In this video, we explore the profound question, "What is Sin?" Dive into an engaging and thought-provoking discussion that unravels the concept of sin from a Christian perspective. Using relatable analogies and historical references, we explain sin as a deviation from our intended purpose, rooted in the ancient Greek term 'hamartia,' meaning 'to miss the mark.' We also address common societal misconceptions, the inevitability of sin, and the transformative solution found in Jesus Christ. Join us in this enlightening conversation to gain a deeper understanding of sin and its impact on our lives.
Transcript:
Imagine you are a citizen of first-century Rome, a skilled archer in the Sagittarii, the Roman military archery division. You've spent years perfecting your aim, able to hit a bullseye at 50 yards. Now, you're competing in the Olympic Games, a prestigious event with a long history. You draw your bow, release your arrow, and it flies towards the target. If you hit the bullseye, you receive honor and recognition. But if you miss, that miss is called 'hamartia,' the Greek word for 'sin.' In archery terms, it means missing the mark, failing to hit the perfect center. That’s the word that gets translated “sin” in the New Testament.
Sin represents a deviation from my created purpose and meaning. Whether the deviation is small or large, it's still missing the intended target.
Sin is a natural conclusion of an amazing choice our Creation made when he put this whole thing together. A dangerous choice, a wild idea, a cosmic gamble. When the Creator designed us, he gave His creation agency, the ability to make our choices, sometimes called free will. Why was it so dangerous a gamble that even the angels probably were scratching their heads? Because a natural conclusion to allowing his creatures free will is the potential for sin. It wasn't inevitable, but it was a possibility. And we took that possibility as a challenge. We got apple sauce on our birthday suits.
Every human sins. All humans have fallen short of the glory of God. Sin is inevitable in that sense, but not every sinful impulse is acted upon. So, not every single sin is inevitable, but as a whole all people sin.
Now here’s where some people start to blanch. “I don’t like being called a sinner.” Let’s clear something up here. It only takes one sin to make me a sinner. Just like it only takes a single, not a full album to make me a singer. This doesn't mean that all I ever do is sin; it means that I've committed at least one sin, though I’ve probably done more. Just like it only takes one bank robbery to make me a bank robber, it only takes a single act to make me a sinner. This is why some people resist being called sinners—they misunderstand it as meaning constant wrongdoing. So, if I can think of even one time when I’ve lied, cheated, stolen, had hateful thoughts toward someone, lusted, or dozens of others, then I’m a sinner… actually I’m a sinner whether I can think of a time I’ve sinned or not, but if I can’t think of a time I’ve sinned, then I’m probably self-righteous too, which is a bigger problem still.
Now, let’s tackle one of the ways society tries to deal with the imperfections we all have. Society often tells me to 'love myself,' ‘I’m perfect the way I am,’ and 'be myself.’ That messaging ignores the reality of sin. If I accept myself the way I was born, I will be accepting the darkness within me. As Christians, we have to acknowledge that sin and darkness are deeply rooted in our souls, intertwined into our very being, so entangled that there is no human hope of sorting it out. The solution isn't to accept myself; it's accepting Jesus.
Jesus solved it for me. He paid for my sins. He removed them as obstacles between me and God. Being my creator, He is the only one who can disentangle the black tendrils of sin that are woven into my very being. When I believed in Him, by proxy I was accepting His work and was freely justified, viewed just as if I’d never sinned in the eyes of my Creator. It’s important to know that the great untangling of me from my sin will not be complete during this life. Part of the untangling includes me being resurrected, brought back to life after my death, raised incorruptible, without sin.
Sin is missing the mark. All people do it. It’s deeply rooted in our nature due to the fall. The idea is becoming increasingly rejected by society. From a Christian perspective, the solution to sin is found in Jesus, who offers us a path back to our intended design.
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