Sin
Key verses
"But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has CONCEIVED, it gives BIRTH to SIN; and sin, when it is FULL-GROWN, brings forth DEATH." James 1:14-15
What is the cause of sin?
Both Jesus and James tell us that sin is born in the heart of man. Jesus said, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." Matthew 15:18-20
Sin is disobedience to what God requires and will result in eternal death unless we repent and obey the Gospel. Sin is really an uncontrolled misuse of a legitimate God given desire. We are all creatures of desire. This has to be, as the alternative is for us to be robots. God requires His children to serve Him of their own free will, and to exercise control over desires, so that they are only used for the purposes that God has created them for. Jesus says many times in Revelation that the reward is for, 'he who overcomes', the inference here being to those who are prepared to put in the effort (with God's help) to overcome temptation and the desire to do evil. It is also very important to accept that WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN SINS.
Sins of neglect
This is when we fail to fulfill a responsibility in God's service. We may be occupying our time with an activity that is quite legitimate in itself, but if this activity stops us from fulfilling our necessary duties to God, then it becomes a sin of neglect. The wicked and slothful servant was guilty of this.
(See Matthew 25:26-28)
The unforgivable sin
Jesus said that there is an unforgivable sin, that being blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 12:31; Luke 12:10; Mark 3:28-30) This sin was evident amongst those who had seen Jesus' marvelous works and not believed, (see Matthew 1:21-24) and also those who had been given the Holy Spirit with power, and had then turned their back on their calling. (see Hebrews 6:4-6)
What is 'Sin in the flesh'?
The Bible uses the phrase 'sin in the flesh' and 'sin that dwells in me' in Paul's letter to the Romans. Do these verses teach that sin, as a literal component, dwells in our flesh from birth? This cannot be the case as Adam and Eve were condemned to death because of the sin they committed and not because of the nature of their make-up. They were tempted to sin before God condemned them, so temptation in itself is not sin. We only sin when we give into temptation. 'Sin in the flesh' is a figure of speech which is known as a 'metonymy' and is used to describe the 'source' of the problem of sin. The natural body which is styled 'the flesh', is the container of desires and impulses which are legitimate in themselves, but can result in sin if we give in to temptation.
Temptation and evil
Evil is sometimes presented in Scripture in symbolic terms. 'THE WORLD' is a term used to symbolise man's uncontrolled desires (1 John 2:15-17) We use the word 'worldly' with a similar application today.
What does 'satan' mean?
'SATAN' is a Hebrew word which is left mostly untranslated in our Bibles and literally means 'adversary' or 'opponent' and is used mainly to describe those opposed to God, although it has been used in the sense of being a non-evil adversary. (Compare 1 Chronicles 21:1 and 2 Samuel 24:1)
What does 'devil' mean?
'DEVIL' ('diabolis' in Greek) means 'false accuser' or 'slanderer' and is used to refer to evil people or evil influence. This word has been translated 'false accusers' (2 Timothy 3:3) and 'slanderers' (1 Timothy 3:11) when referring to evil men and women. Jesus said "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is A DEVIL" John 6:70. He was of course referring to Judas.
All Scripture quoted is from the N.K.J.V.
To find out more about the Devil and Satan, go to The Devil and Satan Fact Sheet or complete the Online Bible Course.
"But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has CONCEIVED, it gives BIRTH to SIN; and sin, when it is FULL-GROWN, brings forth DEATH." James 1:14-15
What is the cause of sin?
Both Jesus and James tell us that sin is born in the heart of man. Jesus said, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." Matthew 15:18-20
Sin is disobedience to what God requires and will result in eternal death unless we repent and obey the Gospel. Sin is really an uncontrolled misuse of a legitimate God given desire. We are all creatures of desire. This has to be, as the alternative is for us to be robots. God requires His children to serve Him of their own free will, and to exercise control over desires, so that they are only used for the purposes that God has created them for. Jesus says many times in Revelation that the reward is for, 'he who overcomes', the inference here being to those who are prepared to put in the effort (with God's help) to overcome temptation and the desire to do evil. It is also very important to accept that WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN SINS.
Sins of neglect
This is when we fail to fulfill a responsibility in God's service. We may be occupying our time with an activity that is quite legitimate in itself, but if this activity stops us from fulfilling our necessary duties to God, then it becomes a sin of neglect. The wicked and slothful servant was guilty of this.
(See Matthew 25:26-28)
The unforgivable sin
Jesus said that there is an unforgivable sin, that being blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 12:31; Luke 12:10; Mark 3:28-30) This sin was evident amongst those who had seen Jesus' marvelous works and not believed, (see Matthew 1:21-24) and also those who had been given the Holy Spirit with power, and had then turned their back on their calling. (see Hebrews 6:4-6)
What is 'Sin in the flesh'?
The Bible uses the phrase 'sin in the flesh' and 'sin that dwells in me' in Paul's letter to the Romans. Do these verses teach that sin, as a literal component, dwells in our flesh from birth? This cannot be the case as Adam and Eve were condemned to death because of the sin they committed and not because of the nature of their make-up. They were tempted to sin before God condemned them, so temptation in itself is not sin. We only sin when we give into temptation. 'Sin in the flesh' is a figure of speech which is known as a 'metonymy' and is used to describe the 'source' of the problem of sin. The natural body which is styled 'the flesh', is the container of desires and impulses which are legitimate in themselves, but can result in sin if we give in to temptation.
Temptation and evil
Evil is sometimes presented in Scripture in symbolic terms. 'THE WORLD' is a term used to symbolise man's uncontrolled desires (1 John 2:15-17) We use the word 'worldly' with a similar application today.
What does 'satan' mean?
'SATAN' is a Hebrew word which is left mostly untranslated in our Bibles and literally means 'adversary' or 'opponent' and is used mainly to describe those opposed to God, although it has been used in the sense of being a non-evil adversary. (Compare 1 Chronicles 21:1 and 2 Samuel 24:1)
What does 'devil' mean?
'DEVIL' ('diabolis' in Greek) means 'false accuser' or 'slanderer' and is used to refer to evil people or evil influence. This word has been translated 'false accusers' (2 Timothy 3:3) and 'slanderers' (1 Timothy 3:11) when referring to evil men and women. Jesus said "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is A DEVIL" John 6:70. He was of course referring to Judas.
All Scripture quoted is from the N.K.J.V.
To find out more about the Devil and Satan, go to The Devil and Satan Fact Sheet or complete the Online Bible Course.
Complete a free Online Bible Course