Month: May 2024

What is sin and how does it affect us?

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The topic of sin and even the use of the word doesn’t seem popular among many modern preachers. Yet the Bible doesn’t avoid addressing humanity’s deepest problem of sin. From the beginning of time, God created the world and its creatures with a good blueprint in mind for the flourishing of life[1]. God designed humanity to reflect His glory and possess the capacity to be responsible moral agents who govern the earth and their own lives honorably and carefully[2]. With deception at play and disobedience to God carried out the first humans engaged in the “original sin” that has had global effects to this day and every person feels it.

The Essence of Sin

            The Bible has much to teach us about sin. Sin at its core is a rejection of God and His good design for life and its rebellion against His authority and word.  Sin is a failure both to be what God has created us to be and a failure to do what He has commanded us to do. 

           The Scripture teaches that we are sinners both by nature[3] and by choice[4]. From birth, all of humanity is born in sin[5] and bent toward doing evil[6]. This is what the Bible is referring to when it uses the word iniquity. Humanity’s sin problem isn’t merely a matter of us doing something wrong, which we all have, the problem goes to the very core of who we are, which must be changed. Many address the problem of sin on solely an external level while leaving the inner person full of pollution and corruption. Jesus, the Apostles, and the Prophets each addressed sin at a much deeper level than merely external behavior, though sin is displayed through outward actions. They addressed sin at the level of the thoughts of the heart[7], motives[8], words[9], and deeds[10].  The Greek word that is translated “sin” in the English New Testament means to “miss the mark”. All of humanity has failed to live up to the mark or God-given design of reflecting God’s glory and rendering God the glory that He is due[11]. This is what we are made for, to glorify God[12] and enjoy Him forever[13] and yet we have all utterly failed to do so. We have failed to do this in word, deed, thought, and in our attitudes. 

            Another word the Bible uses to describe sin is transgression. This word conveys the idea of not merely missing the mark but transgressing the boundaries that have been set by God. A transgression is an act of rebellion and disobedience.  One theologian describes sin as such: “Sin is deviant and perverse, an injustice or iniquity. Sin in the Exodus literature is disorder and disobedience. Sin is faithlessness, lawlessness, godlessness. Sin is overstepping the line and failure to reach it—both transgression and shortcoming. Sin is missing of the mark, spoiling of the goods, a string of the garments, a hitch in one’s gait, a wandering from the path, a fragmenting of the whole. Sin is what culpably disturbs shalom”[14]. 

The Effects Of Sin

            Sin has had effects on our entire life and much deeper than we realize. The very nature of sin is deceitful and it can be difficult to recognize and seemingly impossible to know the depths of our sin[15], which is what King David bemoaned in a prayer[16]. Sin clouds the minds of its partakers and brings confusion and deception[17]. It leads to foolish thinking that is illogical, immoral, and inconsiderate of God and others[18]. The distortion of thinking that sin has had in their life will lead them to call what is good evil and to call what is evil good[19]. Knowing that sin permeates our thought life King David prayed:  “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer”[20].  He recognized his need for divine assistance to be pleasing to God in both his words and thoughts. And David recognized his need for God to search him and reveal what exactly is wrong with him[21]. Sin also affects our wants and desires. Within mankind lives multitudes of sinful desires, which should no longer dominate the life of a follower of Jesus[22]. 

            Relationships are damaged by sin. By sin our peace is vandalized and communication between two people breaks down along with any trust, care, and delight. Sin at its core is selfish and no relationship can flourish where selfishness characterizes thoughts, words, attitudes, and actions. From the beginning, we see how sin damaged Adam and Eve’s relationship with God and with one another. They began hiding from God in their fear, guilt, and shame and sought to cover their nakedness[23]. And when confronted by their sin rather than taking responsibility for their actions each of them blame shifted[24], which has been the negative pattern for human conflicts since.  

            Sin is first and foremost an offense towards God. That is why David prayed in his great prayer of repentance after committing adultery and murder along with many other sins: “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight…” [25]. Sin even has effects on our bodies. King David described this in Psalm 32 when he wrote, “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer”[26]. The wisdom of Proverbs also tells us about the negative effects sin can have on our body[27] as well as the positive effects of fearing the Lord and repenting of sin can have on one’s physical body[28]. The Apostle Paul explains how the effects of sin have subjected this world to futility and we along with creation groan as we wait for redemption in it’s full manifestation. 

Sin & The Savior 

            The former slave trader and hymn writer John Newton said in his later years, “Although my memory’s fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” He was a man who was aware of his sin and this helped him see just how amazing the saving grace of Jesus is. In the hymn Amazing Grace, which he wrote and is one of the most loved hymns, Newton wrote: “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see”. This summarizes the state of sinful humanity and the only hope that we have for rescue through Jesus’ amazing grace.  

            Jesus came to save sinners from the damning effects of sin[29], its penalty (death), power and presence. He did this by offering his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world and by it he absorbed the punishment for sin[30]and took our sin away[31]. Through the death of Christ, he redeems a people from every tribe, nation, and tongue[32] and they are made new creations[33]. 

This redemption from sin and its effects is a reality now for the people of God, that is those who have repented and trusted in Jesus as their Savior and follow Him as their Lord. Yet there is more to come for those of us who wait for the return of Christ when he will make all things new. In that day and age there will be no more sickness, sorrow, or suffering and God will wipe every tear from our eyes[34]. 

[1] Genesis 1:31

[2] Genesis 1:28

[3] Ephesians 2:3

[4] Romans 3:23, 5:12

[5] Psalm 51:5

[6] Romans 3:9-18

[7] Matthew 5:28, 1 John 3:15, Romans 3:9-18

[8] Matthew 6:1, Galatians 1:10, Mark 7:21-23

[9] Matthew 12:33-37, Ephesians 4:25,29, James 3

[10] Galatians 5:19-21, Isaiah 1:16-17

[11] Romans 3:23

[12] Isaiah 43:7, 

[13] Westminister Catechism, Question #1

[14] Cornelius Plantinga Jr., Not The Way It’s Supposed To Be; A Breviary Of Sin, p.88

[15] Jeremiah 17:9

[16] Psalm 19:12

[17] Hebrews 3:13

[18] Romans 1:21-22, Ephesians 4:17-19

[19] Isaiah 5:20

[20] Psalm 19:14

[21] Psalm 139:23-24

[22] Galatians 5:16-24, Romans 6

[23] Genesis 3:8-11

[24] Genesis 3:12-13

[25] Psalm 51:4

[26] Psalm 32:3-4

[27] Proverbs 14:30

[28] Proverbs 3:7-8

[29] Matthew 1:21, 1 Timothy 1:15

[30] 1 John 4:10

[31] John 1:29, Hebrews 10:12-14

[32] Revelation 5:9

[33] 2 Corinthians 5:17

[34] Revelation 21:1-4 

How Are Christians To View And Apply The Old Testament?

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In our modern age, the Bible has often been treated as an outdated and patriarchal book that people should not be in high regard and the Old Testament particularly has been referred to by Andy Stanley as something that Christians should be “unhitched” with1.  The Apostle Paul wrote to his young protege Timothy this timeless truth about the Bible: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When he wrote these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the New Testament was not yet completed as the canon of Scripture we know as the Bible. Paul was primarily referring to the OT and likely parts of the NT that had been written. 

The entirety of the Bible, both OT and NT, is one unified story that points to the person of Jesus and his redemptive work. The NT expounds on many commands, promises, and redemptive themes that were first established in the OT. In many places of the NT the authors claim that the OT Scriptures were being fulfilled in the life of Christ when he came and lived, died, and rose from the dead. Certain themes such as the Kingdom of God continued to progress in revelation from the OT to the NT. A summary of the teaching and preaching of Christ could accurately be described as the “good news of the Kingdom” (Luke 4:43), which was the subject of most of his parables (Matthew 13). Jesus is the King through whom the Redemptive work of God culminates. Scripture consistently points to the promise of his reign and redemptive work. Jesus testified of this to the religious leaders of his day who searched the Scriptures but failed to miss the main point of them, namely Jesus (John 5:39).

After Jesus was resurrected from the dead he had a life-changing conversation with some of his followers in which he walked them through the entire OT and showed them how it pointed to himself (Luke 24:27, 44).  Perhaps in Genesis, he revealed himself as the Creator and Promised Redeemer who would crush the head of the serpent (John 1:1, Colossians 1:16) and then explained how he was the Ram at Abraham’s altar (Genesis 22:13). Or in Exodus, he revealed how he is the Passover Lamb (John 1:29,1 Corinthians 5:7). When he came to Leviticus surely he revealed himself as High Priest (Hebrews 4:14) and our Sweet Smelling Aroma (Leviticus 1:9)2. In the book of Numbers, he spoke about himself being the Rock that was struck to give water in a desert place (1 Corinthians 10:4), and the Bronze Serpent on Moses’ Pole that when looked upon brings healing to the sin-sick world (John 3:14-16). In Deuteronomy, he likely mentioned himself as the great Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15) who would be like Moses but greater or how he would become a curse for us (Galatians 3:13, Deuteronomy 28). Perhaps he described himself as the mana in the wilderness or the Bread from Heaven (John 6:51). In Joshua, he could have identified himself as the Commander of the Army of the Lord. In Judges, perhaps he explained how he is the Faithful Judge and Deliverer of his people (Judges 2:18). Surely in Ruth Jesus explained himself as the Kinsmen Redeemer (Ruth 3:12). In the first and second Samuel perhaps he explained how he is the Prophet, Priest, and King. Perhaps when he got to Job he identified himself as the Redeemer who lives and the Mediator between God and man that Job was longing for in his suffering. Perhaps in the Psalms, he mentioned that he is the Good Shepherd and the Strength and Song of his people. In Proverbs, he may have identified himself as the Wisdom of God like the Apostle Paul described him as (1 Corinthians 1:30).  In Songs Of Solomon, He could have spoken about being the bride-groom and the Author of faithful marital love. Surely in Isaiah, he must have spoken about him being the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53).  Perhaps in Daniel, he identified as the fourth man in the fiery furnace and Ancient of Days or the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven. In Malachi, he could have mentioned how he is the Sun Of Righteousness who brings healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2). Since the OT points to Jesus preachers should not fail to locate Him in the OT books that they preach through. Pastors who don’t teach the OT do a disservice to their people and risk the failure to convey the whole counsel of God, as Paul sought to do (Acts 20:27). Paul leaned heavily on the use of the OT in his ministry.  

The Law of God is put into three categories by theologians, namely, the moral law, civil law, and ceremonial law. The NT is clear that the ceremonial law is no longer an obligation to be kept by followers of Jesus, however the moral law is reemphasized in the NT and considered by Paul as a standard that is in accordance to the Gospel (1 Timothy 1:10). The civil law portion of the Torah has proven to provide a helpful basis for just and wise laws. The history of America displays evidence of having based parts of the constitution upon biblical principles in civil law. 

The law of God reveals the nature and character of God, particularly his holiness, righteousness, justice, and love3. God’s holiness is the basis of his requiring holy living from his people (Leviticus 19:2, 1 Peter 1:15). The law confronts and corrects unrighteousness and injustice and the fulfillment of the law is love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40, Romans 13:10, Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Leviticus 19:34). The Apostle Paul told Timothy that the law is good, and it is good when used properly.  The function of the law is to expose sin and have a basis for holding people accountable ethically. It is for the lawless, sinners, ungodly, and unholy people (1 Timothy 1:8-10).

God graciously gave the law to his people for at least three purposes according to the Protestant Reformers. These are: to show people their need for the Savior, to function as a restraint in society, and to direct the believer in his behavior4. This is particularly helpful in ministry either in evangelism, preaching sermons or counseling when addressing people who assume that they are pretty good and have no need of repentance or forgiveness through trusting Christ and his perfect sacrifice for their sins. Very few patients will take a prescribed medicine without first being diagnosed with an illness. The law diagnoses all of humanity with the sin-sickness that is fatal (Romans 3:1-23). Only when sinners see themselves as such and deserving of death will they recognize their need for the Savior who died in their place (Galatians 3:24).

After being saved or redeemed by Christ the moral law does not become irrelevant. It should still shape one’s behavior by giving a blueprint for ethics and a baseline for measuring what is right and wrong. Yet the law doesn’t grant the power one needs to change nor does it provide cleansing of defilement and guilt for us (Romans 8:3-4). This is where the power of the Gospel is magnified in the Son who did for us what we could not do for ourselves and with the Father sent the Spirit to empower us to do what we could not do ourselves, namely live in victory over sin (Romans 8:13, 2 Corinthians 3:17-18). The law helps us see that the penalty for sin is death and all the animals that had to die and the people who had to die under the judgment of their sin point us forward to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The book of Hebrews describes the ceremonial animal sacrifices for sin as a shadow and highlights Christ as the substance (Hebrews 8:5, 10:1, Colossians 2:17).  

Since the Bible is about Jesus, preachers should preach Christ-centered sermons (Colossians 1:28) to identify him as the hero and attribute the glory to him who is mighty to save and whose kingdom will never end. This approach follows the teaching of Christ and the pattern of the Apostles (Luke 24:27,44, John 5:39, John 1:14, Colossians 1:28, 1 Peter, 2 Peter). They should preach through the books of the OT to provide a well-rounded spiritual diet for their church. Tony Merida wrote, “Every text will point to Christ futuristically, refer to Christ explicitly, or look back to Christ implicitly”5.

In ministry today we ought to also show the ways that Christ has fulfilled the OT prophesies and requirements for righteousness. Jesus said he didn’t come to abolish the law but rather to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). So our attitude toward the OT law should not be negative or dismissive. The OT is a large part of the inspired and infallible word of God that is useful for us to learn and train others in the way of righteousness and it helps equip us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). To neglect such a great resource would be a disservice to us and those whom we lead. 

Yet at the same time, preachers should not preach and teach the OT in such a way that it would diminish the superiority and newness of the New Covenant, which is described as better (Hebrews 8:6) by the author of Hebrews and more glorious than the Old Covenant by the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 3:1-18). 

Another important element of the OT is the consistent theme of the Mission of God’s people and leaders in the church must help people see that vision.  From the Genesis account of humanity being mandated to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, we see mission and purpose (Genesis 1:26-28). This was reemphasized after the flood to Noah and his family (Genesis 9:1).  In the call of Abram, we see God’s missional purpose to bless the entire earth through his seed (Genesis 12:1-3). Israel was called by God to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6). Chris Wright does an excellent job of helping one see the mission of God’s people from the OT in his book The Mission Of God’s People. He wrote “There should be no theology that does not relate to the mission of the church – either by being generated out of the church’s mission or by inspiring and shaping it. And there should be no mission of the church carried on without deep theological roots in the soil of the Bible. No theology without missional impact; no mission without theological foundations.”6

The OT is full of wisdom for living well in this world and it gives us a framework of how the world became like it is and how we live within it. The books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job are particularly helpful here since it is wisdom literature. The book of Psalms teaches us not only about Jesus, as it is the most quoted OT book in the NT, but it also teaches us how to pray. Each of the seven petitions Jesus taught his disciples can be found in the book of Psalms7. Paul instructs Christians to use the Psalms as a source of content for worship and encouragement in the corporate gatherings of the church (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19).  

Bibliography 

  1. https://albertmohler.com/2018/08/10/getting-unhitched-old-testament-andy-stanley-aims-heresy/ ↩︎
  2. Hawkins, O.S., The Bible Code Finding Jesus In Every Book Of The Bible, p.23, Nashville, Tennesse, Thomas Nelson, 2020  ↩︎
  3. Packer, J.I., Growing In Christ, P.232, Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois,  ↩︎
  4. Luther, Martin,  Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, Q: What Purposes Does The Law Serve? , Concordia Publishing, St. Louis Missouri,  2017,
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  5. Merida, Tony The Christ-Centered Expositor, p. 52 ,Holman Bible, Nashville, 2021
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  6. Wright, Christopher J.H., The Mission Of God’s People, P. 20, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Mi, 2010 ↩︎
  7. Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, Life Together,  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, Harper One, San Fransisco, 1978, p.47, Harper One, San Fransisco, 1978 ↩︎