What Is Sin?

Definition of "SIN" (from merriam-webster.com)

1

a : an offense against religious or moral law b : an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible <it's a sin to waste food> c : an often serious shortcoming : fault

2

a : transgression of the law of God b : a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God

Today, the word “sin” is used in a variety of ways. It is used in songs, movies, just about everywhere. One would think that this daily hearing of the word sin would cause us to be reminded of our need for a savior. However, it appears to have the exact opposite affect. I believe we have become comfortable and complacent with the word. No doubt this is but one of the tricks of Satan.

When a person becomes complacent with something, they tend to drop their guard.

I love to watch shows that have animal experts dealing with dangerous animals.  

Steve Irwin was very entertaining as he would grapple with crocodiles that were almost twice his length and more than twice his weight. Unfortunately, he was too comfortable while swimming with a stingray and that is what took his life. He was too comfortable and swam to close. We don’t hear about many deaths from stingrays, and they do not appear to be very aggressive (if I am wrong about this, it just shows they don’t make the news often for violent attacks). We should take this event and re-evaluate the danger of complacency.

How many times do we hear people say “yeah, but we are all sinners?” It’s as though we embrace our sin as something we should do. The fact is, we “all” are sinners but what do we do about it. If there was a radiation leak and we all got cancer, would we not all seek medical attention? Yet we all have sin but we don’t look for the cure. Are we so complacent that we don’t care?

Sin is the transgression of the law of God that estranges us from God. We cannot be guilty of sin and enter into His presence. The choice is ours. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will cover our sins with the blood of Jesus. Then, and only then, can we enter into His presence.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
¹⁸ “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. ²¹ But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” –John 3:16-20