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The Bible has much to say about human sinfulness and fallenness, but much of the language the Bible uses (even the word “sin” itself!) seems archaic to modern ears. Unfortunately, this makes many people believe that the Bible’s teachings are, therefore, also archaic. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Bible uses a lot of words to talk about human fallenness. The most common of these in English Bibles is “sin.”
What Is Sin?
“Sin” is translated from the word chata (Hebrew: חָטָא). It’s most basic meaning isn’t actually religious (see excursus 1 below for more). In the Old Testament (OT), sin is most basically a failure to fulfill a goal.
All sin boils down to a failure to love God the most and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). That’s why Jesus Christ said these were the greatest commandments, and it’s why half of the Ten Commandments cautioned the Israelites against failing to love God and the other half cautioned them against failing to love their neighbors. There is a deep connection between the failure to love God and the failure to love people, and when we sin against people, we sin against God.
Sin Is Deceptive
In the Bible, when people sin they often either don’t know it or they think they are somehow succeeding – like Pharaoh enslaving the Israelites or King Saul hunting David in the wilderness. This is significant because it portrays sin as deceptive. Sin is not just failing to do what is right. It is also about redefining what is right or wrong on our own terms over and against God’s.
Where Does Sin Come From?
The first mention of sin in the Bible occurs in Genesis:
Genesis 4:7 You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.
In the previous chapter, Cain and Abel’s parents, Adam and Eve, “missed the mark” by choosing to disobey God. From then on, every human has been faced with the same choices and the same challenges. Sin, like a wild animal, is crouching at the door, eager to consume us.
Our tendencies toward failure and self-deception run deep. Even our urges and desires seem bent on pushing our own goals against God’s goals.
Sin in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul uses the Greek word hamartia (ἁμαρτία) to describe sin as a power or force that rules humans and compels us to do things we don’t want to do (Romans 6:6; 7:15-16).
Sin’s Overall Meaning in the Bible
Sin is a failure to be humans who fully love God and others. It is our inability to rightly decide if we are succeeding or failing in God’s eyes. And it is a deep, selfish impulse that drives much of our behavior.
The Answer to Sin Is Jesus Christ
The answer to the problem of sin is Jesus Christ. He is depicted not as a separate being who is far away from us, but as the only “true human” to have ever lived. This is because Jesus lived without ever failing to love God or others; he never “missed the mark” or “lost his way.” Though sin seeks to – and often – devours us, he subdued it.
Despite this, Jesus took responsibility for humanity’s history of failure. He lived sinlessly for all of us yet died for our sins. When God raised him from the dead, he offered the gift of his perfect life to cover over all of our sins – if we will turn to him in true faith.
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- When you think of “sin,” what first comes to mind? Why?
- Do you think it’s true that a lot of people these days dismiss the Bible because it seems archaic or out-of-touch? If so, how have you seen this to be the case?
- In what ways is sin a “failure” or a “miss”? Explain.
- In what ways is sin best represented by not loving God or other people? Explain.
- In what ways is sin “redefining right and wrong”? Explain.
- Read Romans 7:15. Sin appears very early in the Bible and runs deep. In what ways would you agree that sin runs deep in the world and in all of our lives?
- Read 1 Peter 2:22-24. How is Jesus Christ the answer to the problem of sin?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
Excursus 1
Chata means “to fail” or “to miss [the mark/a goal].” When the Tribe of Benjamin trained a battalion of sling-shotters, they could not “miss” – chata (Judges 20:16). Proverbs 19:2 talks about chata-ing (or “missing/losing”) your way.
