The Definition of Sin

In his epistle to the Romans, Paul expresses a theology of salvation through faith in Jesus. The starting point is usually that all men have sinned, and sin results in condemnation. Thus the default state for all is a state of condemnation.

This raises the question of “what is sin?”. If sin is to cause condemnation, it helps to be able to define that causation. In both Hebrew and Greek the word for sin comes from an archery term meaning “missing the mark”. But what is the mark?

In the case of Adam’s original sin, the mark was a direct command from God, not to eat of a particular tree. Under the influence of his wife, who had not been a party to the command, he ate the fruit, and thus sinned, disobeying a direct command. Paul discusses this in the latter half of Romans 5.

But in general, when Paul defines sin in the Roman epistle, he repeatedly ties it to the law. For example, at the end of the discussion in Romans 5 he says, “The law was added so that the trespass might increase” (5:20).

He says similar things earlier in the epistle. In chapter 3, after making the point that no one will be declared righteous by “works of law”, he states that, “rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” (3:20) He makes a similar point in chapter four when he says that “law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.” (4:15)

The first epistle of John makes it even clearer. “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” (I John 3:4) So for both Paul and John the definition of sin seems to be transgressing the law. The law is necessary to define sin.

This brings up an internal self-contradiction in much Christian theology. On the one hand, Christ’s death is necessary for salvation since all have sinned (transgressed the law), and are therefore condemned to eternal damnation. On the other hand, much of Christianity believes that the law is no longer in effect since the death of Christ. So we are condemned for violating a standard that doesn’t exist anymore. You can see where the problem lies.

It’s true that in Romans 2 Paul states that, “All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.” (2:12) This makes it seem that sin can be “apart from the law.” But the context makes it clear that Paul is contrasting Jews, who have knowledge of the law, and Gentiles, who generally don’t. The following verses make it clear that they both are accountable to the same standard, whether they know about it or not.

It’s a shame that many Christians in the second century took an anti-Jewish, anti-Torah turn in order to preserve themselves from the Fiscus Judaicus, the onerous tax on Jews and those who lived Jewishly. The first century followers of Jesus seem to have embraced the law as God’s standard for a holy life, based on statements by both Jesus (e.g. Matt. 5:18) and Paul (e.g. Romans 3:31).

For many centuries Christianity as a whole has been in open rebellion against God’s law. It is the intention of this blog to show how the New Testament confirms the role of God’s law and to summon believers back to it. Then we will be like the saints in Revelation who “obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 12:17 cp. Rev. 14:12) May we become like them.