What is sin?

I have a question for you. What is sin? It is a question I have been asking myself all day. At first it may be rather obvious. "Sin is breaking God's commandments," right? I guess that is true. Is there more to it though? And what are God's commandments if that is the definition? I think it is an easy, yet very complex question.

I wonder if sin is an action or condition of the heart or both. What is it about sin that God does not like? Is it the action, condition, or both? So many questions, so little time. The Bible seems to allude that sin is an action and in other places it alludes that sin is a condition of the heart. Which one is it and how does this make sense?

I think it is dangerous to think that sin is merely actions. That is leaving a huge factor out, and that is the condition of the heart. It is from the heart that we act. When we commit murder, idolatry, theft or any other sinful act, it is our heart that leads us to do such. If I did not have evil in my heart, I would not do such things. The same holds true on the other side. When we serve the orphan or widow, give to charity, love, build up, encourage, it is our heart that leads us to do such. What we do is influenced by our hearts. If sin is an action, then it must be accompanied by a certain conditioning of the heart.

So sin is not just an action. Big deal. Well yeah, that is a big deal. I think that a legalistic mentality arises from the idea that sin is just an action. A lot of people talk about right and wrong when they hear the word sin. Those who do right don't sin, and those who do wrong sin. Although this is partially true, the bigger picture is being missed and that is the condition of the heart. A heart that is not in continuous fellowship with God strays from God and that is when the soul is likely to sin, maybe even that is when the soul sins.

I guess what I am asking is if sin is the walking away from God or if sin is induced by the walking away from God. The more I think about this, the more complex it is getting in my head. Do actions influence our hearts as well? I think they do. Man, no wonder we need a Savior :) Anyway, the reason I think about this is because how we define sin forms many, many other doctrines. Actually, I think it is how we define the way God defines sin that affects all of these doctrines.

I want to go back to the idea that viewing sin as strictly an action leads to the legalistic mentality. If sin is defined as a wrong action done against God, then God must punish this act if he is to uphold the law. Right? I would agree, if sin were just an action then in order for God to uphold the law he must punish that sin. The complexity comes when we throw the heart in the mix. If sin is caused by the heart, then wouldn't it make more sense for God to go after the heart in order to take care of the sin issue? That is what he did and does. He transforms our hearts into His likeness. Why? I am sure there are a multitude of answers to this question. I am purposing that one of those answers is to destroy sin and sinfullness. Does that mean that God does not punish the action of sin? That I am not sure of. I know that when I hurt someone, I need to reconcile myself with that person to receive forgiveness.

"For the wages of sin is death." Yes, but is that because of the actions or the heart? What we earn from sin is death. Sin leads us to death. A heart that is far from God dies. "Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear, but your iniquities have made a seperation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear." Isaiah 59:1-2. Sin seperates us from God. Is it the sin or the seperation that God despises? Could it be that God hates sin because sin seperates us from Him? Could it be that it is not perfect little angels that God wants, but rather sold out disciples who will walk with Him no matter what life throws our way. That we will hold on till the end. That we will cling to Him at all times.

Does God punish sin to have a perfect law-abiding society, or does He punish us so that we will see our wrong and turn to Him, repentance? I guess we have to ask the question of what is God's goal and what is the end result for the reasons He does things? This is a large question and I do not pretend to know the answer. I think I need to stop and dwell on this a little more. I kindof jumbled all of my thoughts together and didn't have a clear argument. These are mostly just questions. Perhaps I will be able to form a more coherent argument in blogs to come, but as for now I will chew on these questions and hope that God leads me to the truth. I pray that it is He I seek and not some other motive. I pray that I may know Him more and have a deeper union with Him daily through walking with Him and obeying Him.

One Love,
Danger