Sin is a term that is used often by Christians and non-christians alike. Some popular phrases you may have heard are “He’s paying for the sins of his father” or “Sin city”. But what is sin? Do you really know?
What Is Sin?
Sin in its most clear definition is: anything that we say, think, or do that displeases God. So whether its gossiping and speaking poorly of someone, lusting after another person that is not our spouse, or stealing something, there are many different ways someone can sin.
Why is sin bad?
Sin is bad because God is perfect. And if God is perfect, He can not be near imperfection. Since God cannot be around sin, if we have sin in our life, God cannot be around us. So in order for God to have a relationship with us, he has to get rid of the sin in our life.
How does God get rid of our sin?
The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. That means in order to pay for our sins, someone or something has to die. If nothing or no one dies while we are alive for our sins then at the end of our lives we face an eternal death because that sin has kept us apart from God.
But rather than let us pay for our sins by our own death, God thought of a way for us to face them without dying. He sent His own Son, Jesus, in to the world to die on a cross. And because of that, we can look back at the cross, ask for forgiveness, and He will forgive us!
What about the people who lived before Jesus?
Before Jesus came to earth as the perfect sacrifice, people had to perform sacrifices. But the important thing to understand here is the animal that was sacrificed had no bearing on their sin. It wasn’t the actual animal or act of sacrifice that saved them. They sacrificed looking forward in faith that Jesus was going to come and save the world. So just like it is our faith looking backwards to Jesus on the cross today, before Jesus, it was their faith looking forward to the coming Messiah that saved them.
Does Sin Make Us Bad?
This is one of the BIGGEST misconceptions of the entire Bible. Sin does not make us bad. It makes us DEAD. Remember the scripture in Romans 6:23? It says “the wages of sin is death.” It doesn’t say “the wages of sin is being labelled bad.” No, it says DEATH! Therefore, it doesn’t matter how good we think we are. That actually has no bearing. Since everyone sins, everyone is dead. It is only faith in Jesus Christ and His forgiveness that will allow us to shed our sins and enter into a relationship with God.
How do we get forgiveness for our sins?
Romans 10:9 says If we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead then we will be saved. We must first confess our sins to God and ask forgiveness. Then you have to have faith that God did exactly what he said he would do – Died on a cross and three days later he conquered death by resurrecting.
It’s important to note that there is no magical prayer. God knows our hearts and intention. Just go for it and ask for forgiveness and believe with all your heart!
We hoped that answered your questions on What is sin? If you are you still asking yourself: “What is Sin” then please contact us and lets talk. No judgement! We just want to help you understand!
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