A friend asked me to define Sin from a Christian perspective. So here goes.
The original definition of Sin is to miss the mark.
God has provided us with wisdom and guidance on how to live with greater purpose. Ever since the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Book of Genesis, He has cautioned us against living a selfish, hedonistic lifestyle.
God has provided us with wisdom and guidance on how to live with greater purpose. Ever since the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Book of Genesis, He has cautioned us against living a selfish, hedonistic lifestyle.
Jesus expanded the concept of missing the mark or point, when He admonished the Pharisees for being far too critical, self-righteous and fixated on rules and regulations.
So we have two vital aspects of life, Pleasure and Virtue, that when taken to extremes get us into trouble. Both the hedonist and the puritan are missing the point of life.
To Sin is to ignore the teaching and guidance of God in order to pursue a life of self-gratification, or even self-righteousness. We become our own god. Or we create other gods: money, success, power, authority, materialism, thrills, etc.
Oftentimes it takes self-reflection to realize that we are on a sinful path. And it's still not easy, because the norms of society can be confusing. Simply watching the behavior of "characters" on some reality TV shows can skew your perspective. After all, if those people are becoming celebrities, they're actions can't be too bad, right? But the norms of society are not the guidelines to follow if you want to avoid a sinful path.
Hopefully, most people can still recognize if they are living a hedonistic lifestyle, if they are deceitful and dishonest, if they are mean and bossy, if they are greedy and materialistic, if they are gossipy and envious. Here's a test: look at your checkbook and look at your calendar. How do you spend your money and your time? Next, what kind of words come out of your mouth? These reflections should help you determine what kind of life you lead.
Hopefully, most people can still recognize if they are living a hedonistic lifestyle, if they are deceitful and dishonest, if they are mean and bossy, if they are greedy and materialistic, if they are gossipy and envious. Here's a test: look at your checkbook and look at your calendar. How do you spend your money and your time? Next, what kind of words come out of your mouth? These reflections should help you determine what kind of life you lead.
To get an even better understanding of what sin is, we need to define another word: repent.
To repent isn't simply to confess your sins and say you are sorry. If that's all you do, you'll probably keep sinning. Many people fall into a sinful pattern, much like shampooing their hair: sin, confess, repeat.
Nope. To repent means to change direction, do a 180-degree turn. If you are walking down a sinful path, turn around and walk in the other direction. To repent is to change your life for the better.
While Jesus did point out wrongdoing from time to time, His message was more about life direction. That's why He attracted sinners. That's why He made such an impact on people like Zacchaeus the tax collector, causing him to change his ways. Jesus didn't tell Zacchaeus to stop being a tax collector. He told him to become a fair and honest tax collector.
Jesus asked us to repent and then be baptized with the Holy Spirit. He wasn't just saying, “Stop sinning.” He was offering us an alternate lifestyle: immersion in love, compassion, joy, pleasure, wisdom and purpose.
You see, the opposite of Sin isn't Virtue, it's Harmony. Sin is more a direction, than an action.
Jesus asked us to repent and then be baptized with the Holy Spirit. He wasn't just saying, “Stop sinning.” He was offering us an alternate lifestyle: immersion in love, compassion, joy, pleasure, wisdom and purpose.
You see, the opposite of Sin isn't Virtue, it's Harmony. Sin is more a direction, than an action.
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