What is Sin? | Doctrinal Statements

These past few weeks, we’ve been sharing our doctrinal statements with you; theological documents developed from scripture that form our beliefs and values. This week, we want to share our doctrinal statement regarding sin. We believe that all men and women exist in total depravity and with total inability to please God, condemned in the sin of Adam and in their own, and thus experience spiritual death.

What is sin?

Sin is any action (Ezek. 24:14), thought (Heb. 4:12), disposition (Prov. 21:10), or character (Eph. 2:1-3) which violates the love relationship with God (Mar. 12:30) and falls short of God's standard.  Though at one level all sins are equivalent as a violation of that relationship (Jas. 2:10) there are qualitative differences between sins (John. 19:11).  

Sin originated in the universe with Satan (John. 8:44; 1 John. 3:8) who seems to have fallen sometime between the end of the creative process and the temptation of Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:31; 3:1). Sin originated in the human race with Adam and Eve who were created in righteous relationship with God (Gen. 1:26-2:25; Eccl. 7:9).  Adam and Eve willfully chose to turn away from God by giving in to the temptation of Satan (Gen. 3:1-6) and, as a result, became guilty, shamed, and subject to a punishment that involved death (Rom. 5:12), separation from God (Isa. 59:2), damaged relationships with each other (Gen. 3:16), and the corruption of the whole created order (Rom. 8:21-22).  

I believe that since Adam was the natural head of the human race, he has passed a heritage of sinful corruption, condemnation, and death (physical and spiritual) to all people (Rom. 5:12-19). All humans are therefore born in a thoroughly corrupt state (2 Cor. 7:1; Eph 2:1-3) that is passed on to them through conception and are incapable of doing anything that will alter their spiritual status (John. 6:44) or do anything that truly pleases God (Heb. 11:6). Despite this corruption man is still retains the image of God to some extent (Gen. 9:6) and is able to do some good (Gen. 20:6).  The guilt of Adam's sin is also passed on to all humans (Rom. 5:18-19) but only when they have affirmed their sinfully corrupt state (Jer. 17:10; Rom. 2:5-6).

All humans sin because they love evil (Ps. 52:3) and freely choose to act in accordance with those evil desires (Ezek. 9:6).  People are therefore responsible for their sins and judged accordingly (Jer. 17:10).

The Results of Sin

The results of that original sin -- inherited sin nature and imputed guilt -- are transmitted from Adam, the realistic head of the race, to the entire human race in the propagation of the person (Rom. 5:12-19).  Mankind is pervasively depraved in that, every person in every aspect of life, is affected by sin (John. 3:19; Rom. 1:21, 6:16-20).  Every person is alienated from God, and is spiritually unwilling and unable to love God and restore relationship with God. (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:3). All are condemned in Adam (Rom. 5:18), but punished on the basis of their own sins (Tit. 3:5; Rev. 20:13).  

Fundamentally sin is the failure to love God in act or attitude. While all sin is sinful (Matt. 5:27-28), there are qualitative and consequential differences between sins (John 19:11; Lev. 4-5; Matt. 11:20-24). Personal sin in believers may result in divine and church discipline (Heb. 12:1-13; Matt. 18:15-18), hardening of the heart (Heb. 3:13), disqualification from service (1 Cor. 9:27) and rewards (2 Cor. 5:10), illness (Ps. 38:1-8) or death (1 John 5:16).  It is dealt with through personal confession to God (1 John 1:9), on the basis of Christ's propitiatory advocacy (1 John 2:1-2), and to other believers (Matt. 5:23-24; Jas. 5:16).

The Origin of Sin

Man was created free from sin, in perfect fellowship with God, and with a positive bent toward holiness (Gen. 1:26-30; Eccl. 7:29). Adam and Eve chose to sin, succumbing to the temptation of Satan (Gen. 3:4-5) in whom sin originated (1 John 3:8; Ezek. 28:13-16). Because of this rebellion against the revealed will and Word of God mankind came under the wrath of God (Rom. 1:18-20), under the curse of death (Rom. 6:23), and became inherently corrupt (Jer. 17:9). Because of this corruption man is thoroughly depraved, incapable of doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace (Rom. 3:10-12).

The result of sin is spiritual death (1 Cor. 15:21-22; Eph. 2:1) and physical death (Gen. 3:19). Because of sin man experiences alienation from God and His subsequent wrath (Gen. 3:8-10; Rom. 5:10). Sin also results in the estrangement of men toward each other (Gen. 3:16; Eph. 2:12-16) and the corruption of the whole created order (Rom. 8:21-22).

Adam stood before God as a representative of all mankind, and in that capacity his sin was the legal ground for condemnation upon all mankind (Rom. 5:12-21). However, it is not simply the guilt of his sin which is imputed to all mankind, but also a corrupted nature which renders all men and women totally depraved in their entire being (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 8:7; Eph. 2:3) and totally unable to change this disposition toward sin and move toward God (John. 15:5; Rom. 8:8).

All men and women voluntarily and personally disobey God and thus cooperate with this sin nature (2 Chr. 6:36; Rom 3:23; Jas. 4:17). Though each person stands condemned in Adam (Rom. 5:18) each one will be judged in the final day according to his or her own sinful deeds (Ezek. 18:19-20; Rom. 2:5-6).

Humans were originally created in a state of positive holiness, in prefect fellowship with God (Gen. 1:31; 2:7-24).  Through the wiles of Satan Eve was tempted and sinned, refusing to trust God's guidance and deciding by herself and for herself what was good and evil. Adam joined her willfully in that sin. (Gen. 3:1-6; 1 Tim. 2:13-14). Their sinful act destroyed the perfect fellowship, bringing spiritual and physical death upon them (Gen. 3:8-10).