and gracious love of sinners, Eph. All these CHAPTER
ings have some 8
Describing sin is a task. This may result from its parasitic nature, in that it has no separate existence but is conditioned by that which it attaches to. Yet, an image of sin’s chameleonic, derivative existence does appear in Scrip- ture.
There have been many suggestions of the essence of sin: unbelief, pride, selfishness, rebellion, moral corruption, a struggle of flesh and spirit, idolatry, and combinations of the preceding. While all these ideas are informative, none char- acterizes every sin, for example, sins of ignorance, and none adequately explains sin as a nature. Most significantly, all these ideas define sin in terms of sinners, who are many, varied, and imperfect. It seems preferable to define sin with reference to God. He alone is one, consistent, and absolute, and against His holiness the contrariness of sin is displayed.
Perhaps the best definition of sin is found in 1 John “Sin is lawlessness.” Whatever else sin is, at its heart, it is a breach of God’s law. And since “all wrongdoing is sin” ( 1 John all wrongdoing breaks God’s law. So David confesses, “Against you, you only, have I sinned” (Ps.
5
cf. Luke15:
1). Furthermore, transgression forces separation from the God of Life and Holiness, which necessarily results in the corruption (including death) of finite, dependent human na- ture. Therefore, this definition of sin is biblical, precise, and embraces every type of sin; it accounts for sin’s effects on nature and is referenced to God, not humanity. That is, we see its true nature by observing its contrast to God, not by comparing its effects among human beings.Although believers are not under the Mosaic law, objective standards still exist and can be broken (John 1 John
the many regulations in the Epistles). Because of the human inability to fulfill law, only a relationship with Christ can provide atonement to cover sin and power to live a godly life. The believer who sins must still confess and, where
Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic vol. 2 (Dallas: Dallas
Theological Seminary Press, 229-34.
introductions include Norman Geisler, Philosophy of Religion
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing 3 1 l-403, and the
liberal John Hick, Evil and the God of Love (New York: and Row, 1966).
a good summary see Erickson, Theology, on
274
CHAPTER
8
The Origin, Nature, and Consequences of SinSystematic Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective
sible, make restitution, not for absolution, but to his or her relationship with Christ. It is this faith that has always been contrary to “works righteousness” (Hab. Rom. 1: 17; Gal. Heb. so that whatever is not of faith is sin (Rom. cf. Titus 1 Heb. Therefore, sin-in believers or unbelievers, before or after the Crucifixion-is always lawlessness, and the only solution is faith in Christ.
Sin is not defined by feelings or but only by God in His law, desire, and will. This is discovered most concretely through Scripture. Although optimally the believ- er’s heart (broadly defined) can sense sin (Rom. 5; 1 John its spiritual sensitivity to good and evil requires development (Heb. The heart has been deeply wicked and can be seared (1 Tim. it can also feel false guilt (1 John For this reason, subjective feelings must never be placed above God’s objective, written Word. Yet, one must be spiritually sensitive.
The idea of sin as breaking law is imbedded in the very language of Scripture. The word group, the most important in Hebrew for “sin, carries the basic idea of “miss- ing the mark” Prov. With this idea of an objective mark or standard, it can refer to willful sins (Exod. Deut. Ps. an external reality of sin (Gen. a pattern of sin (Gen. 1 Rings errors (Lev. and the offerings required for them (Lev.
“iniquity,” from the idea of “crooked” or “twisted,” speaks of serious sins, often being paralleled with (Isa.
The verb speaks of the crossing of a boundary, and so, metaphorically of transgression (Num. Deut.
can mean wrong (Prov. 11: 10) or injustice (Prov.
In Greek, the word group carries the generic concept of sin in the New Testament. With the basic meaning of “missing the mark’ (as in it is a broad term originally without moral connotation. In the New Testament, however, it refers to specific sins (Mark Acts Gal. Heb. and to sin as a force (Rom. Heb.
moral philosophy see, for instance, Emmanuel Kant,
of the of Morals and Critique of Practical Reason. Ironically, “conscience,” such a relativized term in today’s society, derives from the
“with knowledge,” or “shared knowledge.”
may mean “branded.” criminals were branded. There- fore a seared conscience is one that acts like a criminal’s conscience and excuses sin.
Characteristics of Sin 275 Anomiu (Gk. nomos, “law,” plus the negating a),
CHAPTER
“without law,” “lawlessness,” “iniquity,” and its related terms
represent perhaps the strongest language of sin. The adjective 8 and adverb may refer to those without the Torah (Rom. 2: 12; The Origin, 1 Cor. but the word usually identifies anyone who has Nature, and broken any divine law (Matt. 1 John It is also the
“lawlessness” of 2 Thessalonians 2.
Another term for sin, is most literally translated “unrighteousness” and ranges from a mere mistake to gross violations of law. It is great wickedness (Rom. 2 Pet.
5) and is contrasted with righteousness (Rom. “overstepping,” transgression,” and its derivatives indicate breaking a standard. The word describes the Fall (Rom. cf. 1 Tim. the transgression of law as sin (James and Judas’ loss of his apostleship (Acts
“ungodliness” (the negating added to sebomui show reverence,” “to worship,” etc.]), suggests a spiritual insensitivity that results in gross sin (Jude producing great condemnation (1 Pet. 2 Pet.
The idea of sin as lawbreaking or disorder stands in stark contrast to the personal God who spoke into existence an ordered and good world. The very idea of (whether human or divine) demands order; its absence gives rise to the common and technical term “personality
CHARACTERISTICS OF SIN
Many of the facets of sin are reflected in the following characteristics drawn from the biblical record.
Sin as unbelief or lack of faith is seen in the Fall, in hu- manity’s rejection of general revelation (Rom. 1: 18 through and in those condemned to the second death (Rev. 2 It is closely connected with Israel’s disobedience in the desert (Heb. The Greek “unbelief” (Acts combines the negating a with “faith,” “trust,” “faithfulness.” Whatever is not of faith is sin (Rom. Heb. Unbelief is the opposite of saving faith (Acts 13: 39; Rom. ending in eternal judgment (John Heb.
I
Pride is self-exaltation. Ironically, it is both the desire to be like God (as in Satan’s temptation of Eve) and the rejection
and Statistical Manual of Mental 3d ed. rev. (Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association, 335-58, lists some eleven types of personality disorders.
2 76 Systematic Theology: A Pentecostal Perspective The Force and Extent
of
Sin 277CHAPTER of God (Ps. Despite its terrible price, it is worthless
8
before God (Isa. and is hated by Him (Amos ItThe Origin, deceives (Obad. 3) and leads to destruction (Prov. Nature, and Obad. 4; pernaum worse than the depravity of Sodom (Matt. It helped make the unbelief of
of Sin (Matt. Luke and stands as the antithesis of Jesus’ humility cf. Phil. In the final judgment,
the proud will be humbled and the humble exalted (Matt. 23: l-l 2; Luke 4). Although having a positive side, the Hebrew ga’on (Amos and the Greek
(James typically denote a deep and abiding arrogance. Closely related to pride, unhealthy or misdirected desire and its self-centeredness are sin and a motivator to sin (1 John 2: 15-l 7). “desire” (James used in a bad sense, leads to murder and war, and an impas- sioned “greed” or “desire to have more,” is equated with idolatry. Consequently, all wicked desire is condemned (Rom. Whether Adam’s disobedience or the believer’s loveless- ness (John 1; all conscious sin is rebellion against God. The Hebrew pesba‘ involves deliberate, pre- meditated “rebellion” (Isa. Jer. Rebellion is also reflected in (“be refractory, obstinate”; Deut. and
(“be stubborn”; Ps. and in the Greek
(“disobedience”; Eph. apostasia (“apostasy” or “rebel-
lious abandonment, defection”; 2 Thess. and (“refusal to hear,” disobedience”; Rom. 2 Cor. And so, rebellion is equated with the sin of divination, which seeks guidance from sources other than God and His Word (1 Sam.
Sin, the product of the “father of lies” (John is the antithesis of God’s truth (Ps. John 1 John From the first, it has deceived in what it promised and incited those deceived to further prevarication (John 2 Tim. 3: 13). It can give dramatic, but only temporary, pleasure (Heb. The Hebrew “unfaithfulness,” “deceit” (Lev. and the Greek “false step,” “transgres- sion” (Heb. can both signify betrayal due to unbelief.
The objective side of the lie of sin is the real distortion of the good. “Iniquity, from the idea of twisted or per- verted, conveys this (Gen. 19: 15, KJV; Ps. 3 1: 10,
Several compounds of “turn” Luke 23: 14; dia-, Acts Gal. ek-, Titus do the same in Greek, as does “crooked,” “unscrupu- lous” (Acts
In general, the biblical concept of evil encompasses both CHAPTER sin and its result. The Hebrew ra’ has a wide range of uses:
animals inadequate for sacrifice (Lev. 27: life’s difficulties
8
(Gen. the evil aspect of the tree of Eden (Gen.the imaginations of the heart (Gen. evil acts (Exod. wicked people (Gen. retribution (Gen. and God’s righteous judgment In Greek, kakos typically designates bad or unpleasant things (Acts However, kakos and its compounds can have a wider, moral meaning, designating thoughts (Mark 1 actions (2 Cor.
persons (Titus and evil as force (Rom. 1). and its word group develop strongly ethical connotations in the New Testament, including Satan as the “evil one” (Matt. 13: 19; see also Mark 4: 15; Luke cf.
1 John and corporate evil (Gal.
Sins that are especially repugnant to God are designated detestable (“abominations,” “something abominable, detestable, offensive,” can refer to the unjust (Prov. transvestism (Deut. homosexuality
idolatry (Deut. child sacrifice (Deut. and other grievous sins (Prov. 6: 9). The corresponding Greek word speaks of great hypocrisy (Luke the ultimate desecration of the Holy Place (Matt. 24: 15; Mark
and the contents of the cup held by the prostitute Babylon (Rev.
THE FORCE AND EXTENT OF SIN
As indicated throughout this chapter and in the study of Satan (chap. a real, personal, and evil force is operating in the universe against God and His people. This suggests the crucial importance of exorcism, spiritual warfare, and the like, but without the ungodly hysteria that so often accompanies these efforts.
Sin is not only isolated actions, but also a reality or nature within the person (see Eph. Sin as nature indicates the “seat,” or “location,” of sin within the person as the immediate source of sin. Negatively, it is seen in the requirement for regeneration, the giving of a new nature to replace the old sinful one (John Acts 1 Pet. This is em- phasized by the idea that regeneration is something that can happen only from outside the person Ezek.
1 Pet.
The New Testament relates the sin nature to the sarx, or “flesh.” While originally referring to the material body, Paul