Just what is sin?
The Biblical Concept of Sin
The word “sin” occurs 446 times in 393 verses in the NKJV.
If someone who is not a Christian was to ask you, “Just what is sin?” how would you answer them?
The biblical concept of sin comes from a study of words used in both the Old and New Testaments. There are at least eight basic words for sin on the Old Testament and about twelve in the New. Together they give us the basic understanding and concept of what sin is defined as in God’s Word.
Below I have listed a few of those words used and a brief description of what sin is defined as in the Old Testament:
Chata – It’s basic meaning is missing the mark and is equivalent to the Greek word hamartano. But when you miss the mark you hit something else!
So when you miss the right mark and hit something else it equals sin.
It is not merely a passive idea of missing but also an active one of hitting. This word CHATA is used of moral evil, idolatry and ceremonial sins – Exod 20:20; Judges 20:16; Proverbs 8:36 and 19:2.
Ra – This word carries the basic meaning of breaking up or ruin. It often means calamities and is translated by the word “wicked” many times. It may indicate something injurious as well as something morally wrong – Gen3:5; 38:7 and Judges 11:27.
Pasha – The basic idea in this word is to rebel though it is usually translated by the word “transgression”. – 1 Kings 12:19; 2 Kings 3:5, Proverbs 28:21 and Isaiah 1:2.
These are just a few but they tell us that sin may take many forms, and because of the variety of words used, an Israelite could be aware of the particular form his sin took.
Sin is that which is contrary to a norm (biblical), and ultimately it is disobedience to God.
Whilst disobedience involved both positive and negative ideas, the emphasis is on the positive commission of wrong and not merely on the negative omission of good. Sin therefore was not only missing the mark, but hitting the wrong mark.
The New Testament employs at least a dozen words for sin which we will not cover all of them due to time and space but will look at a few as follows:
Kakos – meaning bad, the adverb is sometimes used of physical badness, that is, disease – Mark 1:32, but the adjective usually indicates moral badness – Matthew 21:41; 24:48.
Enochos – the word means guilty and usually denotes someone whose crime is worthy of death – Matt 5:21-22; Mark 14:64.
Harmartia – This is the most frequently used word for sin, occurring in its various forms about 227 times. When a writer wanted one inclusive word for sin, he used this one. The metaphor behind the word is again missing the mark, but, as in the Old Testament, this is not only a negative idea but includes the positive idea of hitting the wrong mark.
Agnoein – this refers to the ignorant worship of other than the true God – Acts 17:23, but such ignorance makes one guilty and in need of atonement – Heb 9:7.
There are many more words that are used to describe sin and what form it can take.
The bottom line is that sin may be defined as missing the mark, badness, rebellion, iniquity, going astray, wickedness, wandering, ungodliness, crime, lawlessness, transgression, ignorance and a falling away.
In describing sin as lawlessness – 1 John 3:4 – Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.
That is a defection away from any of God’s standards. The lack of conformity to the moral law of God.
Sin may also be defined as ultimately anything in our living that is contrary to the holy character of God our Creator.
The chief characteristic of sin is that it’s directed against God!
Sin, let us remember is terrible in the sight of our holy God. The prophet Habakkuk put it so well when he said, Hab 1:13 [You are] of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.
Finally, sin is so damaging that ONLY the death of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, can take it away – Jhn 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!