It is the human condition. It causes both physical and spiritual death, unless we find the solution in Christ.

Let’s begin.

I.. Definitions of Sin

A. Brief intro.

In this section I draw from Moody Handbook of Theology, p. 324.

B.. It is a transgression of the law of God.

“Transgression” means to overstep or go beyond the borders==God’s boundaries.

 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? (Rom. 2:23)

[…] because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.(Rom. 4:15)

Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.(Rom. 5:14)

 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. (Gal. 3:19)

And finally,

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4)

C.. It is a failure to keep the standards of God.

As noted above, the Greek term hamartia means to miss the mark or the bullseye. It departs from the way of righteousness.

D.. It is a principle within humans.

The Greek word sarx can mean flesh, but it also can mean the sin nature.

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. […]  ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (Rom. 7:14; 23)

All people have a sin nature:

Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. (Gal. 3:22)

Sin is the power that deceives people and leads people to destruction.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (see Heb. 3:13)

Jesus says sin is a condition or character quality

As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. (John 9:4)

If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. (John 15:24)

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” (John 19:11)

E.. Sin is rebellion against the law of God.

We saw above that a Greek term for sin is anomia, which literally means “lawless.” It is lawless deeds. It is often translated as “wickedness.”

[…] Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:14)

⁷ and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless ⁸ (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) (@ Peter 2:7-8)

F.. It is wrongful acts against God and people.

Ungodliness means to fail to keep God’s command and ignore God himself

¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,  (Rom. 1:18)

Unrighteousness fails to live righteously before other people. Here are the mighty Ten Commandments.

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exod. 20:2-17)

So sin is breaking the law before God and people.

G.. Summary

Sin destroys people while they live. It degrades the soul and in some cases the body (e.g. addictions). Great news! Out of his deep love for people, God offers us a solution from this living destruction through his Son Jesus Christ.

II.. Original Sin

A.. Key Scriptures

First, let me quote Romans 5:12. Note the last clause: “because all sinned.”:

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— (Rom. 5:12).

Also, Romans 5:15 adds clarity to 5:12. Death through one man and grace (and life) through the one man, Jesus Christ was passed along.

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! (Rom. 5:15)

Death was passed on without our receiving it. We die. So some interpreters say original death, not original sin. In all of Paul’s theology God’s grace is the basis on which we stand to receive salvation by faith:

Side comment: Note the word “many.” It merely means the opposite of “few.” Paul means “everyone” or “all,” as seen in 5:12, above, and 5:18-19, below. In the NT, “many” is often interchangeable” with “all.”

Finally, let me quote Romans 5:18-19. Adam’s trespass “resulted in” condemnation for everyone. One righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Rom. 5:18-19)

Key clauses: “resulted in condemnation” and “were made sinners.” So it seems something happened to Adam and then was imputed or passed on (inherited) to all of humanity. “Condemnation” implies guilt, so some interpreters say that guilt was also passed on. Next, in Paul’s larger theology, justification has to be received by faith in Christ. So it is offered to all, but is received only by those who have faith.

I wrote a long paragraph on “made righteous,” but that’s not the point of this post on sin. Let’s move on.

But how was sin passed on? By imputation or inherited?

Let’s explore this question.

B. Definition of original sin

Here is what it means according to Reformed theologian Louis Berkhof (p. 244):

1.. Sin is rooted in the origins of the human race.

2.. Sin is present in everyone—believer or unbeliever.

3.. From the moment he was born sin is present, so it is not learned or imitated as the child grows up, though a child can practice more and more evil in a bad environment.

4.. It is the inward root of sin

5.. This root defiles the human, not just the sins he commits.

Here are the three main theories on what happened to Adam and then the transmission of his trespass to later generations, including us, if his trespass is transmitted (one theory says not transmitted).

III. Summary Table of the Three Theories on Sin

A. Brief intro.

Note the differences between inherited and imputed sin in its transmission.

B. The table

Three Theories on Sin
Aspect	Scripture	Transmission	Main Consequence	Remedy
Inherited Sin	Eph. 2:3	Generation to generation	Spiritual death	Redemption and gift of Holy Spirit
Imputed Sin	Rom. 5:12	Direct from Adam to me	Physical death	Imputed righteousness
Personal sins	Rom. 3:23 1 John 1:9	None	Loss of fellowship with God	Forgiveness from God
Adapted from Ryrie, Basic Theology, p. 263. I also borrowed from his chapters on inherited sin (36), imputed sin (37), and personal sin (38).

C. Other interpretations

It should be noted that some theologians today interpret Paul’s theology in Romans 5 differently. They believe we inherit Adam’s death, but not sin and guilt. The death principle causes us to degrade and sin, and we become guilty by our own personal sin. This seems close to Pelagianism, as described in the table and just above. They claim to have scriptural support. Maybe they would add a row in the above table to read: “Inherited Death.”

Another interpretation says that the death that Adam spread to humanity was spiritual or moral only. Death was already present in the world. They reason that all animals existed, and the predators had to eat the prey animals. Adam may have stepped on an insect in the Garden. Therefore Romans 5:12-21 is about humankind and sin and spiritual death, and not the death of nonhuman creatures.

D. My opinion

I have not made up my mind about the two tables, except I reject Pelagianism, but only if he is represented fairly. And I’m not sure imputed sin is the right one, and inherited sin may be better. I like inherited death. Perhaps I should say I believe people are born with a sin nature in need of Christ and his salvation. And for sure Christ’s imputed righteousness to believers is true.

Here is my speculative post about inheriting sin because we have a mammal nature, which we get from our ancestors or the fact of our being human:

Is Our Sin Nature Embedded in Our Mammal Nature?

The thesis of that linked post is supported with lots of Scripture. But it is speculative. If you are easily upset, then don’t click on it.

E. Honorable mention: Irenaeus’s Recapitulation

Irenaeus lived born c. 120/140, Asia Minor—died c. 200/203, probably Lyon. I don’t know where to place his wonderful idea, but since it concerns Adam. let me place it here. It teaches that Christ restores or reverses everything bad Adam did. This theory goes as far as the cosmos. Adam brought disorder into it, when Genesis 1 was about God bringing chaos into order. Christ will reverse this cosmic wrong. I don’t know if this includes new creation in Revelation 21-22, in Irenaeus’s theology, but I insert it here.

I like the idea that Christ, going through his life, burial, cross, and resurrection and ascension, reverses Adam’s fall. I don’t know much more than this, but you are certainly welcome to pursue this further.

IV.. The Results of Sin

A.. We are responsible.

Ezekiel 18:10-18 says that we ourselves are responsible for our sins, not our fathers. Yes, by virtue of being humans, we inherit our sin nature from our ancestors, but each one is responsible for his evil actions. His father will die for his own sins, and the son will die for his own sins.

B.. We are held accountable.

Jeremiah 17:10 says that the LORD himself searches the hearts and rewards each one according to their conduct and what their deeds deserve.

¹⁰ “I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.” (Jer. 17:10)

Second Corinthians 5:10 says that we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so we can receive from him what is our due, by the things done while living here in our earthly bodies. Now the believer in Jesus will not be at the judgment of those outside of faith in Christ, with the unbelievers. But both will go through judgment for their works at different judgments. The unproductive believers will have their “wood, straw, and stubble” burn away but admitted into heaven, while the unbelievers will be judged for a different eternal destiny.

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Cor. 5:10)

C.. We die because of sin.

In Genesis 2:17, in the beginning, Mankind (Adam) was told that if he ate of the knowledge of the tree of good and evil (a symbol of moral law), he would die. He ate, and he died many years later.

¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Gen. 2:17)

Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. We die because we sin, and we sin by virtue of our connection to humankind.

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)

James 1:15 presents a progression of sin. We have desires, and some of them are bad. The bad desires give birth to sin and sinful conduct. When sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

¹⁴ but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15)

D.. We cannot atone for our own sins.

Psalm 49:7-8 teaches a stark truth. No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him, because human life is so costly that no payment is ever enough; he cannot through a ransom live on forever without seeing decay. Then along came Jesus, the God-Man; he was qualified to pay the ransom.

⁷ No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
⁸ the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
⁹ so that they should live on forever
and not see decay. (Ps. 49:7-9)

In Matthew 16:26, Jesus says if a man gains the whole world, he risks forfeiting his soul. He cannot give anything in exchange for his own soul.

²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Matt. 16:26)

V. Three Effects of Sin

A. Presence of sin

Sin lives within us, whether it it is inherited from Adam, imputed to us from Adam (our federal head), or personal (we just sin). It dwells in our flesh.

We can never get raid of it or purge it out of us until we bury our present bodies and receive a new one.

B. Penalty of Sin

The penalty (wages) of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). We cannot escape our physical death or spiritual death. The penalty is deserved whether we inherited it from Adam, it is imputed to us from Adan (our federal head, or from our personal sin (we just sin).

Only Christ dying as our substitute for us can take away the penalty of sin. We should have been on the cross. But Christ took our place (substitution). He died instead of or or in place of us.

This is why substitutionary atonement is so important.

C. Power of sin

This says that sin dominates people. Whether it is addictions or sinful habits or an entire lifestyle, sin overpowers us. We can’t help ourselves.

The solution is to be filled with the Spirit and live in Christ. We are no longer under the law but under grace. Therefore sin is no longer our mister (Rom. 6:14). We don’t have to listen or obey the domination of sin. We can have victory over it.

VI.. Reflections

A.. Solution

So what is the solution? Can humans approach God their own way, without regard to God’s way of getting clean and the guilt removed? Humans must follow God’s way.

In the Old Covenant, sacrifices were offered, and the animal stood in for (substituted) for the person offering it and paid the penalty for him (Lev. 1-16).

In the New Covenant, Christ stands in for the sinner and takes the penalty. He is our substitute and absorbs our punishment that comes out of God’s justice-wrath-judgment.

So the answer is to receive Christ by faith. Pray the prayer, next.

B.. Pray

Pray this prayer:

“Father, I confess all my sins to you, because I am sinful by nature and by my actions. I have lied and stolen small or big things or time. I lust and am greedy for other people’s positions and money and sex. I have committed many other sins. But now I surrender them to you. I repent of all of them. I trust that Jesus Christ cleanses me from all unrighteousness. I proclaim him to be the Lord—and my Lord. I believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead. I surrender my entire life to you. Now take it and use it as you please. In Jesus’s name, amen.”

C.. Results

If you have prayed that prayer sincerely, you are now clean and consecrated to God. You have been transferred from light to darkness. Your old sins and addictions and habits no longer have dominion or power over you (Rom. 6:14). You can begin a new life in Christ. Read the New Testament from beginning to end. Get involved in a Spirit-filled, Bible-teaching church.

The remaining posts throughout Concise Theology expand on this simple solution.

RELATED

Sec. 5, 1 Hamartiology, Doctrine of Sin: The Basics (longer post)

2 Definitions of Sin

3 Jesus Teaches on Sin

4 Are All Sins Equal?

5 Results of Sin, Our Repentance, and God’s Forgiveness

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I drew heavily from Moody Handbook of Theology, chapter 23.

Ryrie, Basic Theology, chapters 36, 37, and 38.

Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, a section titled Man in the State of Sin.

Works Cited