SIN

[ray]

Sin, what is it? Why is it hard to love sinner and hate the sin?

Thanks

ray

[Guest Calamity]

I think sin is basically anything/action/thought, etc. that doesn't measure up to God. He is pure Holy, so anything less is sin, I suppose. Not sure if that's a totally correct definition, but it's how I feel about it.

I also think it's sometimes hard for us to love the sinner while hating the sin, simply because we're human and let our emotions get the best of us sometimes. JMO

[One Way]

...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. -- Romans 14:23

Sin is anything done outside of faith. This means that an unsaved person is utterly sinful. Even things they do that may not be "wrong," they are usually tied to a selfish motive. A motive to benefit and please self rather than God.

Therefore, if a person isn't saved, even "good" things can be sin.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. -- 1 John 14:23

This verse is more of the same, just worded differently. The law is summed up as "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." -- Matthew 22:37-40

Therefore, only those who are regenerate have the capacity to not sin.

Even believers are guilty of continually violating these principles as given by God, but fortunately:

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Praise God for His mercy and love!!!

[hippo's hope is HIM]

The way I have had it explained to me is this:

Have you ever seen a target? When someone shoots an arrow, when it doesn't land in the middle, the bullseye, they shout "sin". Meaning that they got out of line with the bullseye.

So, anything that does not line up with the will of God, anything that makes you walk in disobediance with God, anything that makes you miss the bullseye, is sin.

Why is hard to love the sinner hate the sin? Because we are human. We enjoy just not gettting along with people opposed to loving them despite what they've done. We look for the bad things in people. To say that you love the sinner and hate the sin, means you look past the persons actions, and love them for who they are, means that you don't let your judgemental thoughts get in the way of you getting along and or loving that person.

or simply from the dictionary sin is:

1. A transgression of a religious or moral law, especially when deliberate.

2. Deliberate disobedience to the known will of God.

3. A condition of estrangement from God resulting from such disobedience.

4. Something regarded as being shameful, deplorable, or utterly wrong.

intr.v. sinned, sin

[nebula]

I also think that sin is anything that is not love.

Is it love to your neighbor to steal? Is it love to slander someone else?

No.

Is it love to use God's name as a swear word?

No.

Is it love to go without any rest?

As a college student with jobs, I can testify that it is not very loving to myself to not have had times of rest from my labor - forget that i've had no time to fit it in, but boy was I a stressed-out mess!

So, really, if you look at the things that are defined as sin, you can see how they violate love.

OUr degree of hatred, though, goes towards the degree of damage a particular sin causes.

As an example, sexual sins are a big deal because, despite what modern society tells us, they are very, very destructive. I don't have the time to go into this, but truly, there is much corruption and damage caused by these things. This is why it is so in us to feel so strongly about these.

Make sense?

[Guest Calamity]

I heard someone explaining the situation like this:

Picture God on one side of a mile-wide river. All of humanity is on the other side. Everyone takes a running big jump, trying to get to the side that God is on. Everyone falls short and gets wet.

[BoldlyProclaimingChrist]

Very plainly, sin is sickness of the soul.

[Leonard]

Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

There is a Bible answer. "Sin is the transgression of the law."

With a blessing,

Leonard, a sinenr.

[stevehut]

Have you ever seen a target? When someone shoots an arrow, when it doesn't land in the middle, the bullseye, they shout "sin". Meaning that they got out of line with the bullseye.

Someone told me several years ago that the word "sin" is an Old English word taken from archery. It literally means "to miss the mark". Hippo has it right here, I think.

[BoldlyProclaimingChrist]

You guys "learned" me today I didn't know that.