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The Nature of Sin in the Life of a Believer

Sin, in its most fundamental definition, is "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" [1]. This transgression can manifest in both outward conduct and the inward state of the soul, encompassing acts of omission and commission [1]. The Bible consistently portrays sin as a violation of God's established order and an offense against a personal, moral governor [1]. For instance, 1 John 3:4 states that "whoever commits sin transgresses also the law" [4].

The nature of sin in the life of a believer is a complex topic, as believers are understood to be justified by faith, yet still capable of sinning. The concept of sin is not merely a violation of a constitutional law or a system of things, but an offense against God, who enforces His law with penalties [1]. The individual who sins is conscious that their sin is inherently vile and polluting, and that it justly deserves punishment [1].

Biblical texts describe sin in various ways: it is a transgression of the law (1 John 3:4), it is of the devil (1 John 3:8), and all unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17) [4]. Even the omission of known good is considered sin (James 4:17), and anything not done from faith is sin (Romans 14:23) [4]. The very thought of foolishness is sin (Proverbs 24:9), and the imaginations of the unrenewed heart are sinful (Genesis 6:5, 8:21) [4]. Sin is depicted as coming from the heart (Matthew 15:19), being the fruit of lust (James 1:15), and the sting of death (1 Corinthians 15:56) [4, 7]. It is rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 9:7), works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11), and dead works (Hebrews 6:1, 9:14) [4].

The origin of sin is traced back to the disobedience of Adam and Eve, who succumbed to the temptation of the devil [8]. This initial sin was not merely eating a forbidden fruit, but represented a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude, and a preference for the creature over the Creator [12]. As a result of the Fall, humanity is born in sin, with an evil heart, blinded in heart, and corrupt in ways [8]. All human beings are born sinners, though the godly are distinguished by their fight against their sinful nature, unlike the wicked who indulge it [10].

For believers, the reality of sin continues even after conversion and regeneration. While the "new birth" signifies a spiritual transformation effected by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit, leading to a new creation and newness of life [9], the presence of sin is not entirely eradicated. The apostle John addresses this directly, stating that if believers claim to have no sin, they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them (1 John 1:8) [15, 17]. This refers to the ongoing guilt from actual sins committed and the corrupt old nature that still adheres to believers [15]. To claim "we have not sinned" would be to make God a liar [15].

However, the nature of sin in a believer's life is distinct from that of an unbeliever. The one who "practices sin" is described as being "of the devil" (1 John 3:8), implying a habitual, characteristic pattern of sin [5, 6]. Augustine, as cited by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, distinguishes that while one who imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil, this is not through "proper birth" as with being "born of God" [11]. The Son of God was revealed precisely to destroy the works of the devil [5, 6].

A key aspect of the believer's relationship with sin is the concept of abiding in Christ. As 1 John 3:6 states, "Whoever abides in him does not sin" [18]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown interpret this to mean that "in so far as he abides in Christ, so far is he free from all sin" [18]. This suggests an ideal state of being, where the life of God and the life of sin are mutually exclusive, much like light and darkness [18]. Yet, the same commentary acknowledges that believers do fall into sins (1 John 1:8-10), and such sins are alien to the life of God, requiring Christ's cleansing blood [18].

Unbelief itself is identified as a significant sin [2]. John 16:9 states that the Spirit convicts the world "concerning sin, because they do not believe in me" [19]. All sin has its root in unbelief, and the most aggravated form is the rejection of Christ [19]. Unbelief proceeds from an evil heart, hardness of heart, and a disinclination to the truth [2].

Despite the ongoing struggle with sin, believers are offered forgiveness. Forgiveness of sin is a constituent part of justification, where God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law due to the work of Christ [3]. This act removes the guilt of sin and the sinner's liability to eternal wrath [3]. All sins are freely forgiven, and through this act of grace, the sinner is freed from the guilt and penalty of their sins [3]. This is God's unique prerogative and is offered to all in the gospel [3].

The struggle against sin is an ongoing reality for believers. While they are "in Christ" and claimed by God [16], they are still subject to the temptations and influences that lead to sin. The "great sin" is rebellion, and deliberate sins are committed with an insolent or arrogant attitude [13]. Paul, in Romans 1:18–3:20, emphasizes the universal sinfulness of both Gentiles and Jews, highlighting that all are under sin's power and cannot find favor with God through their own actions [14]. God's anger is a necessary response to sin, not a spontaneous emotional outburst [14].

The nature of sin in the life of a believer, therefore, is characterized by a tension: a new identity in Christ that strives for purity and freedom from sin, alongside the persistent reality of a fallen nature that can still lead to transgression. This ongoing battle necessitates reliance on Christ's cleansing work and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

Sources

  1. 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,”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Unbelief — Is sin -- Joh 16:9. Defilement inseparable from -- Tit 1:15. All, by nature, concluded in -- Ro 11:32. Proceeds from An evil heart. -- Heb 3:12. Slowness of heart. -- Lu 24:25. Hardness of heart. -- Mr 16:14; Ac 19:9. Disinclination to the truth. -- Joh 8:45,46. Judicial blindness. -- Joh 12:39,40. Not being Christ's sheep. -- Joh 10:26. The devil blinding the mind. -- 2Co 4:4. The devil taking away the word out of the heart. -- Lu 8:12. Seeking honour from men. -- Joh 5:44. Impugns the veracity of God -- 1Jo 5:10. Exhibited in Rejecting Christ. -- Joh 16:”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Forgiveness of sin — One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God (Ps. 130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to all in the gospel. (See [219]JUSTIFICATION.)”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sin — Is the transgression of the law -- 1Jo 3:4. Is of the devil -- 1Jo 3:8; Joh 8:44. All unrighteousness is -- 1Jo 5:17. Omission of what we know to be good is -- Jas 4:17. Whatever is not of faith is -- Ro 14:23. The thought of foolishness is -- Pr 24:9. All the imaginations of the unrenewed heart are -- Ge 6:5; 8:21. Described as Coming from the heart. -- Mt 15:19. The fruit of lust. -- Jas 1:15. The sting of death. -- 1Co 15:56. Rebellion against God. -- De 9:7; Jos 1:18. Works of darkness. -- Eph 5:11. Dead works. -- Heb 6:1; 9:14. The abominable thing that Go”
  5. 1 John “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. -- 1 John 3:8”
  6. I John “I John 3:8 (BSB) — The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.”
  7. James “Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, produces death. -- James 1:15”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fall of Man, The — By the disobedience of Adam -- Ge 3:6,11,12; Ro 5:12,15,19. Through temptation of the devil -- Ge 3:1-5; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14. Man in consequence of Made in the image of Adam. -- Ge 5:3; 1Co 15:48,49. Born in sin. -- Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5; Isa 48:8; Joh 3:6. A child of wrath. -- Eph 2:3. Evil in heart. -- Ge 6:5; 8:21; Jer 16:12; Mt 15:19. Blinded in heart. -- Eph 4:18. Corrupt and perverse in his ways. -- Ge 6:12; Ps 10:5; Ro 3:12-16. Depraved in mind. -- Ro 8:5-7; Eph 4:17; Col 1:21; Tit 1:15. Without understanding. -- Ps 14:2,3; Ro 3:11; 1:31. ”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: New Birth, The — The corruption of human nature requires -- Joh 3:6; Ro 8:7,8. None can enter heaven without -- Joh 3:3. Effected by God. -- Joh 1:13; 1Pe 1:3. Christ. -- 1Jo 2:29. The Holy Spirit. -- Joh 3:6; Tit 3:5. Through the instrumentality of The word of God. -- Jas 1:18; 1Pe 1:23. The resurrection of Christ. -- 1Pe 1:3. The ministry of the gospel. -- 1Co 4:15. Is of the will of God -- Jas 1:18. Is of the mercy of God -- Tit 3:5. Is for the glory of God -- Isa 43:7. Described as A new creation. -- 2Co 5:17; Ga 6:15; Eph 2:10. Newness of life. -- Ro 6:4. A spir”
  10. 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).”
  11. 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”
  12. 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.”
  13. 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).”
  14. 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”
  15. 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”
  16. 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).”
  17. 1 John (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 John 1:8: Here, I. The apostle, having supposed that even those of this heavenly communion have yet their sin, proceeds here to justify that supposition, and this he does by showing the dreadful consequences of denying it, and that in two particulars: - 1. If we say, We have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, Jo1 1:8. We must beware of deceiving ourselves in denying or excusing our sins. The more we see them the more we shall esteem and value the remedy. If we deny them, the truth is not in us, either the truth that is contrary to such denial (we lie i”
  18. 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”
  19. John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 16:9: Of sin, because they believe not on me--As all sin has its root in unbelief, so the most aggravated form of unbelief is the rejection of Christ. The Spirit, however, in fastening this truth upon the conscience, does not extinguish, but, on the contrary, does consummate and intensify, the sense of all other sins.”
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