully. --”
- John “Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. -- John 9:41”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sin — Is "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is "not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment,”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
- John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 1:5: And the light shineth in darkness,.... Which, through sin, came upon the minds of men; who are naturally in the dark about the nature and perfections of God; about sin, and the consequences of it; about Christ, and salvation by him; about the Spirit of God, and his work upon the soul; and about the Scriptures of truth, and the doctrines of the Gospel. Man was created a knowing creature, but, not content with his knowledge, sins, and is banished from the presence of God, the fountain of light; which brought a darkness on him, and his posterity, and which is increased in t”
- James (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on James 1:16: Do not err, my beloved brethren. For to make God the author of sin, or to charge him with being concerned in temptation to sin, is a very great error, a fundamental one, which strikes at the nature and being of God, and at the perfection of his holiness: it is a denying of him, and is one of those damnable errors and heresies, which bring upon men swift destruction; and therefore to be guarded against, rejected, and abhorred by all that profess any regard unto him, his name and glory. Do not err, my beloved brethren. For to make God the author of sin, or to charge him”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:6: He reasons from Christ's own entire separation from sin, that those in him must also be separate from it. abideth in him--as the branch in the vine, by vital union living by His life. sinneth not--In so far as he abides in Christ, so far is he free from all sin. The ideal of the Christian. The life of sin and the life of God mutually exclude one another, just as darkness and light. In matter of fact, believers do fall into sins (Jo1 1:8-10; Jo1 2:1-2); but all such sins are alien from the life of God, and need Christ's cleansing blood, without appli”