Using Biblical Categories to Frame Secular Examples and Teachings
The concept of sin in biblical categories encompasses a broad range of human actions and attitudes, often framed in contrast to God's righteousness and will. Sin is not merely an isolated act but can be understood as a fundamental state of rebellion and separation from God [6, 7].
From a biblical perspective, all human beings are born with a sinful nature [2]. This inherent sinfulness is distinct from the commission of actual sins, though it leads to them [8]. 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" [5]. This foundational act established a pattern of human rebellion.
The Bible describes various manifestations of sin:
- Vanity and Idolatry: Sin can manifest as "vanity," encompassing "all sorts of sinful acts" [3]. Idolatry, specifically the worship of "images" or "idols," is also categorized as sin, with the term "teraphim" referring to such objects [1].
- Deliberate Rebellion: Deliberate sins are characterized by an "insolent" or "arrogant" attitude, with "rebellion" being identified as a "great sin" [6].
- Unrighteousness: The "word of righteousness," or the Gospel, stands in opposition to human unrighteousness. Those who are "unskilful in the word of righteousness" may rely on their own works rather than the "pure, perfect, and everlasting righteousness of Christ" [11].
- Subjection to the Devil: The Apostle John states that "He that committeth sin is of the devil," contrasting this with those who "doeth righteousness." Augustine clarifies that this does not imply a literal birth from the devil, but rather that one becomes a "child of the devil by imitating him" [4]. The devil does not generate, but corrupts [4].
The universality of sin is a key theme in Scripture. Paul argues that both Gentiles and Jews are "equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own" [7]. God's anger is presented not as an arbitrary emotional outburst, but as a "holy God’s necessary response to sin" [7].
Despite the pervasive nature of sin, the biblical narrative also emphasizes God's redemptive plan. Through Christ, believers are "claimed for himself," and ultimately "claimed by God" [9]. This subjection to the Gospel of Christ leads to glorifying God, as seen in the example of the poor saints giving thanks for the liberality of the Gentile churches [10]. The Gospel, as the "doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ," provides "good food" for believers, allowing them to "feed to the full" and find spiritual nourishment [10, 12].
Sources
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Teraphim — images; idols”
- 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).”
- 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 9:13: Whiles by the experiment of this ministration,.... That is, the poor saints at Jerusalem having a specimen, a proof, an experience of the liberality of the Gentile churches ministered to them by the apostles, first, they glorify God; by giving thanks unto him, acknowledging him to be the author of all the grace and goodness which they, and others, were partakers of; particularly for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ, of which he is the author, as God, the subject m”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 5:12: For everyone that useth milk,.... And sits down contented with the first principles of the Gospel, such as are easily taken in and digested; or makes use of the ceremonial law, as a schoolmaster to teach him the Gospel: is unskilful in the word of righteousness; the Gospel, which is a doctrine of righteousness; not of works of righteousness done by men, and of justification by them, or of a man's own righteousness; but of the pure, perfect, and everlasting righteousness of Christ: and it is called so, because it is the means of stripping a man of his own righteousn”
- Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 34:13: I will feed them in a good pasture,.... Or with good food, as the Targum: such as the fulness of grace in Christ, where believers go in and out, and find pasture; and where they may feed to the full, have bread enough, and to spare; and may draw water with joy out of the full wells of salvation: this is good food; food indeed, in opposition to that which was typical, or is imaginary; this is spiritual food, suitable to the spirits of men, brought by the Spirit of God, and relished by a spiritual man; this is savoury food, soul satisfying and soul strengthening food;”