What is sin? Lewis Sperry Chafer writes that “In general, sin is lack of conformity to the character of God.” The only standard for measuring sin is the holy character of God. Sin is sinful because it is unlike God. If we don’t have a clear understanding of the character of God, we will never understand sin. To understand God, we have to listen to what He says about Himself by studying His word. How serious is sin? Consider God’s judgment of it. Sin is so terrible that the angels who sin will never escape the lake of fire. Sin is so terrible that one act of Adam brought degeneration, depravity, and unfathomable suffering to all humanity. Sin is so terrible that the perfect Son of God suffered to an infinite degree on the cross to redeem all mankind.
There are three kinds of sin. First is imputed sin. This is the original sin of Adam, imputed (or credited) to every one of his offspring (Romans 5:12.) Because of imputed sin, all of us are born spiritually dead and are under condemnation (John 3:18.) The second type of sin is inherent sin. This is the sin nature we inherit from our parents (John 3:6.) Our areas of natural weaknesses and even strengths are a combination of the tendencies to sin. Our parents had. Sin natures or as individual as fingerprints. No two are exactly alike. Personal sin is the third type of sin. Personal sins are choices we make that are the outward evidence of our sin nature (Romans 3:23.) Personal sins are designated as such in the Bible as sinful thoughts, words, or actions.
But God has provided a solution to all sin, personal and otherwise. On the cross, Jesus Christ became sin for all men, that all who believe in Him “might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2nd Corinthians 5:21.) Because He bore all condemnation, all men have the opportunity to be set free from sin and its consequences. But that freedom depends on a choice. Just like Adam, who stood before a tree in the garden and knowing what the consequences would be, chose to sin. The result was death. We who are dead in Adam stand before another tree, and knowing what the consequences will be, can choose to partake of God’s solution for sin. The result will be life and freedom, and the cross is the solution to all three types of sin:
- Imputed sin is dealt with when we are placed in union with Christ at the moment of salvation. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive” (1st Corinthians 15:22.)
- Inherent sin is dealt with when we believe in Jesus Christ. We are given a new nature, a spirit which cannot sin. “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature” (2nd Corinthians 5:17.)
- Personal sin was dealt with on the cross when Jesus Christ paid for every sin ever committed (1st Peter 2:24.) Because He paid the penalty for all sins, when we now as His children do sin and break fellowship with God, we can confess it and be cleansed (1st John 1:9.)
Praise God He has dealt with our sin by dying on the cross as payment for it, then resurrecting to new life so we can live forever too!
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