Daily Meditation  - "The Word of God"
  2004 Special Issue
WHAT IS "SIN"?
By Dr. John Williams (President of IICM)
EMAIL: iicm@aol.com

 
1. WHAT IS SIN?

"Sin" is a word, which is not used commonly by any group of people in the society, including the following groups, for the simple reason that they do not really know what it is, and are not aware of the significance and the seriousness of "Sin":

  • Journalists
  • Scientists
  • Doctors
  • Lawyers & Judges
  • Politicians
  • Historians
  • Academicians
  • Businessmen
  • Intellectuals
  • Psychologists
  • Philosophers etc.

Perhaps the only group in which the word "Sin" is used, is the Religious Circle which recognizes such a word as "Sin", its dire consequences, and tries to find out ways and means by which the man kind may escape from the penalties of "Sin".  The purpose of this Article is not to discuss various Philosophies and Religious Remedies, Atonements or Sacrifices which would be required or warranted to be cleansed, forgiven and wiped out of Sins, and the consequent Penalties. 

Instead of calling "Sin" a "Sin" various groups of people listed above try to use several other words which are listed below, to avoid confronting the issue of "Sin", which is like burying one's head in the sand, but deep within, each individual will  be tossed and haunted by the guilt of "Sin", since God has endowed every man with a conscience, which can discern the right from the wrong.  Everyone that commits an act of "Sin" does it:

  • Willfully or Intentionally
  • Knowingly
  • Deliberately
  • Foolishly and
  • Consciously

Some of the other words used by the Educated and Sophisticated Society for "Sin", are listed below:

  • A Wrongful Act
  • A Mistake
  • A Hasty Action
  • A Forced Action
  • An Act committed under a Sudden and a Grave Provocation
  • An Error
  • A Slip
  • A Blunder
  • A Fault etc

Perhaps the reason why the word "Sin" is not recognized and used commonly, is because of lack of understanding and acceptance of the fact, that man has and consists of a Soul and a Spirit in addition to a Physical Body.  However, what soul consists, of such as a Mind, a Will and an Emotion, are understood and accepted as a Reality.

  The Bible clearly spells out what exactly "Sin" is:

  • All Transgressions (Violations) of God's Laws in the Bible are Sins
  • All Unrighteousness is Sin (Anything that is not right is Sin)
  • When a person knows to do good and not do it, it is Sin
  • Some examples of Sins specifically mentioned in the Bible are:
    Lying, steeling, un-forgiveness, murder, hatred, pride, covetousness, worldliness, discontentment, murder, lust, adultery, fornication etc.
  • Multitude of Words is sins
  • Evil Thoughts are Sins
 
2. SOME TRUTHS ABOUT SIN THAT EVERY ONE SHOULD KNOW
  • Sin is alluring, enticing and tempting
  • Sin is habit forming or repetitive in nature
  • Sin is committed under the influence of an evil spirit which specializes in a particular kind of sin (eg: Spirit of Lying, Spirit of Steeling, Spirit of Un-forgiveness, Spirit of Murder, Spirit of Hatred, Spirit of Pride, Spirit of Covetousness, Spirit of Worldliness, Spirit of Discontentment, Spirit of Murder etc.
  • Sin is unprofitable
  • Sin will be exposed or find the sinner out
  • Sin is a shameful act
  • Sin will be judged and punished by God
  • Sin will give a feeling of Guilt
  • Sin will give only a momentary pleasure
  • Sin has a penalty or wages of death, ultimately
  • Sin puts the sinner in a bondage or the sinner is bound by a chain or chord or sin
  • Sin has a tendency to grow or mushroom and assume gigantic proportions
  • Sin is not just an error, mistake, a slip, but a deliberate, well thought out, planned, wrongful and immoral act, committed knowingly, willfully and deliberately
  • Sin is an inexcusable act with no defense or justification
3. WHY DO PEOPLE SIN?
  • Because of the influence and deception of the devil
  • Because of the provocation or anger, which can be controlled by the perpetrator 
  • Because of temptation
  • Because they are hooked or in a bondage
  • Because of the desire have a momentary pleasure
  • Because of ones foolishness
  • Because of lack of determination, not to commit any act of Sin
  • Because of lack of consciousness of the penalty and the consequences of sin, which is so severe and terrible
  • Because of the failure to examine themselves daily, to check and see, if their deeds and acts measure up to the Biblical Standards
4. HOW CAN WE STOP SINNING AND ESCAPE FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN?
  • By Understanding the Truths about the sin
  • By Truly Repenting for it and asking for God's forgiveness
  • By Jotting Down the kinds of sins that we normally commit or have a tendency to commit
  • By Making a Decision not to indulge in any sinful act
  • By Examining every day to find out if we have committed any sin on that day, repenting, confessing and Seeking the Counsel of Godly men and the help of God, not to repeat those sins again!  

- The End -