Some Reflections on Sin

 By Pastor Jose V. Velasco

Read James 1:12-15

This reflection logically follows our reflection on temptation because the two are related. Sin happens when one yields to temptation.

When discussing temptation and sin we do not mean to emphasize the negative. But to tackle the enemy you must know his strength, strategies and intentions. So we must know what sin is, its nature and how it works.

Temptation is not sin. And you cannot avoid nor prevent it from coming. Satan is always around tempting people (1 Peter 5:8). He even tempted Jesus. He is busy recruiting followers. His main goal is to pull people away from God. He is also actively preventing people from believing in God. He does this in so many ways: through the influence of others, by trials and sufferings, putting bad thoughts and intentions into our minds, bad literatures, etc. The saying goes, you may not be able to prevent a bird from hovering over your head. But you can prevent it from building a nest on your head. Satan may want to control you, but through the power and wisdom of God you can defeat him (Philippians 4:13). It is when you surrender to Satan that you sin.

 What is sin? John says, “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness” (1 Jn. 3:4). This is what Adam and Eve did (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:6). So they sinned. But sin is not just the transgression of an impersonal law. It is sinning against the personal God, the very giver of the law. When King David committed the sin of adultery and repented he prayed to God, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight- -“ (Psalm 51:4). Of course, we also sin against the victim of our sinning. We sin against his right and dignity as a person. Sinning is rebelling against God because we are rejecting and disobeying His will as defined in His laws. 

 Sin is not just the outward acts of breaking God’s laws like murder, adultery, stealing, coveting, etc. It is the evil thoughts and attitudes that we have in our minds and hearts. This is how Jesus characterized sin (Mt. 5:21, 28). He said that these are the things that make us truly unclean and sinful (Mk 7:20-23). Our evil acts are only the symptoms or outward manifestations of our inward sins.  

 What does sin do? First, it alienates us from God. Hence, Adam and Eve, after they sinned, ran away from God (Gen. 3:8). They did not feel comfortable in His presence. The stow-away son left his father (Lk. 15:13). This is not a physical separation but a spiritual one. It is being far from God in the mind and the heart. Second, in sin we forfeit God’s blessings. Adam and Eve lost paradise including its peace, joy and specially God. The stow-away son lost the abundance, and comfort of his home, and specially the loving, secure company of his father. In sin we lose God’s peace, joy, power, comfort, guidance and power. Third, sin separates people. It creates disharmony, misunderstanding and fights. Fourth, sin has also affected God’s creation. This is hinted by Paul in Romans 8:19-21. Not because the inanimate creation can sin. It is sinful human beings who are destroying creation by abusing and misusing it. 

The worst thing that has ever happened in God’s world is the coming of sin. And yet thanks to God that that is not the end of the story. God sent Jesus Christ to the world that if we believe in Him and obey His words we may be saved from sin.

 Prayer: Our Father God, thank you that you sent your Son to deliver us from the bondage of sin. Help us that by faith we may be empowered to overcome and be delivered from sin. Amen.