Sin, nature of

Scripture portrays sin in terms of wrongness before God in a variety of different ways, such as uncleanness, guilt or rebellion.

The basic nature of sin

All sin is directed against God

Psalm 51:4 See also Genesis 13:13; Exodus 10:16; Judges 10:10; Psalm 41:4; Luke 15:18

Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.

Sin is essentially a lack of faith in God

Romans 14:23 See also Hebrews 11:6

But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.

Descriptions of sin

Corruption of God's good purposes

Deuteronomy 32:5 See also Genesis 6:11–12; Deuteronomy 9:12, Deuteronomy 31:29; Judges 2:19

His people have acted corruptly toward Him; the blemish on them is not that of His children, but of a perverse and crooked generation.

Doing evil in God's sight

John 3:19–20 See also Judges 2:11; Psalm 34:12–16; Proverbs 8:13; Isaiah 59:6–7; Matthew 12:35 parallel Luke 6:45

And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

Ungodliness

Jude 1:14–15 See also Isaiah 9:17, Isaiah 32:6; 1 Timothy 1:9

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them: “Behold, the Lord is coming with myriads of His holy ones to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners.”

Rebellion against God's authority

Isaiah 30:9 See also Deuteronomy 9:7; 1 Samuel 15:23; Psalm 78:40, Psalm 78:56; Jeremiah 3:13; Hosea 7:13

These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction.

The breaking or transgression of God's laws

1 John 3:4 See also 1 Samuel 13:13–14; 1 Chronicles 10:13; Nehemiah 9:29; Micah 1:5, Micah 7:18; Romans 2:23, Romans 4:15, Romans 5:14–17; James 2:10–11

Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness.

Straying from the right path

Isaiah 53:6 See also Psalm 58:3, Psalm 95:10, Psalm 119:10, Psalm 119:21, Psalm 119:118

We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

Incurring a debt

Matthew 6:12 See also Matthew 18:21–35

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Falling short of a standard

Romans 3:23 The words most commonly used for “sin” in the OT and NT originally signified “missing the mark”.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Uncleanness

Psalm 51:2; Isaiah 1:16 See also Psalm 51:7; Hebrews 9:14

Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!

Kinds of sin

Sins of omission

James 4:17 See also Matthew 23:23 parallel Luke 11:42; Matthew 25:45

Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.

Deliberate sins

Luke 12:47 See also Numbers 15:30–31; Deuteronomy 1:42–43, Deuteronomy 17:12; Psalm 19:13; Isaiah 57:17; Romans 1:32

That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.

Unintentional sins

Luke 12:48 See also Leviticus 4:1–5; Numbers 15:22–29; Deuteronomy 4:41–42; Acts 3:17; 1 Timothy 1:13

But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.

Sin against the Holy Spirit

Mark 3:29–30 parallels Matthew 12:31–32, Luke 12:10 See also 1 John 5:16

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.” Jesus made this statement because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”