What is Sin? Part 4

Our Idolatry is manifested in what are commonly called "sins." Wayne Grudem defines sin as "any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature" (Systematic Theology, 490). So far we have dealt with both the sinful nature we have been born into and the attitude that is underneath all sin. Now, informed of our nature and attitude, we can see why mankind so frequently does what is more commonly thought of in regards to sin, namely act sinfully. Because mankind so frequently breaks the greatest commandment which sums up the first four of the ten commandments "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30) they manifest this in the breaking of the last six: murder and hatred, adultery and lust, theft, lying and deceit, covetousness, etc... are all symptoms of the great problem. The book of James makes this very clear, imagine a person who is perfect his whole life (which we know would never happen with our sinful nature) except he commits one single sin. That man is as guilty of sin against God as the person who has violated every commandment (cf James 2:10).

Some sins are considered judgment from God for sin. Last week I discussed the flow of thought from Romans 1. Picking up after the exchange of the glory of God for worship of the likeness of man. 1:24-32 makes it very clear that God gave man up to a laundry list of sins in response to this idolatry. Whether this passage is teaching that all "sins" are judgment on our idolatrous state doesn't really matter. Clearly the biggest thing we can see is that God is displaying the corruption of the human heart in society. The sin committed against the creator is now being manifested against humankind, though still violating the Law of the Creator. What is also clear from the Bible is that, regardless of these sins being judgment upon man, these sins and their root sin will be judged for eternity apart from a substitute.

We are truly a sinful people to the core. This begins with our very nature and has no ending apart from Divine grace.