Revising Examples and Illustrations for Ongoing Relevance
Sin is understood as a universal human condition, a departure from God's will that affects all people [6]. The concept of sin encompasses both an inherent corrupt nature and the commission of specific sinful acts [7].
The origin of sin is often traced to the disobedience of the first human pair, who were "beguiled" by flattering lies, leading to a "love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters" [4]. This initial act is seen as a preference for the creature over the Creator [4]. As a result, all human beings are considered to be born with a sinful nature [1]. While the wicked are said to indulge this nature, the godly are described as fighting against it [1].
Sin is not merely an accidental transgression but can involve deliberate acts committed with an "insolent" or "arrogant" attitude, which is characterized as rebellion against God [5]. The Bible describes various manifestations of sin:
- Vanity: This term can refer to "all sorts of sinful acts" [2].
- Disobedience: The act of not observing or preserving God's commands [9].
- Unrighteousness: Paul's letter to the Romans emphasizes that both Gentiles and Jews are "under sin’s power" and cannot achieve favor with God through their own actions [6].
The consequences of sin are significant. God's anger is presented not as an arbitrary emotional outburst, but as a necessary response from a holy God to human sin [6]. The Old Testament frequently depicts God's anger and foretells a decisive outpouring of divine wrath against human sin at the end of history [6].
The New Testament further develops the understanding of sin. The Apostle John states that "He that committeth sin is of the devil," contrasting this with those who "do righteousness" [3]. Augustine, in his Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, clarifies that while one can become a "child of the devil by imitating him," the devil does not "beget" or "create" in the same way God does [3]. Bengel adds that from the devil there is "not generation, but corruption" [3].
Even after conversion, individuals may still commit actual sins [7]. To claim "we have not sinned" is to make God a liar [7]. The concept of sin also includes the "corrupt old nature still adhering to us" [7]. However, those who are "in Christ" are claimed by Christ for himself, and ultimately by God [8].
The prophetic books sometimes use symbolic representations to convey the gravity and duration of sin and its consequences. For instance, Ezekiel's prophecy uses the imagery of "a day for a year" to signify the duration of punishment, drawing a parallel to earlier divine judgments [10]. This method of picturing the future through the lens of the past was intended to encourage deeper reflection and to highlight God's consistent principles across time [10].
Sources
- 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).”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 30:8: vanity--all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
- 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”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 3:23: 3:23 Just as they may now claim everything as their own, so Christ has claimed them for himself (see Rom 14:7-9), and in Christ they are ultimately claimed by God (see 1 Cor 6:19-20; 7:23).”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 5:2: regard--or, "observe." keep--preserve constantly.”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 4:6: each day for a year--literally, "a day for a year, a day for a year." Twice repeated, to mark more distinctly the reference to Num 14:34. The picturing of the future under the image of the past, wherein the meaning was far from lying on the surface, was intended to arouse to a less superficial mode of thinking, just as the partial veiling of truth in Jesus' parables was designed to stimulate inquiry; also to remind men that God's dealings in the past are a key to the future, for He moves on the same everlasting principles, the forms alone being transit”