What does the Bible say about sin? Well, it is sin, of course, that makes salvation necessary. Man was created in a state of innocence, Genesis 1, verse 31 [“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”]. At the conclusion of the creation, the record tells us that God looked at it all and declared it to be good. And so we know that what God made was perfect. It was right.

But sin entered into this perfect and innocent world when Adam and Eve choose to disobey God’s command not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Genesis 3, verses 1 through 24, and also Romans 5, and verse 12 [“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.”].

Since that time, sin has been the constant nemesis, if you will, and has caused a chasm to exist between God and man. The words that we see in the Scriptures that refer to sin or have to do with sin are: sin itself, transgression, wickedness, and those sorts of things that we’ll talk about just for a moment. The Greek word that is translated into the English word for “sin” means “missing the mark,” or “a coming short of our true destiny.” Man’s goal is to be like God and to be in harmony with God. Sin is a failure to measure up to that expectation. It is the same idea of a marksman or archer who takes aim with his bow and arrow and has a goal—a target—that he is aiming for or shooting toward. But the arrow falls short—it doesn’t make it to that goal. So it is with sin. Our goal or target is to be like God—to live for God—to have a close and intimate fellowship with God. But because of sin, we fall short of that.

The Bible also tells us that sin is a transgression of God’s law. It’s an act of rebellion. It is a declaration of independence from God and His Will. We have laws in our land and if you break the law, you become a lawbreaker. In God’s economy of things, we have commands. We have God’s law. So when we break God’s law, we transgress the law of God. John refers to sin in that way in 1 John 3, verses 4 through 10. He speaks about sin being “lawlessness” [verse 4: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”].

Once again, sin is “a willful disobedience to God’s commands proceeding from distrust and leading to confusion and trouble.” That’s one man’s definition. Here’s another: “Sin is a corruption of the nature of man, so that, although by creation he was intended for fellowship with God and to reflect His nature, man is now not only unfit for fellowship apart from salvation, but without desire of it.”

Where does sin come from? Well, Jesus taught that sin originates in the heart of man, that is, in the mind of man, in man’s thinking, Matthew 5, 21 through 24 [“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ’You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ’Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ’You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”] and Mark 7, 20 through 23 [“And He said, ’What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.’”].

James tells us that sin comes when we are tempted. No, being tempted is not sin, but when we are tempted and then drawn away, James says, by our own lust, then that lust bears sin, James, chapter 1, 12 through 15 [“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ’I am tempted by God;’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 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.”].

So sin is falling short of the mark; it is transgression; and it is lawlessness. It originates in the heart and mind of man. As Jesus said, it’s not what goes into a man, but what comes out of a man [Mark 7:20-23] And sin is brought on when one gives in to temptation.

So then, what are THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN?

Well, sin is repugnant to God and it grieves Him. I looked for a stronger word and there may be one, but “repugnant” is a very strong and descriptive word about the way God considers sin.

The Old Testament tells us that God cannot look upon evil, and cannot be in the presence of wickedness. [Genesis 6:6-7: “And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, ’I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’”; Deuteronomy 25:16: “For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord your God.”; Also, Luke 16:15: “And He said to them, ’You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.’”]