THERE IS NO SIN IN OUR MODERN WORLD
Sin
"Sin is any lack of conformity, active or passive, to the moral law of God. This may be a matter of act, of thought, or of inner disposition or state (Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, 578)." The theological term for the study if sin is hamartiology from the Greek hamartia for sin, error, or missing the mark. The Apostle Paul used the verb hamartano when he wrote, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
R.C. Sproul writes:
There are no precise biblical definitions of sin. That's because the bible is more concerned with the remedy to sin. This study will present Scripture in the form of a word study more so than attempt to present a definition. Like so many things we find with the LORD, understanding what sin is involves a progressive revelation.
Greek and Hebrew words for Sin
The Old Testament uses 6 different nouns and 3 verbs to describe sin:
râ râh
This term is used more than 600 times and is most often translated as "evil" or "bad". It carries the implication of something that is contrary to God's nature.
Strong's #7451
chatâ'âh
This term is used almost 300 times and is most often translated as "sin" or "offense". It carries the implication of that which is deserving of punishment.
Strong's #2403
râshâw
This term is used more than 250 times and is most often translated as "wicked". It carries the implication of something that is morally wrong.
Strong's #7563
âvôn
This term is used more than 200 times and is most often translated as "iniquity" It carries the implication of being perverse, crooked or twisted.
Strong's #5771
peshah
This term is used almost 100 times and is most often translated as "transgression" It carries the implication of rebellion.
Strong's #6588.
'âsham
This term is used more than 30 times and is most often translated as "guilty". It carries the implication of offense or trespass.
Strong's # 816
tâw âh
50 hits A primitive root; to vacillate, that is, reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causatively of both: - (cause to) go astray, deceive, dissemble, (cause to, make to) err, pant, seduce, (make to) stagger, (cause to) wander, be out of the way.
Strong's #8582
pâshah
41 hits A primitive root (rather identical with H6585 through the idea of expansion); to break away (from just authority), that is, trespass, apostatize, quarrel: - offend, rebel, revolt, transgress (-ion, -or).
Strong's #6586
shâgâh
21 hits A primitive root; to stray (causatively mislead), usually (figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress; by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel, (figuratively) be enraptured: - (cause to) go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to) wander.
Strong's #7686
PREFACE: We haven't really wiped out sin. Instead it's all been relabeled as either 'Illness' or 'Crime'. And, of course there is no forgiveness for illness and crime (but that would warrant another study: 'There is No Forgiveness in Our Modern World'). But before we launch the study/discussion about sin, I'd like to ask, "Have you said or mentioned the word 'sin' to your kids in the last month? In the last year?" --You don't need to answer here, and I'm sure that some have, just as I am sure that we could all do better in this regard. Nobody teaches about sin and few even mention it anymore.
Sin
"Sin is any lack of conformity, active or passive, to the moral law of God. This may be a matter of act, of thought, or of inner disposition or state (Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, 578)." The theological term for the study if sin is hamartiology from the Greek hamartia for sin, error, or missing the mark. The Apostle Paul used the verb hamartano when he wrote, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
R.C. Sproul writes:
"In the least transgression I set myself above the authority of God, doing insult to His majesty, His holiness,and His sovereign right to govern me. Sin is a revolutionary act in which the sinner seeks to depose God from His throne. Sin is a presumption of supreme arrogance in that the creature vaunts his own wisdom above that of the Creator, challenges divine omnipotence with human impotence, and seeks to usurp the rightful authority of the cosmic Lord (R.C. Sproul. Ethics and the Christian [1989], p. 20)."
There are no precise biblical definitions of sin. That's because the bible is more concerned with the remedy to sin. This study will present Scripture in the form of a word study more so than attempt to present a definition. Like so many things we find with the LORD, understanding what sin is involves a progressive revelation.
Greek and Hebrew words for Sin
Biblical words for sin
HebrewThe Old Testament uses 6 different nouns and 3 verbs to describe sin:
râ râh
This term is used more than 600 times and is most often translated as "evil" or "bad". It carries the implication of something that is contrary to God's nature.
Strong's #7451
7451 ra` rah from 7489; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral):-- adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease(-ure), distress, evil((- favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief(-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, + not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked(-ly, -ness, one), worse(-st), wretchedness, wrong. (Incl. feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.).
chatâ'âh
This term is used almost 300 times and is most often translated as "sin" or "offense". It carries the implication of that which is deserving of punishment.
Strong's #2403
Strong's #2403 chatta'ah khat-taw-aw' or chattacth {khat-tawth'}; from 2398; an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender:--punishment (of sin), purifying(-fication for sin), sin(-ner, offering).
râshâw
This term is used more than 250 times and is most often translated as "wicked". It carries the implication of something that is morally wrong.
Strong's #7563
7563 rasha` raw-shaw' (from 7561); morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person:--+ condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), that did wrong.
âvôn
This term is used more than 200 times and is most often translated as "iniquity" It carries the implication of being perverse, crooked or twisted.
Strong's #5771
5771 `avon aw-vone' or oavown (2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 51:5 (7)) {aw-vone'}; from 5753; perversity, i.e. (moral) evil:--fault, iniquity, mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin.
peshah
This term is used almost 100 times and is most often translated as "transgression" It carries the implication of rebellion.
Strong's #6588.
6588 pesha` peh'-shah from 6586; a revolt (national, moral or religious):--rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.
'âsham
This term is used more than 30 times and is most often translated as "guilty". It carries the implication of offense or trespass.
Strong's # 816
816 'asham aw-sham' or mashem {aw-shame'}; a primitive root; to be guilty; by implication to be punished or perish:--X certainly, be(-come, made) desolate, destroy, X greatly, be(-come, found, hold) guilty, offend (acknowledge offence), trespass.
817 'asham aw-shawm' from 816; guilt; by implication, a fault; also a sin-offering:--guiltiness, (offering for) sin, trespass (offering).
818 'ashem aw-shame' from 816; guilty; hence, presenting a sin- offering:--one which is faulty, guilty.
817 'asham aw-shawm' from 816; guilt; by implication, a fault; also a sin-offering:--guiltiness, (offering for) sin, trespass (offering).
818 'ashem aw-shame' from 816; guilty; hence, presenting a sin- offering:--one which is faulty, guilty.
tâw âh
50 hits A primitive root; to vacillate, that is, reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causatively of both: - (cause to) go astray, deceive, dissemble, (cause to, make to) err, pant, seduce, (make to) stagger, (cause to) wander, be out of the way.
Strong's #8582
8582 ta`ah taw-aw' a primitive root; to vacillate, i.e. reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both:--(cause to) go astray, deceive, dissemble, (cause to, make to) err, pant, seduce, (make to) stagger, (cause to) wander, be out of the way.
pâshah
41 hits A primitive root (rather identical with H6585 through the idea of expansion); to break away (from just authority), that is, trespass, apostatize, quarrel: - offend, rebel, revolt, transgress (-ion, -or).
Strong's #6586
6586 pasha` paw-shah' a primitive root (identical with 6585 through the idea of expansion); to break away (from just authority), i.e. trespass, apostatize, quarrel:--offend, rebel, revolt, transgress(-ion, -or).
6588 pesha` peh'-shah from 6586; a revolt (national, moral or religious):--rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.
6588 pesha` peh'-shah from 6586; a revolt (national, moral or religious):--rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.
shâgâh
21 hits A primitive root; to stray (causatively mislead), usually (figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress; by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel, (figuratively) be enraptured: - (cause to) go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to) wander.
Strong's #7686
7686 shagah shaw-gaw' a primitive root; to stray (causatively, mislead), usually (figuratively) to mistake, especially (morally) to transgress; by extension (through the idea of intoxication) to reel, (figuratively) be enraptured:--(cause to) go astray, deceive, err, be ravished, sin through ignorance, (let, make to) wander.
7691 shgiy'ah sheg-ee-aw' from
7686; a moral mistake:--error. 7692 shiggayown shig-gaw-yone' or shiggayonah {shig-gaw-yo-naw'}; from 7686; properly, aberration, i.e. (technically) a dithyramb or rambling poem:--Shiggaion, Shigionoth.
7691 shgiy'ah sheg-ee-aw' from
7686; a moral mistake:--error. 7692 shiggayown shig-gaw-yone' or shiggayonah {shig-gaw-yo-naw'}; from 7686; properly, aberration, i.e. (technically) a dithyramb or rambling poem:--Shiggaion, Shigionoth.
